The 7 Best Hybrid Picking Exercises for Guitar

[@soundguitar]

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[@l.a.covers8400]

Somebody's been watching polyphia and got inspired lol. But thanks for the free lesson Jared. Appreciate it

[@soundguitar]

HAHA def down. right on, glad you liked it. thanks! -Jared

[@siddheshborkar52]

True man

[@lowinlowins2462]

Also got inspired XD

[@TheBlaQmind]

Also just searched for this cause of polyphia lol

[@Shamwilder]

Daniel Donato brought me here bruh 💯

[@robgerety]

This is great. I just retired and part of my plan is to work hard at my guitar playing, both acoustic and electric. I've played with the flatpick quite a bit. But, I've also played a fair amount of finger style country blues. No hybrid yet. Got to get this technique in my bag of tricks. Thank you. Sub'd.

[@bigbearsandbenjamins]

Great lesson and presented very well. Thank you! I’ve been wanting to practice hybrid picking for a while and until now had not found a good way to practice it. This will keep me busy for loong time.

[@kengovelez5272]

I can finally understand the videos because of a great teacher

[@soundguitar]

Awwwwww shucks :) Thanks!

[@michelefrogan7150]

Thanks,. Your class is holistic

[@LloydCohen-js8xw]

Very clearly demonstrated ; would like to learn these scales you mentioned, but am looking for actual finger placement not diagrams unless they are specific note for note , position to position. In a video the perfect combination is watching finger placement and hearing the notes as well.

[@longshenou]

This video is so helpful for a beginner of hybrid picking. After saw it for the first time (maybe half year ago) I was fully commited to hybrid picking since then, but there is always a problem troubles me: my middle finger get so curved so that if I pinch adjacent strings with pick and middle finger, the back side of its nail will accidentally mute another adjacent string with 50% chances, which means I have to be so careful when doing the pinch. Just now I re-watched the video and found Jared hold the pick with the *pads* of both thumb and index fingers (but I used to hold with the side of my index finger and thumb pad), and the *right side* of the pick touch the string when "planting". I tried this position and immediately, the additional curve of fingers disapper and I can play arpeggio so clean. I'm so grateful for this discovery!

[@joseph2832]

A relative of mine is a relatively successful session guitarist and always speaks about hybrid picking is the most “optimal and versatile” way of playing a steel string and electric guitar. He’s out in Tennessee making a living playing on many artists albums so he must been on to something lol!

[@billfehr256]

Awesome, thanks.

[@lauriemacquanan2141]

Thanks for the free tips, I am WAY IN THE beginning of my journey! I'm checking g out guitars.

[@Dave-gf3kd]

WOW……EXCELLENT set of exercises and explanations….

[@soundguitar]

Cheers! Glad you liked it :)

[@jonash154]

Great breakdown of this technique. I'm currently adjusting from being a fingerstyle player to a hybrid picker due to a problem with my index finger. Using my 4rh finger still feels bizarre! This was encouraging, so I'll persevere!

[@jasper_north]

Hello there… thank you. Do we need to dedicate the fingers to the strings in this case?? Like with Travis.

[@ThePartha1982]

first time i watched your video and i am in love the way you are teaching.....thanks

[@soundguitar]

That's so nice to hear! Thanks ~~ Jared

[@TheCSteve]

Thanks .. I played for years music and i didnt meet people to make the music i wanted so i play alone now and thanks to start the hybrid picking .. I neeed this starter practice .. :-) A good thing is that i can fingerpick so it wont take weeks .. 🙂

[@rhr7799]

Thanks for the great start up lesson for hybrid picking. I just recently viewed a video of a guitar player that I have been paying attention to for lessons for sometime now. He was explaining how he made the transition from pure picking to hybrid picking and wow!!!! It was a massive difference from what he sounded like before!!! It opens up a whole new world🎶🎶 Thanks for the introduction to hybrid picking 👍💯

[@rhr7799]

He also said that it was pretty hard in the beginning but at about the 2 week mark he noticed some improvement. Keep on practice and in time the music will be flowing!!

[@lambisstratoudakis]

Exceptional lesson and exercises!!!

[@soundguitar]

Thanks so much! ~~ Jared

[@TruthGuitar]

DUDE THIS IS GREAT!

[@soundguitar]

Thanks, Joel!

[@seanwholey6190]

THANKS SO MUCH JARED! It's so nice to know you listen to your students and create new lessons for them! I appreciate it so much. This is perfect! YOU'RE THE BEST!!!

[@soundguitar]

Yay, glad this is what you were looking for! Thanks again for the request, Sean. That technique should be great with the songwriting stuff too. I use it all the time. Cheers! -Jared ~

[@zahibilal9536]

@@soundguitar CHIPI CHIPI CHAPA CHAPA DUBI DUBI DABA DABA MAGICO MI DUBI DUBI BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@bryonandfreda]

Great lesson, thanks. I noticed you were picking with the back edge of the pick, I have struggled to pick with the forward edge thinking I was doing it wrong on the back edge. Am I stuck on something I don't need to be? Thanks

[@soundguitar]

Good question! I've been meaning to make a video on this, and I will at some point. The topic would be how much tone is actually a matter of how we play vs people often thinking it has everything to do with gear and settings. I play with the pick angled up to my left - like it's pointing to my left shoulder, instead of facing down pointing to the left foot. I believe this is the difference as what you're calling the back edge or front edge. With the front edge we can easily get a scrape sound on the strings that is undesirable and it's also a brighter tone. I'll use that for effect and for harsher sounds on purpose sometime, but default I play on the back edge because it's warmer and smoother. There's not a right or wrong here. Some people do play exclusively on the front edge but that's more in rock lead playing with lots of gain on - my background is more jazz and I like a warm mellow tone as default. Do whichever one you like the sound of and feels good to you. Hope that helps! thanks for asking. -Jared

[@johnlind5819]

Thanks Jared. This is a great lesson.

[@soundguitar]

Glad you liked it!

[@SolomonProvins]

Hi i watched this video of yours very impressive I've been playing classical guitar that was some time ago but never played with a pick i also watched Sandra Sherman Sherman play I am very interested in jazz guitar but struggling a bit but learnt a lot watching just wanna thank you surely I'm gonna practice the hybrid

[@girliedog]

Good stuff, I will practice these.

[@soundguitar]

Great to hear! :)

[@phillipholt6005]

I heard of your channel today and I was so excited that I subscribe.

[@davidpatrick1813]

thanks ... quick question.. I have been using a thumb pick all the time and can see how the index finger is free with the thumb but not with the flat. ... for practice ... would it be helpful for me to do well with both and if so, maybe using the index finger against the thumb pick may suffice for these exercises..??? I hope to get some exposure to "flat picking" at a local guitar camp in July ... and am open to letting the abilities grow.

[@maxargue744]

Beautifully done

[@jamescraig3046]

Thank you - this is a really helpful lesson.

[@soundguitar]

You're welcome! Glad it was helpful. Cheers -Jared

[@druwk]

Great lesson. Haven’t been able to crack hybrid picking effectively. Lot of new concepts, and more importantly exercises to develop the techniques. “Planting”

[@soundguitar]

Thanks for watching and commenting! :) -Jared

[@billyroberts5241]

Thanks!!! I was wondering how to get started with this technique. Here we go!

[@soundguitar]

Glad it was helpful!

[@kengovelez5272]

Love your video lessons. Learning so much. Thanks

[@soundguitar]

So glad to hear it! Thanks for letting me know! :) -Jared

[@hangtite87]

Thank You!

[@michaeledmonson4169]

That was very helpful. That droning note is awesome.

[@soundguitar]

Glad it was helpful! thanks -Jared

[@OtRatsaphong]

Thanks for this lesson, Jared! Certainly learning to plant will improve my Fingerstyle picking and my hybrid picking. On the whole all the exercises will help. I had no idea what exercises to do to improve my hybrid picking ability. This is exactly what I needed to see. Many thanks 🙏🙏🙏😍🦘

[@soundguitar]

I'm glad you found the right thing. Happy practicing!

[@colindawson1530]

Great lesson Jared - The last few years I have switched from nylon to Telecaster finger-style jazz - I have tried thumb-picks but feel a pick is much more sensitive - I'm now working on your exercises - Tried playing my existing rep but it's like starting over again - Do you think I should try and re-learn everything in Hybrid or draw a line and incorporate the tech going forward?

[@soundguitar]

Great question Colin. I think a little both actually. Start fresh as if drawing the line, then as you get used to it go back and experiment with old rep and notice what feels possible with it and decide from there to keep the old technique or re-work. Re-working off the bat though will feel like a bit too much in my experience

[@zenguitar65]

Jared, keep on keepin' on. New subscriber here. You really do have the approach of the servants heart. That combined with your excellent knowledge base, and forte for teaching, I'm certain many of us around the globe will be able to express our musical hearts more freely and adeptly. Cheers.

[@soundguitar]

I appreciate that!!! Thanks so much -Jared

[@cristianmammone5093]

thanks👏👏

[@soundguitar]

you're welcome!

[@Naminorite]

Is it critical from an electric guitar player standpoint to use the pinky? I thought the middle and ring fingers were the ones used?

[@davidlucente9392]

awesome stuff

[@taywooten77]

Great video! Motivation for me to start back practicing

[@soundguitar]

Excellent, glad to hear that! :) -Jared

[@arindabrightarnold776]

I love your guitar lessons bro ..you are becoming a great deal in my guitar learning. Lots of likes bro

[@soundguitar]

That's so great to hear! Thanks so much, Arinda. Cheers! -Jared

[@Bestialce2007]

I've always neglected hybrid picking because I don't see the point. Even if you're playing electric, just hide your pick in your pinky and bring it back out when you needed lol But I want to give it a shot and this video is quite useful. Thank you!

[@soundguitar]

Glad you found the lesson useful. Thanks for checking it out :) -Jared

[@petemarshall1567]

You're forcing me to get disciplined! Ugh! ...but thank you. Very informative lesson. I'm trying to teach myself "I Believe in Father Christmas" by Greg Lake and play it the way he does using hybrid picking. My biggest problem is how the picked note overpowers the plucked note when played together. I use the meat of my middle finger to pluck because using the nail just doesn't feel comfortable. Do you have a tip on equalizing the volume of the two notes? Or do I just need more practice? (Of course I do.) I think this lesson here, with the playing of the 4 notes at once, might lead me in the right direction. Thanks again...

[@soundguitar]

Good question! What I would do for equalizing the notes is play them continuously together - as in constant quarter notes or something like that, over and over and and over, and gradually increase the volume of JUST the pick note, then switch and gradually lower it while increasing the volume of JUST the finger note. this will for the independence control for volume of two notes at once. It takes a lot of focus, but it works over time. Works well with 3 or even 4 notes at a time too, just rotate between bringing out each individual note while playing them all. Thanks for asking. Cheers, ** Jared

[@lovatfraser5360]

Thanks Jared , informative lesson 👍🏼( and I may have to buy a pick now 😄)

[@soundguitar]

haha nice! I didn't realize you were all fingerstyle before. Good to know. :)

[@jodyw333]

Planting was my answer

[@soundguitar]

NICE! :)

[@johndurstfamilynyc]

How do you keep from breaking your fingernails? I've tried many different artificial nails and none can withstand fast hybrid picking. If I use natural nails, they break, and my fingers bleed! haha. Any tips?

[@clanza2024]

Great stuff!!! Now I have about 3 months worth of practicing techniques!! Thank You.. !!!🏌️👍🏻👍🏻🎸🎸🎸

[@BorisBidjanSaberi11]

Amazing

[@joshbezaire9708]

great video! Subbed

[@jaoeoek1980]

I've just found your channel. Your lessons are so great. I'm so happy :D Thank you very much for mentioning planting. I used to take classical guitar lessons but that's some time ago. Didn't think about it when I started to play hybrid picking. When playing hybrid picking, fingers and hand have to be in different angles from fully fingerstyle though. Do you have advice/comment on this?

[@soundguitar]

Hi Jaoe. Good questions, thanks for asking. I'm glad you recognized planting from your classical days. :) The advice for the hand needing to be in a different angle is simply that we must adapt and shouldn't try to force the classical position/angle into hybrid playing past the point of where it's comfortable. Of course sitting position and guitar angle changes what's comfortable as well. Keep things loose and relaxed and not strained, avoiding tension, and try to reach the best you can, and that's really it. Trying to get the perfect position but causing tensions doing it is a common mistake and a bad idea. Of course movement is limited with hybrid and we can't exactly play any classical repertoire with it (and I've tried), but it is possible to do some of the same techniques. Bottom line is that hybrid should be mostly a flat pick position as the priority and the other fingers simply come in to help out coming from the position that the hand is already in from flat picking. - a long explanation but I hope that helps! -Jared

[@jaoeoek1980]

@@soundguitar I appreciate the long explanation! It's always better to understand reasons behind advice. Thank you very much for taking time answering this question! I've been wondering about this topic for a long time but I don't know where to find the answer. Most guitar teachers/friends I know/have seen usually stick to one or two genres, like only classical or only flatpicking (and I understand their reasons.) So sometimes cross-genre perspective is quite hard to find and therefore I really appreciate your teaching. Thanks again!

[@soundguitar]

@@jaoeoek1980 I'm glad you appreciate the cross-genre perspective! I've wondered if talking about multiple genres on my lessons is hindering the channel but I think so many guitarists are interested in more than on genre that it's worth doing. Thanks for the feedback!

[@guitarado]

thats what i was looking for. playing for 25 years but not familiar with hybric picking...just starting

[@soundguitar]

Awesome to hear, Radovan! Glad you found it :) cheers and thanks for watching, -Jared

[@tumparinya3782]

It's awesome

[@foncosens2715]

thank you so much ,

[@soundguitar]

You are welcome!

[@louismarucci9056]

I’ve been doing hybrid picking for years but I never knew it had a name😆

[@michaelcraig9449]

Got some tabs to help with this stuff?

[@soundguitar]

Unfortunately I don't have tabs for these exercises, but I appreciate you letting me know that you would find that helpful. Perhaps I'll put together a PDF resource for these in the future. Thanks, Michael!

[@jasper_north]

Planting the pinky I guess on the guitar itself is out of the question? (For stability)

[@tripledotter9520]

I feel improved

[@Mike-so1zg]

Flamenco uses the pinky finger. Classical traditionally doesn't. Something that new finger pickers should keep in mind, that you should be firing from the back knuckles when picking. There is a slight arch in your fingers, and a bit of recoil in the middle knuckles, but the bulk of the work should be driven with the back knuckles. Think about it like walking, you wouldn't start driving from your knees, but from your hips. The same concept with finger picking.

[@sylvain7277]

I didn't even know that was a thing :D I started doing this long time ago to play Metallica's Fade to Black and the intro to Under the Bridge. But I thought I was hacking haha

[@soundguitar]

Haha, everything is a "hack" at first until it's suddenly a "real" thing. That's awesome you were doing it before anyway. Cheers -Jared

[@michaelcraig9449]

what do you mean PLANT? You still got to move the fingers, I saw no difference. Can you explain it better?

[@soundguitar]

You place the finger on the string and stabilize it for a moment before plucking and making a sound.

[@agressiveburito9855]

I hurt my thumb so i have to ring lower chords with a pick why not learn hybrid picking xD

[@jimcadorette1702]

Regardless of the technique you are using, assuming you're right-handed, your left hand is what you know and the right hand is who you are.

[@soundguitar]

Ooh, love this! :)

[@Bob_Greasy_The_3rd]

I'm having more trouble with the pick more than the other fingers.

[@winstonian88]

Good video. Way too much talking.

[@PavelDatsyuk-ui4qv]

Youre talking wayyyyy to much. Get to the point lol

[@andrewwazagow9120]

When the guitar teacher talks , and talks , and ...talks - it only means that he doesn't understand that the music talks by itself. People hear things , and they can see , what it is done - when it's on the screen. They DO NOT NEED constant explanation floating from never stopping mouth of a addicted to talking , tiring , - word-smith.

[@GrayfinRois]

I wish you could go TOTALLY slower and use a LOT more explanation.