The jump from picking single notes to controlling all four right-hand fingers in every possible order is one of the most significant leaps in hybrid picking technique. This exercise gives you a systematic method to get there — not by guessing or improvising combinations, but by working through every single one in a logical sequence.
What you’ll get out of this lesson: You’ll learn the factorial PIMA system as applied to hybrid picking — where the pick replaces the classical thumb — and you’ll be able to work through all six pick-first combinations across an E major scale climb. The result is genuine dexterity in patterns you’d never stumble across naturally.
Understanding PIMA in the hybrid picking context
In classical music, PIMA stands for the four right-hand fingers: P (thumb), I (index), M (middle), and A (ring/annular). In hybrid picking, the assignments shift: P becomes the pick, I becomes the middle finger, M becomes the ring finger, and A becomes the pinky. Understanding this translation is the foundation for everything that follows.
The string assignments
This exercise fixes each finger to one string throughout: the pick always plays the 4th string, the middle finger always plays the 3rd string, the ring finger always plays the 2nd string, and the pinky always plays the 1st string. So whenever you see “4” in the pattern list, that’s the pick; “3” is middle; “2” is ring; “1” is pinky.
Climbing the E major scale
The left hand climbs an E major scale pattern while the right hand cycles through the permutations. Start with the 2nd fret on the D string and 1st fret on the G. Play each pattern twice, then shift up: 4th and 2nd frets, then 7th and 6th, 9th and 8th, 11th and 9th, 13th and 11th, and 14th and 13th. The six pick-first patterns, listed by string number, are:
4321 4312 4231 4213 4132 4123
Think of it this way: it always starts on 4 (pick), then the second note moves one step further away each pair — first 3, then 2, then 1. Then the last two in each pair swap. Once you’ve seen the logic, the sequence is much easier to memorise.
Why every combination matters
This exercise forces you into patterns you’d never find naturally, including heavy use of the pinky — which is essential for advanced chording and lick playing. The real benefit isn’t just the individual patterns; it’s the total coverage. When you’ve been through every combination systematically, awkward sequences stop being awkward. As the transcript puts it, it helps you “be able to play things that don’t roll off other people’s fingers as easily, because you’ve been through all these awkward combinations.”
These things where I go through factorials, I go through every possible combination, are really some of the things that gave me the dexterity to play anything I want. When I say anything I want, I mean it doesn’t take me long to learn something. It’s very rare that I come across something and I’m like, “Oh, that’s awkward.”
Taking it further: Once you’ve mastered the six pick-first patterns, you can build more complex combinations, apply the same permutation logic to chord progressions, or convert fingerstyle pieces — classical, folk, pop — into this pick, middle, ring, pinky format. There are also countless classical arpeggio studies on YouTube and in print that use the PIMA structure and translate directly into hybrid picking practice.
Your homework: Set your metronome to a comfortable slow tempo and work through all six patterns (4321, 4312, 4231, 4213, 4132, 4123) in the E major scale climb, playing each pattern twice at each position. Focus on making every note sound even and in time before moving to the next pattern. Spend at least 10 minutes on this every day this week.