Hybrid picking vs using a thumbpick

Stuckfast

Being mainly an acoustic player these days, I gravitate to using a thumbpick in preference to a plectrum, even when I'm playing electric guitar. I struggle to do fast alternate picking with either, but is there any fundamental reason why things that are possible with plectrum and fingers shouldn't be possible with a thumbpick? Is there any point in trying to learn hybrid picking as well?

Tannin

I'm a fingerpicker, so take this with a grain of salt. But for what it's worth, the reason I've never got the hang of thumbpicks is that you have so much less control over it as compared to a flatpick. You can do all the flatpick movements (upstrokes, downstrokes and variations) but what you can't do is alter your grip to have a soft touch or a firm touch. The stiffness of the pick is fixed, and there is no way to soften or stiffen your attack (other than by changing the angle of the pick, over which you have limited control compared to doing the same thing with a flat pick). 

roberty

You don't have true thumb independence with hybrid picking so that's the downside. I use a flatpick pretty much 100% of the time so I hybrid pick, but only to a basic standard. You can always tuck the pick away and use your fingers for the best of both worlds (eg Chris Buck). I have a bad knuckle on my right hand that limits my mobility for that

bermudianbrit

I know Brent Mason and Tommy Emmanuel can work some serious speed with a thumb pic. I just can't figure out how they get it that fast.

TheBigDipper

I don't use a thumbpick, although I do own one! Thumb picks are moved by the thumb muscles. Flatpicks by the wrist. That must make a difference to the power and speed available. I think some players use their first finger to hold the thumbpick as if it were a flatpick when they want to do some faster single note alternate picking. 

Jimbro66

To get speed with a thumb pick like Brent Mason you need exceptional thumb and finger coordination -  and a very sharp mind . He swaps constantly between using thumb and fingers to flat picking, still using the thumb pick. To give us mere mortals a chance, the type of thumb pick can make quite a difference. A lot of players swear by the Fred Kelly slick picks which are great for Travis style but for fast alternate picking I suggest Herco flat thumb picks or Black Mountain picks. Fred Kelly Bumblebees are also pretty good.

For Hercos I prefer using heavy gauge because I find that the medium and light gauges tend to twist around my thumb if not clamped by the forefinger.

Black Mountain get around this by making spring-loaded thumb picks. They use a standard or ‘jazz’ plectrum in three different gauges and even the lightest gauge is held firmly by the spring. The nice thing about these thumb picks is that you can alternate between rhythm playing and lead lines, either flat picking or hybrid. They are pretty expensive.

Fred Kelly Bumblebees have the advantage of the projection and angle of the pick being adjustable.

https://www.eaglemusicshop.com/herco-flatthumbpick?fv=4483&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI04u5se3wgAMVTOTtCh1i7ARfEAQYASABEgI1nvD_BwE

https://www.eaglemusicshop.com/black-mountain-thumb-pick-light-gauge

https://www.eaglemusicshop.com/fred-kelly-bumble-bee-jazz-thumb-pick

It’s a matter of experimenting to see what suits you. With any type of thumb pick, moistening your thumb slightly before fitting them helps prevent them turning during playing.

https://youtu.be/ep2OZKf8xRI

Stuckfast

Yeah, I've tried quite a few and the Bumblebees are my favourites by far. I think I tried the Black Mountain ones at a trade show once and they seemed a bit too bulky for me. 

Brent Mason plays so fast I can't tell what the hell he's doing!

octatonic

Fast thumb picking is possible but it is a joint that doesn't have the stability of a pick movement when using the wrist.

You get good at what you practice though so if it is a technique you like then work at it.

In terms of not being able to alternate pick fast- it could be that you are string hopping, which is simply a slow and inefficient way of alternative picking.
Look at the Troy Grady 'Cracking the Code' videos for a pick slanting primer.

Dominic

bermudianbrit said:

I know Brent Mason and Tommy Emmanuel can work some serious speed with a thumb pic. I just can't figure out how they get it that fast.

thousands of hours practice I think

Tannin

axisus

I just don't get how anyone can use a thumbpick. For me they are all either too loose or they totally strangle my thumb. Tried a bunch of different ones years ago, eventually gave up.

I tried Doyle Dykes one as I love his playing. I seriously don't understand how he can play with it!?!?!

Looks like this: