Hybrid picking - any good resources?

[Vetteboy]

I've been wanting to expand out into some new styles lately and this is one of 'em.

I can alternate-pick really well, skip strings, chromatics, etc. I can comp jazz chords fingerstyle all day long. But when it comes to integrating any sort of fingerstyle and picking at the same time, I might as well be all thumbs.

I think part of it might be the way I hold the pick (thumb + two fingers), which will probably be something difficult to unlearn...but I'm willing to give it a shot I guess. It's been a long time since I actually sat down and tried to learn something new.

Anyone have any good resources/books/websites/examples for this stuff?

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Hybrid picking - any good resources?

I've been wanting to expand out into some new styles lately and this is one of 'em.

I can alternate-pick really well, skip strings, chromatics, etc. I can comp jazz chords fingerstyle all day long. But when it comes to integrating any sort of fingerstyle and picking at the same time, I might as well be all thumbs.

I think part of it might be the way I hold the pick (thumb + two fingers), which will probably be something difficult to unlearn...but I'm willing to give it a shot I guess. It's been a long time since I actually sat down and tried to learn something new.

Anyone have any good resources/books/websites/examples for this stuff?

Definitely learn to hold the pick with your thumb and index finger only.

Make a J out of your index finger and set the pick on there so it balances. Then put your thumb down on top of it and off you go.

That is #1 first order of business.

In my experience, forget about your pinky. Pick with your pick and grab other notes (literally :laughing with your middle and ring fingers.

An exercise you can do is to just form a chord (pick one) and play the bass note on the low E string, then play the B string with your ring finger, then play the G string with your middle finger.

Start out deliberately, and get your speed up, only takes a minute or 5 to build the muscle memory. Break your grip and shake your hands out and then grab another chord and do the same thing, maybe try the high e and B strings this time, but it's important to keep the right hand pattern consistent, e.g. E-B-G, E-B-G, E-B-G, E-B-G

After you do the simple E-B-G, you can make up new right-hand patterns and build the muscle memory for those.

I hope that helps,
Hunter

 

[Vetteboy]

Re: Hybrid picking - any good resources?

Definitely learn to hold the pick with your thumb and index finger only.

Make a J out of your index finger and set the pick on there so it balances. Then put your thumb down on top of it and off you go.

That is #1 first order of business.

I'm sitting here at my desk, holding a quarter, and I'm pretending to try this.

**** that feels weird. :scratchch

Let's hear it for self-taught bad habits! I think before I try anything, I'll run through my usual practice routine holding the pick differently and see if I can get used to it...

 

[Vetteboy]

Re: Hybrid picking - any good resources?

Hmm...played around with it for about an hour and a half. A few realizations:

- I might need to change picks again, it keeps slipping around
- I've played so long in the 'steve morse' style that a ton of things ordinarily done with hybrid picking are now second nature to me played fully picked. I think instead of re-learning a lot of stuff I'll concentrate on finding new things to do, which now includes double-stops and some neat chording things.
- Got two nice callouses in some new places.

It's kind of neat though, it's starting to feel at least a little normal, if I can get over the pick thing. I might need to switch back and forth...15 years habit is hard to shake.

Are there any other idiots out there that hold the pick with 3 fingers, or did I learn that one on my own?

 

[vinterland]

Re: Hybrid picking - any good resources?

Shawn Lane, Buckethead, Brett Garsed, Greg Howe

There are your resources.