SWYBRYD analysis?

Playing Technique
#1

Long time subscriber here, gone from the forum for awhile. Was just reviewing the Marshall Harrison interview and wondering what analysis has been done on the hybrid technique akin to Marshall’s “SWYBRYD" (his spelling, seen misrepresented elsewhere) system.

Having started on classical guitar, and having comped with a hybrid picking approach for decades, pick and fingers technique is already a natural part of my skillset. I’m looking for details on the mechanics of using it at tempo as an alternative to other “escape" mechanisms for keeping picking efficient. That is, as opposed to full on fingerstyle analysis.

@Troy, is there other early camera footage that might be revisited with fresh insight? Can anyone point me to more recent interviews where there’s been focus on similar? What’s the speed limit on sneaking in a middle or ring finger into a fast passage?

Thanks in advance. Best, D

#2

Whatever we filmed is in that interview.

I don’t know what there is to analyze as far as using fingers to pluck notes, it seems kind of straightforward to me. But that is probably my ignorance speaking. I haven’t put tons of time into hybrid but I’ve done bits of it over the years for Zakk Wylde type fast pentatonic things and didn’t find it difficult. But again, wasn’t that interested and didn’t keep up with it. So maybe there are hidden challenges there.

If you run into some specific challenge using hybrid picking for particular lines, post something on the forum and we’ll take a look.

#3

Did the technique make something easier for Wylde to play? I’d be curious to know where he uses it and why.

Not something I find difficult, but I do find it interesting for a number of reasons. Given that its use is out there as a viable auxiliary to straight ahead picking techniques, suffice it to say I’d like to see a spotlight on the mechanics.

If I get stuck, I’ll consider posting a clip. Thanks.

#4

“Did the technique make something easier for Wylde to play? I’d be curious to know where he uses it and why.”

He generally uses it for stuff like this…

I’m on a Zakk Wylde kick today!

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#5

Zakk is an Albert Lee fan and Albert uses it for double stoppy and crosspicking type things, which he does a bunch in our interview. That’s where Zakk picked up on it.

But yes, compared to trying to figure out how to alternate pick an arpeggio, most people will probably be able to figure out the finger picking version of that in less time with less instruction.

As far as spotlighting the technique, I can’t think of what to spotlight other than showing common licks or something. Again, my ignorance speaking. If we can figure out something that’s non-obvious that you might do wrong if you didn’t know about it, that would be a video to make, eventually.

Also, Johnny Hiland reached out in pre-pandemic times, and he’s pretty much the guy for chicken pickin’ country licks. Seems like a real nice dude, happy to meet up with down the line when vaccines permit.

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#6

You’ve seen Marshall play right? I’d say that’s about where the speed limit is. His approach maximizes efficiency in string changes by either using a directional sweep, or a right hand finger in place of an outside alternate pick stroke.

Tom Quayle and Rick Graham are players who incorporate this type of mechanic in their playing (and who explain it in detail in tutorials), although they tend to use a lot more legato and less “pick almost every note” economy than Marshall Harrison.

#7

Yep, those are some of the folks that use hybrid.

@LuckyMojo, do you incorporate hybrid picking in your fast lines? Is this topic one that you share a curiosity about?

I’m positing that hybrid technique is within the gamut of the kind of stuff Masters in Mechanics folks might be interested in getting scientific about. We can call it solved and not requiring further attention, but I also think we could say that about any number of topics explored. @Troy, et al., thanks for thinking about it either way.

#8

From what I’ve studied Marshall combines 3 different types of Economy picking.

The Frank Gambale method which uses odd numbers to travel through scales and even numbers to turn around.

The Jimmy Bruno Method which is the similar to Gambale’s approach but in instances where you are unable to stick to the odds and evens principle he will also use the occasional alternate picked note. This will always use inside picking and never outside picking.

With Marshall’s method he discovered that after an upstroke on one string it feels very natural to pluck the higher string(s) with your middle/ring/pinky. So when phrases can’t be picked with Gambale or Bruno Economy, he will rearrange the notes in a way where he can do that.

For example, this is how Paul Gilbert plays the famous Intense Rock lick:
e|---------------12-------------------------|

B|-12-13-15-------15-13-12-----------|

G|–n—v---n—v----n—v---n-----------|

This is how Marshall would play it:
e|-------8–10–12–10–8-----------------|

B|-12-------------------------12-----------|

G|–v—m---n—v---n—v---v------------|

That being said, Marshall also uses a lot of pure Hybrid picking where he will pick with a downstroke followed by a note plucked with his middle finger consecutively. For instance, I’ve seen him do this when sequencing some arpeggios or Liszt/Classical style octave phrases.

There is a whole lot more to his technique but hopefully that helps clear up some of his approaches to Economy picking.

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#9

Unrelated to the topic, welcome back, man, good to see your username back around here. :+1:

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#10

I have an interest in Marshall’s technique, but I’m not at my most comfortable with Hybrid yet - mostly Gambale type economy and legato is where I’m most confident.

#11

Hey there Drew! Nice to feel welcome. Hope you are doing great! Thanks! :call_me_hand:t3:

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#12

This is a style that I don’t know much about, but I’ll add Tosin Abasi as someone that does it (maybe) since I only hear about Marshall Harrison doing it:

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#13

I took a Skype lesson with Marshall two years ago. He went in to detail on economy and swybrid. I learned a lot, it also makes it easier to learn stuff from his stream and to make up my own swybrid patterns that fit my style.

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