When you’re learning electric guitar, somebody’s eventually going to ask you: are you a pick player or a fingerstyle player? Here’s what I’ve learned over 45 years — that question matters less than you think. What matters is deciding early and sticking with it.
I made some mistakes along the way. I wish I’d picked hybrid picking from the start instead of bouncing between techniques. But let me walk you through what I’ve tried, what works, and how you can find your own path.
The Folk Approach
When I first started, I learned what I call the folk thumb stroke — you use the edge of your thumb plus your flesh fingers. It’s smooth and warm sounding. Glen Campbell and Chet Atkins did incredible things with that approach, especially when they added a thumb pick. Brad Paisley too. That’s legit playing.
The thing about folk technique is it takes real time to develop. Your hands have to learn specific angles, specific touch. And once you know it, you know it. There’s nothing wrong with going that route.
Classical Technique
Later on, I studied classical guitar. Different hand position. Different fingering assignments — thumb on bass, fingers on treble in a specific pattern. Listen to Andrés Segovia or John Williams and you’ll hear why this matters. It’s precise. It’s beautiful.
But here’s the honest truth: I wasn’t drawn to it the way I was drawn to other stuff. Classical is absolutely valid, but I had to acknowledge that it wasn’t what called to me on electric guitar.
Hybrid Picking — My Preference
What I came to prefer is hybrid picking. Pick plus three fingers with nails. You get the mechanical advantage of the pick for speed and dynamics, and you’ve got three fingers for texture and control. On electric, this gives you flexibility that’s hard to beat.
The pick does one job really well. Your fingers do another. Combined, you’ve got range and expression. You can switch between them mid-phrase. You can play fast lines into delicate passages without dropping into a totally different technique.
The Real Advice
Here’s what I’d tell any player — whether you’re picking up electric guitar for the first time or you’re thinking about changing your approach: choose a technique and develop it. Don’t keep bouncing between folk, classical, and hybrid because it takes a long time for your right hand to develop properly. Your fingers need repetition. Your muscle memory needs time to build.
The choice is personal. You’ve got to find what speaks to you. But make that choice early, be intentional about it, and then put in the work. Your hands will thank you.
If you want to explore hybrid picking in more depth, I’ve put together a full post on hybrid picking guitar technique. You might also want to start with traditional fingerstyle basics to see how different approaches feel. For a complete comparison of all your options, check out pick versus fingers. And our fingerpicking pillar post has everything you need to understand the bigger picture.
The goal isn’t to be the best at one technique. The goal is to make music you love. Pick the path that feels right, and then walk it with intention.
