3 Finger Travis Picking closeup

Here is Bill Nash's 5 step program for learning how to do the 3 finger Travis picking pattern.  You can find this all over YouTube, but this is Travis picking ala Bill Nash!  ;)  The emphasis, and I can't say this enough, is to teach your thumb motor memory, which means the first 2 steps are critical in picking this pattern up... you MUST spend a lot of practice time just doing these 2 steps to lock in your thumb's motor memory before you can add the "ands" of the beats with your index and middle finger. The 3rd, 4th and 5th steps of my 5 step program are adding the "ands" of beats 2, 3, and 4 - the 5th step is full fledged Travis Picking, the way I do it.

As you're trying to incorporate the 3rd, 4th, and 5th steps, you may find your index and middle finger will try to get the thumb to let them do some of the downbeat work... DO NOT LET THEM GET INVOLVED!  That will impede the thumb from being the motor of the pattern that it HAS to be for the style to work!  If you notice them trying to get in the way, go back a step from where you are and work on the thumb motor memory again... it is critical your thumb becomes a machine!