How to Combine Picking and Strumming on Guitar

If you’re looking for a simple way to make your rhythm guitar playing sound more full and expressive, adding picking to your strumming is the perfect next step.

In this lesson, I’ll walk you through three well-known examples that show how picking and strumming can work together to create more musical, textured rhythm parts. You don’t need to be an expert – these are great for beginners who want to take their playing up a notch.

1. Blowin’ in the Wind – Bob Dylan

This one’s a classic example of subtle picking within a strumming pattern. I wouldn’t call it a walking bassline, because it doesn’t really walk up or down the scale in a traditional way. Instead, it highlights the root notes of each chord and weaves in a beautiful lower melody that guides you through the changes.

What makes it special is how that melody blends in so naturally with the chord shapes. You’re still strumming, but you’re also plucking out those key notes that make it feel more alive.

Try it with the video tutorial (above): Play the root of each chord on the lower strings, then strum the rest of the chord. It’s super beginner-friendly and a great place to start with this style.

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2. What I Got – Sublime

This one adds a touch of arpeggiation to what is otherwise a really simple strumming song. It’s a great example of how picking just a few notes out of your chord shapes can add serious depth.

You’re still using the full chord shape with your fretting hand, but instead of strumming straight through, you’re selectively picking a few of the higher strings in between strums. It gives the song a more laid-back, groovy feel.

Pro Tip: Focus on picking the top 2 or 3 strings between strums. Keep it loose and relaxed – this one’s all about the vibe.

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3. Plush (Intro) – Stone Temple Pilots

This is actually the first riff I ever learned that blended picking and strumming. It’s super fun to play, and a bit more advanced than the first two.

It uses muting to create that signature punchy sound, and it focuses entirely on the higher strings. You’ll be picking through chord fragments rather than full chords, and using your fretting hand to mute certain notes to keep things clean.

It’s a great introduction to the kind of rhythmic picking that’s common in 90s rock.

Bonus: There’s another section of Plush that uses a similar idea to Blowin’ in the Wind, with a picked lower melody under the chords. Let me know if you’d like a full lesson on the entire song – I’d love to make that for you.

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Wrap-Up

If you want to give your strumming some extra flavor, these examples are a perfect place to start. You’re still playing chords – you’re just being more intentional about how you pick through them.

✅ Want to go deeper with your rhythm playing? Check out my Strumming Made Simple course – it’ll help you build solid timing, play more interesting patterns, and even learn how to strum and sing at the same time.

Thanks for checking out the lesson! Be sure to subscribe, like, and leave a comment if this helped you out. And don’t forget to grab that free ebook to kickstart your guitar journey.