Amus - Posted - 08/12/2013:  14:04:44

I'm kinda new at the mandolin. I've only been playing for a few months and all I know is a few two finger chords. I've looked at different chords and tried to play them but when I reach over two frets like it say's, my hand starts to cramp and hurt really bad. Do I need to do some kind of finger exercises? Thanks!

UsuallyPickin - Posted - 08/12/2013:  14:27:21

Don't over grip , don't use more pressure than it takes to make a clean tone. If you have to press that hard to make a clean tone on your mandolin then have it set up by a competent luthier. The playability of a mandolin is paramount when starting out. Practice daily, it takes a long time.... months and years to gain the muscle tone and calluses it takes to play comfortably. Luck.... R/

TSSN - Posted - 08/13/2013:  05:38:39

Not to be a mandolin heretic, but there are also plenty of 3-finger chords out there that save your hands and fingers, and IMHO probably sound better than the 4-finger ones.

Rob Beck - Posted - 08/13/2013:  07:36:36

Hi Amus,

There is a short video by Mike Marshall here which gives some tips on left hand position which may help you.  Also from a personal perspective, I can remember thinking I would never be able to stretch to those four finger chords, but they do come, it just takes time.

One thing to remember is that lots of people advise against ignoring any kind of pain or tension in your hands when playing mandolin.  Be aware of feelings of tension and try and loosen up if you feel any - or take a break - don't want to do any permanent damage!

Cheers

Rob

Ben Venuti - Posted - 08/13/2013:  09:36:45

Jethro Burns played mostly 3 fingered chords and since, in my opinion, he's the finest mandolin player I ever heard maybe that's the right way.

I get cramps --I think because I've spent my life riding myself hard and putting myself away wet. It all comes from hydration and electrolytes and such which may or may not have anything to do with you but here it is. If one gets a hand cramp when playing it's over. I mean you can't do a thing! Try this: Get yourself a squishy ball or a tennis ball and carry it around as much as possible and try and strengthen your hand. Get yourself some multi- mineral supplements and my newest thing that I found in one of those vitamin stores, a pill for cramps that uses quinine as an active ingredient. If I get into a cramping spell I take one of those and it goes away--don't know why and I don't care -it goes away that's enough. It can be really embarrassing if your playing out and suddenly your hand doesn't work. Also try this...before playing run your hands under hot water for a bit, helps the blood flow.
If you keep working on it you'll get better at it. We all have limitations and we overcome them or work around them. I have always had a problem with bar chords on the guitar so I use my thumb over the top or create my own voicings. Those limitations sometimes turn into an innovative unique style --for example Django --half of his left hand didn't work at all and the end result was some of the finest guitar playing ever that hardly anyone can replicate probably because their not a cripple!