Posted by ErikForGod on Monday, May 27, 2013
I have recently begun my quest to return to playing the mandolin. I have learned to play the clawhammer/fretless banjo which I consider was one of my goals. However even back when I played the mandolin I wasn't at all ever satisfied with my playing. I couldn't play alot of the sounds and styles I heard in my head. I want to learn to play mandolin again and play fiddle-tunes with that "lilting" "bouncy" mandolin style sound that is much cleaner and more melodic. Kind of like the sounds of Adam Steffey, Chris Thile and others....just cleaner and more melodic. I was watching some videos on "pick-direction" excercices and realised that this was a technique I never completely mastered or at least mastered in the way I wanted. Anyone direct me to some good teaching, DVD's on pick direction excercises on when to play down/up strokes and how to gradually increase speed and build reportoire/licks
5 comments on “Looking for a new and different approach to the way I will play mandolin this time around”
Susanne Says:
Monday, August 19, 2013 @5:57:27 AM
I think Tim O'Brien's mandolin & bouzouki video is very good and inspiring but I can't remember if he talks about pick directions. I'll need to watch it myself again soon.
ErikForGod Says:
Monday, August 19, 2013 @6:54:51 AM
Ok Susi thanks...I'm seriously considering Mike Marshall's school of Mandolin online.
Susanne Says:
Monday, August 19, 2013 @6:55:44 AM
Oh cool.. Mike Marshall is brilliant.
ErikForGod Says:
Wednesday, August 21, 2013 @11:42:57 AM
yes I'm seriously considering his school of mandolin online although I haven't decided yet. I used to play mandolin and sing tenor in the past in a band that traveled some. We also made a couple of CD's but I was never quite satisfied with my sound and style...I wanted to do more.
OregonGal Says:
Wednesday, August 21, 2013 @3:14:17 PM
Yes, I am taking lessons also from Mike Marshall's Bluegrass school of mandolin online. It is a wonderful resource. As for pick up and down - in general - quarter notes are down strokes, 8th notes are down/up, down/up, and 16th notes the same. Basically you move your pick down/up but only hit the note on the down with quarter notes or whole notes (and those usually end up with tremolo on the whole notes). Depends on what you are playing, bluegrass, folk, classical, but the basic method applies. An 8th note pickup is usually on the upstroke. Cheers.
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