nickhy - Posted - 09/14/2014:  06:32:28

I'll give you a little background before getting into the problem.  I broke both my left arm and left shoulder

in a skiing accident 20 years ago and because of the way that the bones healed, I've lost a lot of the flexibility

in my left arm and hand.  I am big boned and have large hands and fingers.  I've been playing for a year and a

half now and still cannot make a clear 3 finger chord. I play every day and have spent at least part of the playing session

trying to make  clear 3 finger chords.  I've tried different hold the mandolin in different positions and different left hand

positions to no avail.  I've tried clipping my finger nails to a point hoping to reshape the finger tips.  I have no problem 

following tabs and can pick a dozen or so tunes chord with 2 finger chords.  I jam several times a week and have a problem

producing a good chop.  Any advice will be appreciated.

SteveZ - Posted - 09/14/2014:  06:45:21

Go with the flow. If circumstances keep you from doing three-finger chords, do two-finger instead. There are several two-finger chord charts available online.

The point of it all is to have fun making music with a mandolin. How one does it depends on one's physical condition. As one with gnarly hands and stubby fingers, I make what chords I can, as best I can. For the longest time I dealt with two-finger chords, eventually to do some as three-finger, and never able to do a four-finger anything.

Relax. Have fun, Play as you can. Let time and conditions decide what you can do, rather than somebody's published technique. It's your instrument, so play it in whatever manner makes you smile.

phiddlepicker - Posted - 09/14/2014:  07:11:45

I agree with the above....for example in fiddling you can do a heckuva lot with 2 fingered chords. In mandolin you can do that as well as an open third string many times...though not in every case..even using two fretted and two open.

sometimes you will need the third finger though to get a minor chord for example...but in reality unless you're soloing it won't matter. Fiddlers can't really make minor chords because we're limited to 2 strings and need a triad for a minor chord. However when playing in a group the fiddle more than adequately puts out a lonesome minor sound when needed.

Practice is therapy....just keep playing and don't overdo it.

Good luck.

nickhy - Posted - 09/14/2014:  10:07:06

Thanks for the advice SteveZ and Phiddlepicker

Rob Beck - Posted - 09/15/2014:  00:45:03

I'm not sure if this is an option for you or not, but I think if I was in your position, I might try playing left handed (or right handed if you are already left handed).  I remember when I first started playing that it seemed odd to me to be using the weaker hand for the more complicated stuff like fretting chords!  The idea of playing "wrong handed" originally occurred to me when speaking to someone who said that they missed playing the guitar since suffering a stroke that left them weak on one side.

Texasbanjo - Posted - 09/15/2014:  05:29:04

If 2 finger chords are what you are comfortable with, why worry about 3 finger chords?  If your chops are good and you can pick out songs, that's all you need.  I have arthritis in my hands and 3 finger chords are difficult for me so I just don't worry about it.  I use the 2 finger chords during jams and other than that, I just practice learning songs and don't worry about the chords so much. 

nickhy - Posted - 09/15/2014:  06:41:26

texasbanjo - Thank you  - However,  how about some examples of your 2 finger chop chords. There are none depicted

in any of my books and I can't find any on youtube.

Rickson - Posted - 09/15/2014:  07:23:59

I because of my traumatic brain injury my pinky finger is useless and ring finger less useful, also have the same problem with 3 finger chords. Have never had any problems by only picking notes instead of playing the chord itself. Kinda like a bass players riff. But there is nothing wrong with only playing 2 finger chords, they can sound nearly as a chop.

Edited by - Rickson on 09/15/2014 07:27:38

Donnie - Posted - 09/15/2014:  08:13:43

As long as you keep playing, that's the real kicker! In some folk style tunes, two finger chords work perfect for a more "open" sound. I can "chop" while playin two finger G & C without thinking, I guess it's automatic default? If Django could find a way you can too.... JUST DON'T STOP PLAYING! Best Wishes nickhy!

phiddlepicker - Posted - 09/15/2014:  14:59:07

Django! Great point Donnie.

What a duo...luvs me some Django and Stephane. Dunno how I missed the correlation.

TSSN - Posted - 09/15/2014:  15:54:54

quote:

---

Originally posted by nickhy

 

 

 

texasbanjo - Thank you  - However,  how about some examples of your 2 finger chop chords. There are none depicted

in any of my books and I can't find any on youtube.

 

 

 

---

You could try palm muting like blues guitarists do, but it's a lot of work.

Jim Yates - Posted - 09/15/2014:  16:32:24

quote:

---

Originally posted by nickhy

 

 

 

texasbanjo - Thank you  - However,  how about some examples of your 2 finger chop chords. There are none depicted

in any of my books and I can't find any on youtube.

 

 

 

---

You could play closed 2 note partial chords and mute the open strings.  These are partial chords with the root and 5 or the root and 3, but the guitar will find the other

note(s).  I often play two note partial chords for blues and jug band tunes. 

G - X52X   C - X23X   D - X45X   A - X74X  E - X67X

nickhy - Posted - 09/15/2014:  19:12:19

Great suggestions all --   keep up the good work

UsuallyPickin - Posted - 09/17/2014:  06:17:58

Three note chords can be made with two fingers. The 1 and 5 tones are always next to each other on an instrument tuned in fifths. Soooo play the 1/5 with the side rather than the pad of your middle finger and the 3 or flat 3 with your index finger on the adjacent lower string one fret flat . Or play the I/5 on the adjacent strings and play the 3 on the next string above two frets sharp. Soooo two three note chords using only two fingers And for two note forms listen to Jethro Burns .......... as pointed out above.... with a guitar filling in the chords a mandolin can play one or two notes extrapolating a more colorful chord, as in Jazz, by adding flat 7th's of 2' nds or 6 th's instead of using any of the three triad chord tones. In this plsying the mandolin is noted not with the tip ie pad of the finger but the side of the finger. It's unusual but works just fine . Django referenced above used more than the tips of his fingers in chording a guitar....... Luck R/

Rickson - Posted - 09/17/2014:  07:15:02

"Three note chords can be made with two fingers." Sorry but I don't get it. Having been playing that long and maybe it's my brain injury, but please explain how to play a F chord using only 2 fingers (maybe a chart or something). Thanks.

nickhy - Posted - 09/17/2014:  07:40:01

An old mandolin buddy showed this to me last night. To make a 2 finger G chord chop fret the G at the 4th fret with your middle

finger and the D at the 5th fret with your ring finger and mute the A string with the inside part of the ring finger.  Then

strum just the GDA strings.  To make a D chord just move over to the DAE string.  To make the C chord move up 2 frets from

the G position.  You can move up and down the fretboard to make any chord that yon want.  Try it - it works.  Watch Rhonda

Vincent  -  I think she does it this way.  Nick

UsuallyPickin - Posted - 09/17/2014:  12:02:17

OK ....... The F Chord is composed of the F A and C tones .....place your index finger on the A tone located at the second fret of the G string and the middle finger on the F and C tones located at the third fret on the D and A strings That's the first way. The second, play the F and C tones as indicated above and play the A on the fifth fret of the E string ......This gives you two movable chord forms where you can flat the third and get a minor as needed And if .... big if... youf fingt tip is broad enough you can play two tones with one finger tip w. Which is something fiddlers do a bit of..... Capice? R/
d=flat #= sharp

open G D A E
1 Ad Ed Bd F
2 A E B F#
3 Bd F C G
4 B F# C# Ad
5 C G D A

winterstom - Posted - 09/17/2014:  13:10:21

Fortunately I've managed to keep most of my dexterity into my extended years or, in southern speak, I'm still pretty spry for an old coot.  Even though I can still make 3 and 4 finger chords I find myself still using a lot of 2 finger chords.  If I want a good solid chop, I form the chord on the D and G strings while letting my left hand lightly mute the A and E. You'll be surprised at the power you can get out of these two strings with a little practice.   If you learn these two strings well, you'll find it is possible, and quite pleasing, to not just play the straight chords but also play the notes that provide motion to the tune and embellishment to the primary chords everyone else is playing.  Since most concentrate on the on-beat, as a mandolin player, a lot of time you are able to use the off beat to drive the tune melodically  forward.  When appropriate, I'll also let an open string drone while forming the rest of the chord on two of the adjacent strings.

Remember, everybody else already plays like everybody else.  Don't be afraid to be original and creative.  That's where the fun is!!!

Rickson - Posted - 09/18/2014:  06:22:36

Thanks UsuallyPickin, that makes sense. Everyday is a learning day.

UsuallyPickin - Posted - 09/18/2014:  11:41:13

I've been playing a mandolin since 1980 and I still learn something every time I pick one up...... Enjoy R/