Mandolin beginner having problems

[tortuga]

I am just beginning to play mandolin and I am having a great deal of difficulty holding down strings at the first and second frets. #Will this get easier with practice? #Are there any types of strings that might be easier for me right now? #Any other tips would be greatly appreciated. #Thanks. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[cwtwang]

Did you get your mandolin set-up by an experienced luthier?

Your nut may be too high. Too low will buzz--it is a careful happy medium kind of adjustment.

I believe that beginners need to learn with light gauge strings and build strength and calluses. If you already play guitar or banjo or some other fretted instrument, then you probably already have calluses but going from, for example, guitar to mandolin can cause sore fingers at first because the strings are doubled--it is a different feel.

If the nut or your calluses are not the problem, then make certain that you are pressing with the part of your finger that is back a bit from the nail but not too close to the nail and not too far down your fingertip either. Press right behind the fret only as hard as you need to to get a clean note. Do not rest your picking hand on the strings or the bridge as this mutes the sound. Also, fret everything very slowly and practice scales very slowly for a short time (5 min increasing to maybe 10 minutes every day to build strength and technique. Always fret with as little pressure as possible and keep your hands relaxed, yet sure and precise.

All this advice was given to me when I first learned and I've come a long long way...

Others will have more suggestions.

Good luck!

Cheryl


http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[12 fret]

Question reminds me of a line from a Woody Allen movie where he was asked if he thought sex was dirty. He replied that it was if you were doing it right.

Is a mandolin hard to play? Not if its set up right and you're playing technique is correct. Get a good set up and play with the minimum amount of finger pressure that will get you a cleanly sounded note.

[Celtic Saguaro]

Sore fingers will get better. But if you are having trouble holding the strings down, it is certainly a set up problem. Yours sounds like a particularly poorly cut nut. It's not hard to fix. I think any place that repairs stringed instruments ought to be able to help you if you explain the problem to them.

[tortuga]

Thanks for the helpful comments - I think I will change the strings to ones I know are light and look for an experienced luthier to do further set up. I thought it was supposed to have been done before I received it, but I guess it needs additional work. I'll keep working on those calluses too!
I've been entering this message board for awhile now and it seems to be an extremely good, informative site. It feels like you're getting to know others who love the music too. Thanks so much. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[earthsave]

I am just beginning to play mandolin and I am having a great deal of difficulty holding down strings at the first and second frets. #Will this get easier with practice? #Are there any types of strings that might be easier for me right now? #Any other tips would be greatly appreciated. #Thanks. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif
Yes it will get easier with practice.

Another gauge of if it is your mandolin setup or your fingers, would be to visit a shop with some more expensive setup mandolins, or play a friends mandolin setup properly and see if you still have a hard time fretting.

My first mando had high action from a slightly dropped top, but I figured it would help strengthen my hands, which it probably did.

[Dixieland]

On my Kentucky 150S I lowered the saddle as far as it would go and still the 1st couple of frets were tough to note. I took the nut off and sanded down the bottom of the nut 3tenths of a millimeter...Wow!
Now I bought a Eastman 515 from Steve Perry which he set up before shipping to me and it has the lowest, nicest action I've yet to play.

[Martin Jonas]

It's easy to determine if it's a setup problem with the nut action. Check out this (http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/GenSetup/NutAction/nutaction.html) page at frets.com, which gives an illustrated guide to checking the nut action. It's written for guitar, but it's exactly the same on mandolin.

Martin

[meghory]

I remember when I first learned a tune using the first fret of the E string and my knuckle joint started to hurt really bad . This went on for a few months. It started to worry me because I have arthritis and I thought Oh Man I'm not going to be able to play and then one day it just went away. Stuff that was hard for my fingers a year ago is a breeze now so hang in there.

[tortuga]

Thanks so much for the words of wisdom and encouragement. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Chase]

What are some good tunes for just learning the mando? I've started on Ode to Joy and Old Joe Clark and I wanna find something on that same level. Any suggestions?

[Mandodrummer]

I've been working on "Boil Them Cabbage Down" in different keys while adding some crosspicking.

[odiepiker]

After many years of playing guitar I got the mando bug. At first playing through just one song was torture - my fingertips were screaming and my whole left hand would spazz into a claw.

Do make sure you're not playing a mando that fights back. Beyond that, just give it a little time. It may not feel like it now, but in time your left hand will develop powers far beyond those of mortal men.

[Keith Erickson]

I have an MK A+ that is a real son of a gun around the 1st fret. I've learned to work with it but it can be a pain. As for the sore fingers, you'll get over them.

The more I think about it, the more likely I'm going to have a little mandovoodoo done to the A+.

[Alex Orr]

I thought it was supposed to have been done before I received it, but I guess it needs additional work. #
Low-end mandos nearly always need to have set-up work done after you buy them.

[recon]

I'm fairly new to mandolin and mandolin is the only fretted instrument I play. I keep a medium Gripmaster with me most of the time. I think it has helped with my finger strength--especially the pinky.

[tortuga]

As usual, I am learning sooooooo much from this website. You guys are great! Thanks a bunch. By the way, my calluses are starting to show up and that first and second fret are getting a little better - how about that!!! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif