Thumb Picking
Thumb picking applies many of the same organizing principles without a plectrum. Alternating thumbstrokes create a naturally USX path, while rest strokes, sweeping, and consecutive downstroke thumbstrokes expand the available phrases.
Wes Montgomery’s technique is the most celebrated example of this thumb-based economy style.
As one explanation for the ubiquity of the USX economy system, we can look to what is perhaps the simplest picking technique of all time: thumb technique. When used without a plectrum, the alternate picking motion of the thumb is USX, closely mirroring the Gypsy technique of downstroke rest strokes and escaped upstrokes. Downstroke sweeping is similarly possible by continuing thumb rest strokes through the next string.
The most well-known thumb player in popular guitar is jazz legend Wes Montgomery. His celebrated technique produced remarkably sophisticated fretboard excursions that belied the seeming simplicity of the underlying mechanics:
Upon closer inspection we shouldn’t be too surprised by Wes’ agile soloing, since his thumb technique possesses most of the advantages of pick-based USX economy playing. In this overhead closeup of his right hand, the intricate interplay of alternate, sweep, and consecutive downstroke techniques is plainly evident:
The first statement of this brief excerpt is an excellent demonstration of the similarities between thumb and pick USX economy execution:
This textbook example of downstroke economy uses sweeping to connect a single note on the A string to three alternate picked notes on the D string and an another single note on the G string. This is essentially two stacked instances of DDU across adjacent pairs of strings, so it’s broadly similar to how a Gypsy player or even Yngwie Malmsteen might handle a similar fretboard arrangement.
In total, Wes’ technique relied more heavily on consecutive downstroke thumbstrokes than Gypsy technique or even George Benson’s approach, though less than the technique of Nick Lucas, who appeared to be almost entirely reliant on downstrokes and downstroke sweeping. The commonality of all these approaches, whether implemented with a pick or a finger, speaks to the universality, simplicity, and overall “guitaristic” nature of the USX economy system.