hybrid picking

[mullz]

Could someone please explain to me the finer points of hybrid picking? Im learning Eric Johnson - Cliffs of Dover, and there is that fast partthat uses a high G on the high E string as a pedal note... I originally played it with (fast) alternate picking, getting quite fast too... but then I read that its played with hybrid picking...

I've written myself some exercises and stuff, to build up speed, but I just want to know about the technical side of it a bit more.

Thanks, mullz

[smfulla]

well I'm assuming hybrid picking is the same as speed or economy picking

well initially it is alternate picking, sort of. but when it comes to going up or down strings, instead of alternate picking, your rake between the 2 strings. An example should make this clearer. Ok, say you're on 4th string, you're on fret 14, and you're about to downpick it. But after the 14 on 4th string, you want to go to the 11th fret on the 3rd string. So after you downpick the 14th fret on 4th string, you don't up pick the 11th fret on 3rd string, you downpick it keeping the same motion, like in a rake, then you continue your alternate picking.
But the idea is to alternate pick so that everytime you need to change a string you've got the rake motion going straight away. So you may have to start out a lick by picking up first, and ending by picking down.

This is to economise the movement of the hand, possibly helping to avoid confusion when changing strings.

Hope this helps

[mullz]

I mean hybrid picking like, using two different 'things' to pick two different strings (eg, pick/finger)...

Here it is an example (out of Cliffs):


e|--15----15----15----15----15----15----15----15--|
B|-----19----------------------------------17-----|
G|o----------19----------------------17----------o|
D|o----------------19----17----17----------------o|
A|------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------|


From what I can gather I pluck the G's on the 'e' string with my 2nd or 3rd finger, and pick the rest of the notes of G major with my pick. Is that the right idea?

Thanks

[smfulla]

so the tab actually says to use hybrid picking???
coz if it doesn't... are you actually sure he uses a pick?
but anyway, yeh, with your pick between your thumb and 1st finger, use your third finger to pluck the other strings

[mullz]

Well, yeah he uses a pick and the tab doesnt say hybrid picking, otherwise I would have started learning it with hybrid picking instead of alternate. Anyway, do you have any 'technical' advice for the technique because that is what I am after,. Thanks.

[smfulla]

sure
when hybrid picking, I find that holding the pick harder, and slightly sliding your thumb further down the pick gives you more control.
other than that just practice the motion of your hand with the picking of your third finger

[lam]

Hi, you can look at
tuckandpatti.com
in Tuck s corner, there are a lots of things about all kind of picking.
Don t miss it.
LAM