• Home
  • Best Guitar Picks
    • Best Wooden Guitar Picks
    • Best Metal Guitar Picks
    • Best Ergonomic Guitar Picks
    • Best Stone Guitar Picks
    • Best Ukulele Picks
    • Best Fingerpicks
  • Pick Reviews
  • Guitar Gear
  • Guitar Lessons
  • The Complete Guide to Guitar Picks
  • Contact

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

What's Hot

How to Read Guitar Chord Charts and Diagrams

January 27, 2023

All Types of Electric Guitars Explained

January 23, 2023

Dunlop Flow Picks Collection – Full Guitar Picks Review

January 20, 2023
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Guitar Pick ReviewsGuitar Pick Reviews
  • Home
  • Best Guitar Picks
    • Best Wooden Guitar Picks
    • Best Metal Guitar Picks
    • Best Ergonomic Guitar Picks
    • Best Stone Guitar Picks
    • Best Ukulele Picks
    • Best Fingerpicks
  • Pick Reviews
  • Guitar Gear
  • Guitar Lessons
  • The Complete Guide to Guitar Picks
  • Contact
Guitar Pick ReviewsGuitar Pick Reviews
Home»Guitar Lessons»Hybrid Picking: Simple but Effective Hybrid Picking Lick
Guitar Lessons

Hybrid Picking: Simple but Effective Hybrid Picking Lick

Guitar Pick ReviewsBy Guitar Pick ReviewsJanuary 12, 2022Updated:July 10, 2022No Comments3 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp Email
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Pinterest Email

For many years, I neglected the concept of hybrid picking. Today it is one of my favorite guitar techniques. Hybrid Picking is where one uses the pick in the normal way to sound notes on the lower strings, while the middle, ring, and occasionally the pinky, grab notes on the higher strings. It has opened up the guitar for me in numerous ways. Unfortunately, many electric guitar players probably do not use hybrid picking because they think it is mostly reserved for country guitar players. But in fact, you can also use it very effectively in a rock-n-roll context.

country guitar player demonstrates hybrid picking
Hybrid picking – not just for country players

Good hybrid picking lick to get you started

The following is a relatively simple hybrid picking lick. Yet it still sounds quite attractive and musical to me with its wide intervals, and a considerable amount of speed can be generated with it as well. Let’s play the lick now.

|—-7m———-10m—|—-7m———-10m——|
|—————————-|——————————-|
|-10—-10-9-7—–7-9-|-10—–10-9-7————|
|—————————-|————————-7-9-|
|—————————-|——————————-|
|—————————-|——————————-|

|—-7m——–10m—-|—–7m——–10m——-|
|—————————|——————————|
|—————————|————————-7-9-|
|-10—10-9-7—-7-9–|-10—–10-9-7————|
|—————————|——————————-|
|—————————|——————————-|

Most importantly, note that all the pitches on the high E string should be plucked with the middle finger of your picking hand (or your ring finger, if that is more comfortable), which makes it a hybrid picking lick. Repeat the phrase as many times as you want. Set up a metronome and start off slowly, then increase the speed. The scale used in the lick could be considered C Major, although the C# on the high E string is actually a note that occurs outside the key. To me, this exercise sounds slightly classical and it’s quite fun to play. Over time you can simply improve this simple lick and make it more interesting.

See also  How to Improve Your Guitar Tone Using Nothing But Your Fingers

Performance tips

All notes on the D and G strings are picked with the plectrum (but hammer-ons and pull-offs could be incorporated as well), while the notes on the high E string (to reiterate) are plucked with either your middle or ring finger (I use my middle finger, personally, which is why there is an ‘m’ next to those notes). Remember to relax your picking hand as you pluck and pick the notes when hybrid picking. If your hand is too tense you won’t be able to play fluidly.

To repeat, you can also work up a lot of speed with the phrase above, but to be honest I don’t think it sounds especially good to just blaze through your hybrid picking licks. Slow down a little to allow your appreciative audience to hear the phrasing and the precise nuances of the various notes. Don’t just rattle through the lick as if you’re banging away on keys of a typewriter. Feel the rhythm and listen intently to the musicality of the pattern and attempt to make your hybrid licks sonorous and fresh and compelling.

And that’s all there is to this hybrid picking lick. Enjoy.

Related posts:

How to Improve Your Guitar Tone Using Nothing But Your Fingers
25 Guitar Myths Everyone Believes in, But are Pure Nonsense
How To Tune A Guitar
How To Easily Develop a Successful And Fun Guitar Practice Routine
guitar playing tips hybrid picking licks
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr WhatsApp Email
Guitar Pick Reviews
  • Website

Related Posts

How to Read Guitar Chord Charts and Diagrams

January 27, 2023

Basic Guitar Chords for Beginners: Play Your First Songs

December 25, 2022

The 7 Best Ways to Hold a Guitar Pick

December 17, 2022

How to Sing and Play The Guitar at The Same Time

November 29, 2022

How To Put On A Guitar Strap? Step By Step Guide

November 4, 2022

Guitar Injuries – Prevent, Identify, and Treat Common Guitar Injuries

September 17, 2022
Add A Comment

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Don't Miss
8.2

Rombo Picks – Full Review

April 6, 2022

How to Get the Best Price for a New Guitar

January 15, 2022

How To: Fingerpicking Acoustic Guitar Basics

December 10, 2021

Guitar Injuries – Prevent, Identify, and Treat Common Guitar Injuries

September 17, 2022
Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest Reddit
  • Contact
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy & Cookie Policy
  • About
  • Disclaimer
  • Sitemap
© 2023 Guitarpickreviews.com.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.