For the hybrid pickers out there...

albert lee

Hi all...I'm venturing into the world of hybrid picking (pick and fingers) and was curious how "you" use this technique. Should I always try to incorporate this when learning songs, jamming and general exercises or should it only be used when notes a few strings apart? Once you had this technique under your fingers, did you retro to old tunes to use this method? I don't plan on letting my fingernails grow...I was just going to use my finger tips, any concerns there? Any/all help and experiences appreciated...thank you!

Mike

I don't know if this is what you mean, but.... when playing acoustic or classical guitar, I always use a pick and fingers. One reason is that it's much more comfortable for me to use a pick instead of trying to strum with a chubby thumb. The other reason is that it sounds better to me, especially on a nylon string classical (yea, yea... i know the classical players out there will think it's blasphemy to use a pick). The lower/bass strings sound too muffled to me; by using a pick, the bass notes brighten up and stand out a little more.
As far as fingernails... I prefer to use my finger tips as well. The notes would be brighter with fingernails. So, IMO using a pick for thicker strings and finger tips for the thinner strings balances out the sound. But, again... that's just my opinion and questionable habit :wink:

To play like that, would you hold the pick normally, and then play using the same setup as classical finger style with a finger per each of the smaller strings, but in this case instead of index, middle, and ring, you would use middle, ring and pinky?

(I am familiar with using the pick to play a string and using one of your other fingers, usually middle to play another string, but I've never tried to take it a step further and pretty much play full on classical finger style using diff fingers and a pick)

Take a look at jazz player Don Mock. He has a beginner's video--"down loadable" somewhere:wink:-- in it he discusses using the pick in that manner just briefly, but you do get to see him in action and may be able to learn something that way

There are thumb and finger picks that sortof fits like a ring. Only on the end of your fingers/thumb.

Hi all...I'm venturing into the world of hybrid picking (pick and fingers) and was curious how "you" use this technique. Should I always try to incorporate this when learning songs, jamming and general exercises or should it only be used when notes a few strings apart? Once you had this technique under your fingers, did you retro to old tunes to use this method? I don't plan on letting my fingernails grow...I was just going to use my finger tips, any concerns there? Any/all help and experiences appreciated...thank you!

Mike

I learned the technique back when I was 13 and my teacher was teaching me how to play unaccompanied chord/melody jazz standards. Now, 37 years later, it's just something I do without thinking. It's part of my "sound", and might be used anywhere, any time, and on any song I happen to be playing.

Thanks all for the replies!

Mike

I give it a try every now and then, the biggest problem I encounter is using the pinky for picking the hi E string. It seems I alway end up using nly the pick and 2 fingers, and very often missing the hi E altogether. Its also referred to as chicken-pickin, Jerry Reed the country guy is very good at it.
Eric