I need help!!!

[D C Blood]

I'm having a problem of some kind. I've been playing mandolin for more than forty-five years now, and to me, I'm sounding jagged, tinny, rough, in other words, terrible to myself. I would like to ask some of you veterans and pros and teachers to take a look at a video of our band, Mixt Company, and see if you guys can figure out what I need to do, and tell me. The video is at
www.sumnercities.com click on Larry's Grand Ole Garage, 2/21, and move the slider to the second band. I think overall, the band is sounding decent but I've got very discouraged about my pickin'. HELP!!!I use a Fender Heavy pick, (3 rounded shoulder type). Mandolin is a Silver Eagle, wonderful mando, and I've heard others pick it and it sounds great, so it isn't the mandolin's fault. Thanks:confused::(

[Jim]

I think you are being too hard on yourself. I often have to walk away from recordings of myself and give them a little time before I listen to them or I'm going to pick them a part. The question is What do you want it to sound like? And then can I actually do that? Of course recording paractices can help with learning what sounds good and how to get there such as different mic setup ect.

[kirksdad]

DC

Just my two cents here, but I think you may need to have your mando set up and have the intonation checked. I think your note selection is very tasteful and the mando does sound very good, it just sounds like the intonation or string height might be out.



KD















Tear it up

[pops1]

I am out in the country on dial up and can't listen, but i find when i mic my mando like the mic facing the sound hole behind my hand toward the bridge and not by the sound hole. Seems my hand blocks some of the highs and the sound is much warmer when i do this. I really don't lack for volume and it is so much more pleasing to listen to.

[Bernie Daniel]

I think you sounded pretty dang good -- your arrangements esp. on Bells of St. Mary's were petty sophisticated as far as I'm concerned. I'd be pleased with that performance esp. since you were obviously doing some tunes that you and not had a chance to work all out too much as a group -- I enjoyed watching the set and thanks for that link too! :mandosmiley:

Looked like the audience liked it just fine! And BTW, "Just the thought of you" is a GREAT song!

[chip]

Sounds fine to me. If anything it's either the recording itself or it sort of sounds like on some of the runs your not picking it clean. Over all it sounds like it should.

[Jim Kirkland]

I have been on stage and could not miss, and then I couldn't do anything right. My thought is, that when you become totally pleased with your sound and quit trying to improve, you are on the way down. I believe it is a lifelong travel to improve. I played guitar for a 97 yr old fiddler, who was always looking for improvement up until his death. I enjoyed the sound, you can handle the songs very well. I agree about getting someone to look at the set up. When I travel back to Madisonville, TN from New Mexico this summer, I will stop by and catch the session. Keep playing.

[jim_n_virginia]

Your playing is fine... you need a professional setup done on your mandolin.

Personally I try not to listen to myself .... I am my own WORST critic!

[KCrook]

First, I enjoyed the video, and it looks like a fun group to play with, and you seem to be enjoying yourself too!

You have far more experience than I do at performing in front of a live audience, so you probably aren't as affected by the 'rush' of playing on stage as I would be. When the lights come on for me, the adrenaline runs a bit, and suddenly I seeem to struggle with a break that I had been playing smoothly only minutes before. Once I settle in, I start to enjoy myself, and I find I can control the nerves. I don't know if that was what you were experiencing, but it did seem to me that you struggled with your breaks a bit in that first song, but then you 'warmed up,' coming on strong thereafter.

Also, do you always wear a suit jacket when you perform? The sleeves in a jacket like that aren't very forgiving and even those that are 'lined,' can limit your arm movement some. It might be enough to change where you are placing your right hand on the Mando without your knowing it, moving your pick hand towards the bridge which can change the sound to a less full sound, and also change how the Mando feels to you as well when picking it.

I don't know if that helps, but sometimes the thoughts of a "n00b" like me can help. When you have the chance to perform there again, I hope it is streamed so I can catch another performance. You and the band sounded good, and looked to be having fun, and I would look forward to seeing you perform again. :-)

[D C Blood]

Hi...thanks for the comments and suggestions. I guess I won't chop the thing up into firewood just yet.:) Those who mentioned professional setup...it was purchased at Elderly only three months ago, and I know they do a good job on setting up. Intonation is perfect. String height pretty low. Easy to play. Still I am going to have it checked, probably at Big Joe's (which is only three miles down the road) Another thing I'm going to check is ask the sound man to add some low end to the mandolin mike, and take some of the treble off it. Thanks for the kind comments about the band and my pickin'. That show is every first and third Saturday, starting at 6;30 PM CST, www.sumnercities.com .click on "Larry's Grand Ole Garage. Any of you ever get to Nashville, give me a shout. I'm always happy to meet and greet and swap licks and compare mandolins (my wife compares that to a male "P...ing contest)...:grin:

[Steve Perry]

Another thing I'm going to check is ask the sound man to add some low end to the mandolin mike, and take some of the treble off it.

Hey D C... I'd ask the sound man to back the guitars down a little too. They sounded a little boomy(Who'da thunk it, a Martin being boomy:))) and that may have taken away a little of your bass.

[mandomansuetude]

Hi D.C.
I noticed 3 things in your clip ....
1) The banjo was really well miked and apart.(loud)

2) You appear jammed between the two guitars and seemed to have
to struggle a bit to move forward to find mike space...then recede

3) Was there a pickin' battle going on?..on some level.Her prowess
seemed to get you rushing your fences and losing your grove.

That being said, I applaud your courage to ask for feedback... I don't think your playing or the mando was at issue here. Logistics and dynamics were for me the main concerns. Thanks for the link ...good fun. Bill

[jim simpson]

I enjoyed your picking and agree with much of the advice offered here. Try borrowing a friends mandolin that you like the sound of and see if it doesn't clue you in as to whether it's your instrument or not. I really enjoyed the link. I liked the two little girls who played multi instruments plus clogged.