Chords for Hybrid Thumb Picking • What, When, Why?

_ _ So you can start out flat picking and _ _ _ go into finger [A] style _ _
_ _ [E] _ flat picking _ _
[F] _ [A] _ _ [B] to strumming
_ [E] _
_ _ [Em] _ flat picking
[A] _ _ _
[A#] _ [E] _ finger style
[A] _ _ [E] _
_ _ _ _ _ [Em] _ _ _
[E] _ _ _ _ _ _ [G#] First off I'm using my Justin Johnson signature hybrid thumb pick
Basically what a hybrid thumb pick is is it's a hybrid between a flat pick and between a traditional thumb pick
So it gives you the ability to use all of the you know finger style techniques
You would use with a traditional [G] thumb pick like this utilizing all your fingers
But _ _ _
_ _ _ [C] _ _ _ _ [Dm] _
_ [G] _ _ _ _ [F#] then seamlessly be able to move into the techniques you would use with a traditional flat pick like strumming and flat [Am] picking
So [G] _ _ _ _ _
_ [C] _ _ _ _ _ [Gm] _ _
_ [G] _ _ _ _ unlike traditional [F#] flat pick designs my hybrid thumb pick here is basically designed to be a flat pick
But to have that flat pick attached with this strap right here attached to your thumb
So it's not going anywhere unless you want it to
But I think mainly the key feature with the hybrid thumb pick [D] that makes it so nice
Is that you're able to use the muscle memory that you've already built up with a conventional flat pick
So, you know if you're used to playing with a flat pick you can still play all of the same
Basically all the same riffs use all the same techniques that you're used [E] to
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [B] _ _ _ _ [E] _ _ _
[A#] _ [B] _ _ [E] _ _ [Em] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ But with the hybrid thumb pick you can easily go [A#] from playing flat picking style to playing that Travis picking style or finger [Em] style
I [E] guess _ _ _
_ [A] _ _ _ _ _ _ [E] _
_ [B] _ _ [A] _ _ _ _ _
[D#] _ [E] _ _ [G] a lot of people that are new to the thumb pick wonder
You know, why do you use the thumb pick over just using your thumb?
You know, if you're if you're playing traditional finger style with no thumb pick, you know
You can play all of those styles of music.
Let's say like that Travis [A] picking _ _ _ _ _ _
_ [A] _ _ _ _ [E] _ _ _
_ _ Nothing wrong with that.
But now listen to it with the thumb pick
[A] _ _ _ _ [E] _ _ _ _
_ _ [A] _ _ _ _ _ [E] _
_ _ _ _ Hear how it punches out better
and it sounds [F#] more like you have two people [B] playing guitar instead of just [E] one person because
The bass line has this pick attack and the melody notes have the attack from the fingers
So it's really two different [F#] substances two different materials hitting the [E] strings _ _
[F#] _ [A] _ _ _ _ _ _ [E] _
_ [B] _ _ [A] _ _ [E] _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ The same thing goes with playing lead even if you're playing single note lines if you play them with just your fingers
_ [G] _ _ [Em] _ _ _ _ [E] _
_ _ [F#] Nothing wrong with that nice and mellow
but now listen to the extra volume the extra articulation and
Basically like stronger accents when I use the thumb pick and my fingers in combination
_ [Em] _ _
[A] _ [Em] _ _ _ [E] _ _ _ _
again without the thumb [Gm] pick _ _ _ _
[E] _ _ _ _ _ With the [Em] thumb pick and [E] _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ I think the biggest difference can also be heard [F#] with strumming listen to the difference when I strum this
with my [Am] fingers _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ [E] _ _ _
_ _ [Am] _ _ _ now with the thumb [G] pick
[Am] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ [E] _ _ _ _ [Am] _ _
_ _ Not only do you get more articulation, you know when you're in a studio setting when you're mic'd or when you're plugged in
But you can you really get a big difference in volume if you're trying to compete with a louder instrument if you're playing
Acoustically and you're playing with other
instrumentalists or other vocalists and you really want your guitar to punch through
then it's really important that you have a nice thick pick and that you're gripping it hard and _
That you're really [N] able to bring the power out of the acoustic presence of the guitar
You can loosen and tighten the strap too, which is nice
And that's not a feature that you are able to find on traditional thumb pick designs
You're kind of stuck with one tension on most thumb pick designs
But on this if you want a lighter touch to the thumb pick you can loosen the strap if
you want a tighter feel and more control and louder volume you can tighten the strap and
_ Eventually, you'll start to learn and get a feel for it and use that to your advantage to get you know
Basically like a multitude of different attacks and tones from the thumb pick
All right, so hopefully that answered some questions about my hybrid thumb pick
I've been getting a lot of questions in the comments here on my videos
And if you want to check it out go to JustinJohnsonStore.com. I've got them available there
Also, they come in a couple different gauges
So I use the heavy gauges mainly in my playing that works great for heavy strings for acoustic guitars
but if you are using lighter strings or especially with electric guitars
Or if you like to do a lot of strumming and prefer a thinner pick
I also have a thinner gauge option for the pick that's [Am] attached to the hybrid thumb pick and of course
I've got left-handed versions too for you lefties out there.
Alright guys.
Well, happy picking.
Thanks for watching the video.
See you next time
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[G] _ [A] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
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