alternate picking with a thumbpick?

So we all know Brent Mason and guys like him play so clean at insane tempos. My question, coming from a bluegrass flatpicking background, is whether he alternates his thumb pick when playing fast single string lines or combines two fingers like a melodic banjo player might do?

So we all know Brent Mason and guys like him play so clean at insane tempos. My question, coming from a bluegrass flatpicking background, is whether he alternates his thumb pick when playing fast single string lines or combines two fingers like a melodic banjo player might do?

I dunno, but it's certainly possible. I've been doing it for a long time.

If I recall correctly, BM uses alternating Thumbpick with Middle Finger a lot.

Some prefer Thumbpick and Index Finger.

Maybe also look into those Fred Kelly "Speed Picks" I think they're called.

I've never been able to comfortably do upstrokes with a thumbpick at any speed so that's why I still use a flatpick while hybrid picking. I was just wondering how he does it.

Brent is downstroke with with thumbpick, and upstroke with the middle finger. He grips the thumpick like a flatpick - pressing his index on the underside.
I alternate up down with a thumbpick without too much trouble. I use Herco or Fred Kelly.

Brent Mason's single line picking style places heavy emphasis on thumb action. Not only does it play just about every other note, but most every note it plays falls on the downbeat. This allows him to get a little wrist action going, and it takes some pressure off the fingers, of which he uses mostly the ring and middle finger. Weirdly, he hardly ever uses the index in single line playing.

He rarely grips the thumb pick like a flat pick or performs upstrokes with it. When he does, it's usually to play a note hard or to do some strumming.

He can play fast, but I wouldn't describe him as "insanely fast," at least not by the standards of all those economy-picking shredders out there.

The Fred Kelley Speed picks are really good for this. the tip is super small and thin, unlike most thumbpicks out there.

He can play fast, but I wouldn't describe him as "insanely fast," at least not by the standards of all those economy-picking shredders out there.

For a genre that requires playing (intelligently) over the changes, I would say he is insanely fast. :wink:

As for his picking technique, here's a post that's about as close to the source as you can get:

http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tab-tips-theory-technique/25379-country-picking-question.html#post234955

I hadn't seen that thread. That's really helpful! thanks!

And yeah, BM is the best and also pretty darn fast in the genre he's typically associated with..