Chicken Pickin' 101: Getting Started

Chicken Pickin', also known as hybrid picking, combines the use of your guitar pick and fingerpicking with your free fingers. It's the basis for a ton of classic country licks, and mastering the technique will benefit your playing in practically any musical style — grab your guitar and join Don Carr in this 101 lesson to get started!

0:00 - Intro
0:14 - What is Chicken Pickin'?
0:43 - Chicken Pickin" Example
1:43 - Picking Technique
2:06 - Lick #1
2:35 - Lick #1 Guide
4:03 - Lick #1 Picking Technique
5:12 - Lick #2
5:42 - Lick #2 Guide
7:09 - Lick #3
8:45 - Thanks For Watching!

#Sweetwater

[sweetwater]

Thanks for watching! If you enjoyed this Chicken Pickin' lesson, let us know in the comments then hit those like and subscribe buttons!

[johnscott]

I didn't learn to appreciate chicken pickin' until my 40s when I stumbled across some old Jerry Reed videos and I realized what an amazing guitar player he was. So down the rabbit hole to watch his vids and I love how he mixed various picking styles to create his sound.

[XneverstopfightingX]

Do I listen to country? No
Do I want to play country guitar? Not necessarily.
Am I gonna turn down a chance to learn “chicken pickin”? No way!

[ChrisPutt]

I'm very thankful for this lesson – I can't get over how much my listing I preferences have evolved over the years. Developed my chops during the hair metal peak – during which I discovered Led Zeppelin, then discovered SRV and the blues, put down the guitar almost entirely during the grunge and alt-metal years, tried my hand at jazz but got discouraged, then picked it back up about 10 years ago and dove back into the classics and blues, and now I'm all about Outlaw Country, Southern Rock, and Americana. Thanks Don!

[tedc]

love more chicken picking lessons! they were the OG shredders

[dtreenjr]

Thanks Don!
I am just starting to appreciate the skill level needed to CP.
Way more going on than it seems, and going from 50 years of straight picking to hybrid picking requires much more coordination and development of multiple muscle memory.
Keep these lessons coming!

[LewisShieldsUS]

Sweet and neat. I'm here in the kitchen, Don Carr, thanking you.

[jerryhorton]

Great job, Don! You can make any guitar style look easy but you’ve broken down chicken picking to a great starting point!

[jeffro.]

This is the ABSOLUTE BEST "intro to chicken pickin'" i have found!
I have been trying to figure it out, but it often foes by too tast!
(i do best learning by ear, but sometimes a video is helpful).
Then, this description is VERY helpful!
Thanks!
Including thanks for the licks to practice the technique, this will get me started!
👍👍👍

[moGear]

thank you so much i just picked up my guitar after 10yr's i had a realy Bad neighbor distroyed my confidence this is realy helping me thank you Don

[securethebag]

Double stops is the difference. Sounds amazin

[cajc]

This is fantastic Don! Hope these Chicken pickin' lessons are on going!

[DarrenWright-fq]

I am wanting to learn this playing style and this is a really informative starting point. Thank you for taking the time to make this tutorial. I will likely be rewatching this many maaaany times whilst learning this style of playing and saving up for a tele ✌️

[aaronpaterson]

I was really drawn into the lesson when you added some interesting facts about James Burton playing on Merle Haggard's Tonight The Bottle Lete Down. Kinda reminded me of Elvis' Bass player Jerry Scheff playing on every track of the Doors last album except La'merica.

I always knew there was something special about the Bass playing on the Doors track LOVE HER MADLY I'veoved that song since I was a kid i was born in 1964... and Jerry Scheff bass playing on L.A. WOMAN

[ronnyholton]

I've always liked the style of picking loved the james burton and Elvis years

[thomasferguson]

I enjoyed the pentatonic workout I think that is great training thanks

[blues]

Nice. I've been wanting to add this technique to my arsenal and this video is a great on-ramp. Thanks Don! Stay healthy and be well.

[bravan]

Thanks for the lesson Don. Great explanation on the difference. Plucky plucky. Chickens in the barn.

[RKB-ul]

Do you give private lessons online? I played Nashville for 23 years and always used a pick only. I lived with Johnny Hiland and took some lessons from Redd Volkaert. So, I understand the idea behind Chicken Pickin, I just lately got back into guitar and have an interest in this technique. Serious student here! Hope you can help here! Thank you very much! Great video too! And always loved James Burton. Actually, Redd did a session with James, but just played rhythm.

[jochenbecht]

Thanks brother. Very helpfull. Take care and god bless.