Tremolo on the g string[s]

[Caleb]

Does anyone else have a much harder time nailing a good tremolo on the G string[s]? I've gotten pretty good at doing it on all the other strings, but for some reason it's really hard on the G. Any advice (practice, I know)?
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

[earthsave]

I have the opposite problem. I like doublestop tremelo on G and D, but have a harder time in the middle courses and E strings.

Loose pick grip helps. I use a relatively thick rounded edge pick too, M150 Wegen.

[Don Christy]

I'm working on this too.

I think you nailed it. Practice. Also, record yourself so you can better assess how it sounds. Your pick choice could impact it too especially if it is "too grabby" on the wound strings. A really loose pick grip helps generally.

I suggest an exercise Mike Compton and David Long had us doing. Start tremoloing with one string (the G). After a while add the D (2 strings), then the A (3 strings) then the E (4 strings) then remove the G (3 strings) then remove the D ... you get the idea. Then when you're down to just the E go back up adding one at a time. Then removing one at a time again starting at E.

That's prob completely confusing. Let's try it this way.

G
GD
GDA
GDAE
DAE
AE
E
AE
DAE
GDAE
GDA
GD
G

Good luck
Don

[miked500]

Hey Caleb, I (like Scot) encounter more difficulty tremolo-ing on the E string. I can do the A and E together, but when it comes to a single note on the E string, it sometimes falls apart. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif This is aggravating because I have a pretty decent tremolo!!

[Fretbear]

Double stopped tremolo always sounds fuller; the problem is it can make single string tremolo sound thin.

[Glassweb]

Grisman and Statman... undisputed (by me anyway!) masters of tremolo tone and control. Just listen to Andy on "Uman" (East Flatbush Blues) or Grisman on "White Dove" (Old and in the Way). Gives me goosebumps every time I hear these cuts... tone, control, emotion - it's all there brothers and sisters.

[Caleb]

These are some great replies. I'm not sure if I really understand what a "double stop" is though.
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I can't do tremolo on 2 strings at all. I really don't even know where to begin to approach that. Someday. Maybe.

[Don Christy]

A double stop is just playing two notes simultaneously by fretting (stopping) two strings with your left hand.

I think working on the Compton/Long exercise would be a good start. It will have you tremoloing from 1 to 4 strings. That will make double stops a snap :cool:

Also good idea to learn your double stops. They make your breaks sound so much richer.
Don

[John Rosett]

Caleb-
Do you plant your little finger on the top (or pickguard) when you tremolo? If you do, you may find that your pick is not very square to the G string, but at an angle, making it harder to get a smooth tremolo as you reach across the other strings.

[Caleb]

Caleb-
Do you plant your little finger on the top (or pickguard) when you tremolo? If you do, you may find that your pick is not very square to the G string, but at an angle, making it harder to get a smooth tremolo as you reach across the other strings.
Guilty as charged on the pinky planting. I always figured that was a bad habit that I shouldn't get into. I'll try to lift it and see if that helps.

[Dragonflyeye]

I'm just voting on the worst string for tremolo. Caleb, I'm with you on the G string. I just started doing this and sound pretty decent (at least for short durations) on E & A, OK on D, and not so hot on G. I don't plant, although Marilyn Mair suggests "brushing," and once I build up some speed, will probably need that. I played around a bit with double stop tremolo last night. It was OK but again, better on E & A.

[Brandon Flynn]

I have a harder time on the G string as well. Personally I don't like the sound of the tremelo on the G string very much. In fact, I may be the only mandolin player that is not a big fan of double stop tremelos. For many, that is what they love about the mandolin. A good tremelo can be great, but not as good as a long sustained note on a violin in my opinion. Maybe I don't like tremelo because I'm not very good at it. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Jan Ellefsen]

This is a subject that has been bothering me for quite some time.
For me, the easiest course to play single string tremolo on is the D strings, then G then A and the E strings are definitely the hardest. It is very strange that this is so different from person to person.
Planting makes it much easier to play tremolo on the E strings, but don’t want to do that. I find that playing tremolo with double stops is much easier, especially on the E’s and A’s.

[Jim Kasperson]

This is an interesting thread. I didn't realize that everyone did not have the same difficulty on the G string as I do. Only some of us. I have a pretty fluid tremolo on D,A and E either single or double. but when the G string gets involved I lose it. I can't start smoothly or maintain the smae rythm and dynamic as soon as I include the G. This thread has inspired me to do some analysis on that phenomenon. I'll have to watch my right hand (arm and wrist angle} along with the pick angle and see if somthing is different there when I tremolo the G string. Thanks for bringing this up.
Kasper

[Alex Orr]

I have a harder time on the G string as well. Personally I don't like the sound of the tremelo on the G string very much. In fact, I may be the only mandolin player that is not a big fan of double stop tremelos.
I agree with all these points.

[Jim Broyles]

I guess I am very fortunate because I have never had any trouble with tremolo, once I figured out which pick to use. I actually prefer the sound of double stop tremolo to single note trem, and no string is any easier or harder to get good tremolo out of for me. One thing I can tell you if you are having a hard time getting a good tremolo on the G strings is to relax your arm. Don't feel like you have to keep it tensed up to keep from falling into the mando top. Also, keep your DUDUDU pick action as short as possible to hit both strings going down and up.

[Brandon Flynn]

jbmando, I spelled TremOLO wrong!

[Jim Broyles]

Oflynny, don't fret (that's a joke!) I put that in the space below my name last year sometime because there were a bunch of discussions about it and it was getting annoying to see it so much. For some reason that and "definately" really bug me. I mean, do you look up definations in the dictionary? Are we mortals finate? Is God infinate? I really don't see what is so hard about learning to spell such a common word as definitely correctly. But this is for that other thread about English from a while ago. I figure if I just leave that in my message boxes, maybe some folks will see it and start spelling it right. I don't correct other posters in public, unless they are being a real jerk.

[Tracy Tucker]

Oflynny, don't fret (that's a joke!) I put that #in the For some reason that and "definately" really bug me. I mean, do you look up definations in the dictionary?
lol, I am guilty as charged! I am a reasonably intelligent person who loves spelling and grammar and language... I don't know what it is, but every time I get ready to spell 'definitely' I have to stop and really think about whether it's an 'a' or an 'i'! Now that you have made the 'definitely' and 'definitions' connection for me, I don't think I will have to think about it so much. ('Probally' is one of my personal pet peeves!) http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Sorry, wasn't trying to hijack!

Back to the tremolo question... I have not developed mine very well yet, but find that double stop tremolo is easier for me no matter which combination of strings I use; although the 'E' does seem to be a little more difficult. I always figured it was due to the high tension on the string, but maybe I'll check out my wrist angle and see if the problem is there.

Tracy

[Zako]

I use a stiff arm and a loose, free wrist consistently, but I have more trouble on the E string than anywhere else. I suspect that this is because there is no lower-down (closer to the floor; it would be a B string) to guide my hand and stop downward motion. It also might have to do with the anglwe of my arm. Everywhere else, though, I have a pretty adequate, smooth tremolo. Does anybody know what I'm talking about?

[Jim Kasperson]

It was Clearly wrist angle for me. After my last post I carefully watched what I was doing (or not doing in this case ) and realized that I was not moving my hand up to the G string but changing my wrist angle. When I shift my hand with a little adjustment from the elbow, I have no problem. Simple solution that I discovered thanks to this thread.
Kasper

[JeffD]

I love the single course tremolo of Jethro Burns, and Butch Baldassari. They make it sound as natural as playing a long note on a wind instrument, or a slow long bow on a violin. Just beautiful.

Marilynn Mair's book has some really great exercises for tremolo.