The foundational Travis picking pattern over a G chord. Thumb alternates bass strings while fingers pluck treble strings.
e|--3-----------3---| B|----3-------3-----| G|------0---0-------| D|--------0---------| A|--2---------------| E|--3---------------|
Advertisement
Thumb: E and A strings alternating. Fingers: G, B, e strings. Keep thumb independent — it must maintain its pattern regardless of what your fingers are doing. This is the foundation of all country and folk fingerpicking.