How to learn Hybrid picking

[markd85]

Hi All
I am interested in learning acoustic, country style hybrid picking using a flat pick. I am having a hard time finding any dedicated courses or instruction on this subject. I did find one but the material is pretty thin, the forum that goes with it is dead and the instructor is not responsive. What do ya'll say is the best way to learn? I thought maybe take a Travis pick or fingerstyle course and just adapt it for hybrid picking? I just don't want to waste time and energy if that's not the best way to learn. Thanks for any comments!
Mark

[stanron]

Well you could go to a music shop and ask for a book on the subject. You could look online for a book as well.

Or you could try what we all had to do back in the 1960s and listen to people playing that style and try to work it out for yourself. This has a couple of extra advantages. It opens up the possibility of developing a totally unique style of playing and it starts to develop your 'ear'.

Sorry I can't help more than that.

[reeve21]

https://www.homespun.com/country-and...fingerpicking/

I don’t know if this course is any good but the teacher has an interesting background.

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by stanron

Well you could go to a music shop and ask for a book on the subject. You could look online for a book as well.

Or you could try what we all had to do back in the 1960s and listen to people playing that style and try to work it out for yourself. This has a couple of extra advantages. It opens up the possibility of developing a totally unique style of playing and it starts to develop your 'ear'.

Sorry I can't help more than that.

This is more or less what I did, I just used it by default to play every riff I possibly could for several months and my "style" just developed. My rule of thumb is that on the high E I use my ring finger (cause anywhere I go from there its handy to have my middle finger free), beyond that I generally use my middle finger by default... unless I'm skipping a couple strings.

I do "pinch" chords sometimes, which is maybe more what you are talking about, but mostly I use it for doing fast cross string licks cleanly and efficiently. A common trick I use is to do a hammer/pluck/slide to get two quick notes on one string with my pick, then hit a note on a higher string with one of my fingers for a fast, easy triplet. From there you can use ghost notes or more hammer/ plucks to turn those into paradiddles and beyond. Honestly, the way I use Hybrid picking actually feels like it has more in common with playing slap and pop lines on an electric bass than it does with Travis picking or fingerstyle.

I recently recorded this song, where I use the above technique in the intro/ outro and solo. And although at times it sounds like I'm playing pretty fast, mostly my left hand is simply making a downstroke with the pick and then a pluck with one of my fingers, at a fairly relaxed pace. Also possibly of interest is that I only rarely use a full chord form in this song, generally only fretting one or two notes up the neck and using open strings to fill out the sound.

[dhodgeh]

Hybrid Picking for Guitar

D

[jseth]

Well, right off the bat, I'd say to learn Travis picking, holding the flatpick and using the remaining fingers... I use mostly middle and ring finger, but the pinky does get some action from time to time!

I started out with a flatpick, primarily... then I learned Travis picking with a thumb pick and fingernails... but when I began to play gigs, I got frustrated having to switch between thumbpick and flatpick... either I'd forget one or the other, or I'd drop the flatpick on the stage between songs...

In any case, I decided to try to fingerpick with the flatpick... and it took a good deal of time to get used to it, to develop it... but it's been over 40 years now, so it's my normal mode of playing.

Start with the Travis picking; no matter what you end up doing, you're gonna want that knowledge base...

[markd85]

Thanks to everyone for the links and suggestions.

stanron...I have looked online and in music shops for books. There are not many to be found. It seems most people just adapt some sort of fingerstyle to a hybrid picking technique. I'm sure you're right in saying there is value in doing it the way it was done a long time ago but I also think there is value in using modern tools as well.

revee21...I was not aware of that course. Thanks for pointing it out. Richard Thompson is a total monster of a player. I could never hope to play remotely like that. Anyone who doesn't know Richard Thompson should watch this...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0kJdrfzjAg

Bushleague...Thanks for your reply. I can't access soundcloud right now but I will listen to your recording the first chance I get. It seems you're in the camp with stanron of just kinda figuring it out for yourself. I am finding out that in the end, many people learn to play the guitar this way in general. Probably, to my detriment, I'm more the kind of person that likes to have structured learning. Do this, this, this, and then, this and you will be a guitar player, following a method, book, or course. I know the definition of "guitar player" is subjective but you get the idea.

dhodgeh...thanks for the link to the book. I have looked at that one before. It seems from the description it may be over my head as I have only been playing for about 2.5 years. I know nothing about legato, melodic pairs, 12 Tone Lines or Permutation Charts. Do you own this book and do you think it would be suitable for a 2.5 year player to be able to use?


jseth...Thanks for your comment. I have the basics of travis picking down learning from Mark Hanson's book and also from Glen Willow on this forum. The way you developed your style is pretty much what I was thinking also. Just take what you know, in my case not that much but a little bit of travis picking, and learn to incorporate the flat pick. Guess it's about time to head to the woodshed! Always interested in hearing others music for inspiration if you'd like to PM me a sample.

[dhodgeh]

Originally Posted by markd85

Thanks to everyone for the links and suggestions.


dhodgeh...thanks for the link to the book. I have looked at that one before. It seems from the description it may be over my head as I have only been playing for about 2.5 years. I know nothing about legato, melodic pairs, 12 Tone Lines or Permutation Charts. Do you own this book and do you think it would be suitable for a 2.5 year player to be able to use?

The first section of the book consist mostly of exercises to get your finger coordination down. I have not paid much attention of the terminology and just focused on the exercises and tunes. There is a lot of material, and if you can work through the entire book, I do believe the effort will go a long way to nailing the technique.

Enjoy the journey no matter what path you take.

D

[mr. beaumont]

I honestly think the best way to learn is just to do. You can pick up a book or a video that will teach you some hot licks, but what you really need is to adapt finger independence...

Start with three note chords, on adjacent strings, and try hybrid picking them as a cluster, Pick/middle/ring. Going through something like a harmonized A major scale would be great...A, Bm, C#m, D , etc...

Then you play chords that AREN'T on adjacent strings. Once you get decent at playing triads, you can apply patterns with the right hand...add hammer on and pull off embelishments...

And of course, as is my advice with any technique, any style...learn SONGS.

[jseth]

This is a quote from the great Norman Blake (might be slightly abridged?):

"There is no substitute for time spent behind the box..."

[Bluenose]

I only watched the first song on this video but I thought what great hybrid picking. Learn from the best I always say

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmH0rSpardE

[kevinplarson]

You should try one of these

https://reverb.com/item/46061335-sha...ntent=46061335

I really like the crossover model and I slide in my own picks. It’s really great. It secures well around your thumb and makes it so gripping the pick with another finger isn’t necessary.