Hybrid picking techniques using various combinations of the pick and fingers are very useful to jazz and flatpicking guitarists. As the aspiring guitarist develops dexterity and independence with the fingers and pick, interesting possibilities emerge- such as the ability to play voicings using non-adjacent strings.

Some guitarists will palm the pick and employ the thumb and all four fingers. Others rely on a thumbpick or classical technique using the nails. In my own case, I use the pick and remaining three nail-free fingertips of my right hand to achieve the desired effect. The examples that follow will help to build strength and balance in your right hand. Although I use the pick at all times, the thumb would work just as well for the lowest note in my examples.

Example #1 moves up diatonically from a I to a IV chord and ends on a I. I play the first two notes of each triplet with the pick and the last note with my middle finger.

Example #1

Example #2 also uses diatonic chords. The goal here is to employ the pick and remaining three fingers of the right hand for each four-note chord, and to ultimately achieve a balanced sound.

Example #2

Example #3 uses a simple ii-V-I progression. For the D mi.maj.9 and G7 #9#5, I'm using my pick and three fingers, and employing the pick for all the individual notes. For the first C maj.9, I'm picking the low C first and then using my pick and three fingers for the top four notes of the chord. For the last C maj.9, strive to achieve a balance between the fretted notes and the open G string.

Example #3

Example #4: Here I'm using a stock turnaround, I-flat III maj-flat VI maj-flat II maj-I. As you employ the pick and remaining three fingers for most of the chords, take care to balance the open G string with the fretted notes.

Example #4

Build your hybrid picking and fingerstyle skills slowly. Be patient, and you'll be rewarded with some wonderful sounds as you hone new right-hand techniques.

John Stowell has performed and taught internationally for more than twenty-five years. His Mel Bay Book/DVD Jazz Mastery, will be out in late 2005. For questions, comments or information, John can be reached at http://www.johnstowell.com or jfstowell@earthlink.net.