I am a flatpicker when it comes to the blues, (and anything else).

i did try to learn robert johnson blues, and even ordered a few videos on finger picking, a tape course on fingerpicking and it just wouldnt' take,, due to my weak thumbs.

I remember an excerise i saw on of homespun tapes called breaking up the chords which i was able to translate into a simple flatpicking excerise just took out the base line.

but what is your take, mr duke on trying to emulate fingerpicking with a flatpick without incorpating chicken/hybrid picking ?

do we focus on melody, and suppose like if we are at home praticing by ourselves is it better to do chords or do a sort of rhthmic pattern say at the 5 fret, a first pattern on the root and e pattern in the key of a,, instead of resorting to open a licks as we are down out of position ?.

or do you prefer more of a rhythmic fill approach?

but even more so,, when you are doing fingerpicking lead, (without a moving bass line with the thumb), and we are just using one finger aka one  pick , what do you advise ?.

Hi Donald, great question.  

The video Duke's going to publish on Friday (Chicago Blues in E Lesson 3) demonstrates a hybrid picking technique using the pick for the bass and one finger for the lead / fills.  Duke's previous two Chicago Blues lessons also show a pick only technique that you may want to check out.  Enjoy!