View Full Version : Left hand position..
bienkow1
Jan-18-2008, 2:31pm
Hello..I would consider myself somewhere between a beginner and intermediate mandolin player. I was looking through a Mel Bay book I have, and one of the first pages (which I had previously skipped right past) and it really stresses not to hold the neck too deeply set in the slot between your thumb and pointer finger. Well, of course, I do this. It feels awkward for me to try and press my thumb against the neck as he does in this picture. Is this going to hinder my ability to progress as a player if I continue to hold the neck in that groove between my fingers? And if so, could someone please explain the correct way so I could break a bad habit?
JEStanek
Jan-18-2008, 3:01pm
Check out Mike Marshall's free Mandolin Tips (http://www.tothestage.com/MediaDetail.PAGE?ActiveID=1172&query=marshall&MediaId=352)from D'Addario. Not a perfect picture of how to hold everything but some good ideas are presented. I found the link in this thread (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=12;t=50264). The mandocello video there is phe-nom-in-al.
Jamie
arbarnhart
Jan-18-2008, 6:46pm
Check out Mike Marshall's free Mandolin Tips (http://www.tothestage.com/MediaDetail.PAGE?ActiveID=1172&query=marshall&MediaId=352)from D'Addario. #Not a perfect picture of how to hold everything but some good ideas are presented. #I found the link in this thread (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=12;t=50264). #The mandocello video there is phe-nom-in-al.
Jamie
I want that cello! I would probvably come down to earth pretty quickly; I probably wouldn't sound quite as good...
aphillips
Jan-18-2008, 7:03pm
Thanks for that link Jamie! - that man's pinky is longer than my whole hand!
Greg H.
Jan-18-2008, 10:23pm
They had a Mike Marshall concert in Durham (North Carolina)last year and scheduled a jam session with Mike for the next day (anyone who showed up was welcome to join). Mike was very willing to share both his Loar and his Monte mandocello with anyone who wanted to try them out. All I can say is that Loar has action to die for. Not a buzz to be found on the fretboard, but it's so comfortable you barely realize there are stings on there.
On the mandocello, however, I think I'd need to revert to Power Chords from rock to play that thing. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif