Hybrid Picking

[Mateo150]

I was fooling around with Wes Montgomery's "Bumpin on the Sunset" doing the chord melody thing he does and found myself using my fingers and pick. It just kind of happened, I recorded myself playing just pick and using the pick and fingers, my phrasing and swing are soooo much better with the fingers. I don't really have a system, usually my middle finger does the upstrokes and my pick does the downstrokes, sometimes the ring finger just sorta fings in. Are there any well known jazz guys who play this way that I can take a listen to?

[forgottenking2]

Gerald Blakeman! (my guitar teacher, an awesome cat in the NW side of town) I think Larry Coryel (sp?) did something like that. Joe Pass was more of a just fingers or just pick approach. You could basically addapt anything for finger style to hybrid. I play the way Eric Johnson/Bred Garset play, using the pick like you would the thumb and the pinkie like you would the ring finger so I end up with P=Pick, I=middle finger, m=Ring Finger, a = Pinkie and it seems to work fine.

Good luck!

[Joe Pass Jr]

Yeh Pass did all of the above, but mostly fingerstyle toward the end. Mark Knopfler also used the pick/fingerstyle variations alot.

[DemonSorcerer]

Brett Garsed is the master of Hybrid Picking IMO....you gotta check his records and videos...i have his two video clinics...and they're AAA class...very instructive, to say the least...Shawn Lane also used to do great string skipping licks with the hybrid technique...check his REH videos too...

David

[Mateo150]

I've seen a short video of Garsed showing that, wasn't interested at the time. I'm not really interested in his style of play as amazing as it is. I remember he said he used his fingers because he sucked at string skipping, whereas I do it for timing, phrasing, tone, more subtle jazz type of things I suppose. I'd like to approach it from that angle.

For the Joe Pass suggestions, any particular albums or songs that he hybrids a lot on?

[DemonSorcerer]

I've seen a short video of Garsed showing that, wasn't interested at the time. I'm not really interested in his style of play as amazing as it is. I remember he said he used his fingers because he sucked at string skipping, whereas I do it for timing, phrasing, tone, more subtle jazz type of things I suppose. I'd like to approach it from that angle.

Hey, Kiddo...*sighs*

Don't wanna flame you, because you don't seem to know what you're saying...Garsed has always said that 1...the hybrid technique developed on him completely naturally, he even wasn't aware of it at first...2...He loves the sound and tone of the lines when played with the hybrid picking technique, because of his smooth tone and dynamics...3...Garsed may have said that the Hybrid technique was a blessing for him because he had no "CROSS STRING PICKING" abilities, mainly because he tried to stack as many notes on a string as possible, due to his legato approach to guitar playing...not because he "sucked at string skipping" as you said...

I strongly suggest you to check Garsed's videos...again. Just to make sure you have the right idea in your mind.

David

[Joe Pass Jr]

For the Joe Pass suggestions, any particular albums or songs that he hybrids a lot on?

http://www.carmapro.com/music/originalmusic/jpbye.html

This is a good example of the pass approach. Unfortunately its not in tab form for the non readers out there. Have a stab at it even if your not into reading. Most of the melody is played in straight arpeggios between the 7th and 11th frets. The first note ( the way i approached it ) is played with an open G then use your pinky to slide up D to D# on the high e.
( 6---10/12----)
( 5-------------)
( 4--0---------)
and basically end every line with the highest note on the high e.

Maybe someone should do an article on the joe pass style. or if your really interested get your hands on the last two copies of 'guitar technique' mag. They just finnished a study on him. was the only reason i bought the mag :P

peace.

[DemonSorcerer]

http://www.carmapro.com/music/originalmusic/jpbye.html

This is a good example of the pass approach. Unfortunately its not in tab form for the non readers out there. Have a stab at it even if your not into reading. Most of the melody is played in straight arpeggios between the 7th and 11th frets. The first note ( the way i approached it ) is played with an open G then use your pinky to slide up D to D# on the high e.
( 6---10/12----)
( 5-------------)
( 4--0---------)
and basically end every line with the highest note on the high e.

Maybe someone should do an article on the joe pass style. or if your really interested get your hands on the last two copies of 'guitar technique' mag. They just finnished a study on him. was the only reason i bought the mag :P

peace.

It seems that you're very familiar to the solo Jazz guitar master's style...why don'tcha write the Joe Pass profile for the IBM community?? if you're indeed interested, please talk to the administrators....they'll be more than glad to hear your interest in the IBM community...

Thanks in advance, in the name of the IBM Authors Staff.

David
IBM Author

[Joe Pass Jr]

I only discovered him mid last year or so, and i wouldnt say i know a great deal about him as far as his particular style. Although he does have some unique ideas. So i might have a go at it.

peace.

[forgottenking2]

I didn't get that much into hybrid picking style until I started doing chord melody stuff, I like to keep my pick to be able to throw some runs (my finger style technique still needs work). (The late) Joe Pass played only with his fingers though, he never really digged into hybrid stuff (as far as I know). His chord melody arrangements (as well as any other solo finger style arrangements) can be adjusted to hybrid picking style with very litte change or no change at all. If you want to develop that style you can go at it the same way you would with classical RH technique. Pick up some carcasi books, or check out some transcriptions from chord melodies by the masters. The guy that (to my surprise) hasn't been mentioned yet is Barney Kessel. He actually wrote one of the very first jazz guitar methods. If you like the kind of stuff that Joe (Pass) got into in his late recordings you should definitely check him out. I personally liked his old stuff better (Joy Spring anyone?)

[Bizarro]

One note: Joe Pass was a monster with the pick too. I saw him in-person many years ago. He could do it all :) He put on a great show, and told stories and stuff in between songs and made it all fit together.