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Hybrid picking is a technique that combines the use of a pick with the fingers to produce a unique, versatile sound on the guitar. This technique is popular among country, bluegrass, and rock guitarists, but it can also be applied to various other styles. By using a combination of pick and fingers, hybrid pickers can access a wider range of tonal options, allowing them to create rich, nuanced soundscapes that would be difficult to achieve with a pick alone. Whether you’re a beginner looking to expand your playing techniques or an experienced player looking for new sounds, hybrid picking is an essential technique to have in your toolkit.

Greg Koch: The Hybrid Picking Guru

One of the many “wonders” of the guitar is the wide range of fingerpicking techniques that guitarists can use to compliment their music style. Most guitarists understand the principles of alternate picking, flatpicking and fingerstyle. On the other hand, one of the most expressive and versatile techniques, hybrid picking, is a mystery to most guitar players.

If you look up “hybrid picking” on Wikipedia, Greg Koch’s picture is prominently and singularly displayed next to the definition (no joke!). Greg demonstrates and breaks down 8 ear-bending hybrid picking techniques in this Hybrid Picking edition of the Gristle Shop.

In Hybrid Picking from the Gristle Shop, you’ll be schooled on key hybrid techniques through 8 sets of lessons: Hybrid Picking Rhythm Patterns, Chicken Pickin’ Single Note Lines, An Essential Travis Pattern, A Delicious Banjo Roll Sampler, Banjo Rolls with Moving Basslines, Double Stops with Open Strings, The Buchanan Triplet, and Cascading Harp Harmonics.

Greg Koch Hybrid Picking Guitar Lesson #1: Double Stops with Open Strings – Demonstration


A fun thing about this technique is being able to do double stops where you’re hitting fretted notes with your pick and then using your middle finger or third finger on your right hand to have open strings droning as you hit those lower notes. So let’s dive in on how to do that! I’ll kick things off with a short overview, next I’ll perform the tune for you, and finally, I’ll break it all down for you in detail.

Get the tab and more for this hybrid picking lesson now >

Greg Koch Hybrid Picking Guitar Lesson #2: The Buchanan Triplet – Demonstration


I’m calling this the Buchanan Triplets and I’ll be adding some 16th notes to it as well. James Burton probably did this first, I’m calling it the Buchanan Triplet because that’s where I really kind of learned and harnessed it first. I’ll kick things off with a short overview, next I’ll perform the tune for you, and finally I’ll break it all down for you in detail.

Get the tab and more for this hybrid picking lesson now >

Greg Koch Performance: CHICK3N FROM H3LL! – Performance


In this lesson series I’m gonna talk about creating melodies and just kind of simple-ish lines using chicken picking that just gives it a little bit more pizzazz. I’ll kick things off with a short overview, next I’ll perform the tune for you, and finally I’ll break it all down for you in detail.

Get the tab and more for this hybrid picking lesson now >

Greg Koch Performance: Smash the Bassman With Open Strings – Performance


A fun thing about doing hybrid picking is being able to do double stops where you’re hitting fretted notes with your pick, and then using your middle finger or third finger on your right hand to have open strings droning as you hit those lower notes. So let’s dive in on how to do that! I’ll kick things off with a short overview, next I’ll perform the tune for you, and finally I’ll break it all down for you in detail.

Get the tab and more for this hybrid picking lesson now >

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