tremolo

[ira]

played this past friday and it was one of those nights when the planets and stars were aligned just right for tremolo. it was aaaaaaaaaaaaaaawesome! i listened to the tape today and though it felt it good, man did it sound good too! flowing note to note, long or short.just wanted to share my joy in finally, really hitting it for a night!

[mandolooter]

congrats my man! I know the feeling and just wish those magic nights weren't so far apart for me... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Steve S.]

I think that tremolo is a kind of biofeedback concerning your psychological state. If you're all tense or emotionally keyed up, it will show in the quality of your tremolo. If you're relaxed, the tremolo will flow from that.

[Jasper]

My two cents...I've been playing for a couple of years and the first thing I started working on was the tremolo (and basic chords). I absolutely love it and find the tremolo to be a saving grace when the church group I play with wants to play a slow, reverent gospel hymn and make it drudgingly slow. Any recommendations on using the tremolo from anyone?

Jasper

[keymandoguy]

What is it about tremalos somedays mine work great and others I just cant get the smooth flow when it works its awsome but then there are times i cant get over being jerky .Sometimnes changing picks help other times ? Guess I just have to keep working at it > http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Unseen122]

I remember when i got it the first time I was just like "was that it?" Anyone else find that Dawg picks give a weak tremolo?

[Mark Normand]

Unseen, my Dawg picks roll over the strings easily, but I find there's not much volume for me either. Surely if my wrist was very loose and flexible that would change. No doubt they work well for lots of folks tho.

This thread reminds me maybe I better re-visit tremelo. I'm getting frustrated and bored when a jam does a few slow tunes. I usually use that time for coffee! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[odeman]

I finally turned my pick around and started playing tremolos with the round end of the pick - making it smoother and less likely to "snag" when I used the pointed end.

[ira]

what i found (like i'm an expert after one great show), was the relaxation (mentioned above) was the key. just being in the groove in general allowed the tremolo to flow out smoothly with volume and most importantly feeling. now to smooth 2-string tremolos (hey, i'll get it eventually):p

[Jasper]

Hi Folks,

It's been a few days, but thought I throw in with the discussion about tremolos and picks. I have finally worked my way up to a 1mm thickness. I like the Clayton picks, but I round the end to match the corners so that it pretty much looks symmetric, then I file it off smooth with an emery board (fine side). The stiffness of the pick gives very good volume and it slides nicely off the strings for single and double stop tremolo. But if you can't relax, you can't tremolo smoothly no matter what pick you use.

Jasper

[Unseen122]

What I meant was Dawg picks just give quiet trem see I have the tendency to angle my pick to make the trem smoother so with Dawgs I really have to watch myself luckily I only use them for Jazz and I mostly play Irish Traditional Music (ITM). #If you are wondering I use a Dunlop Stubby in just one mm for ITM and when I play Blugrass which is very rare the picks are super bright sounding which is great. #For Classical and Italian Folk (you know the stuff you would play in a Mandolin Orchestra) I use a Clayton 1.26 because they give a nice warm tone. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[iler]

please describe what tremolo is

[SternART]

Tremelo is a rapid up and down stroke allowing a plucked instrument to make a continous note.......much like a bowed instrument, holding a note. A tremulous effect is produced by rapid reinteration of the same tone. BTW I think Dawg picks work great for tremelo. Grisman's tremelo is among the most expressive I've heard.

[Dennis Schubert]

My experience with a triangular Clayton 1.52" pick: I can play with the pick-point down near the bridge for straight noting. Then, I can move my right hand closer to the 12th fret and -- at the same time -- roll my hand back towards my tummy -- so that I can play tremelo with the rounded edge of the pick -- and never have to change my grip.

[Peter Hackman]

Much of the stuff I play is not suited for tremoloes;
it's too notey.
There are a few waltzes where they
fit and I usually try play them rather aggressively,
preferably in thirds and fourths.
A mandolin should never sound like a bicycle bell!

Right now I'm working on the Tennesse Waltz
by Pee Wee King and Red Stewart.
Of course I knew that song by heart even before
I had heard it but I'm aiming at a
slightly neurotic and desperate feeling
which I achieve by a rapid tremolo on the rising phrases, followed by a downward slur, that defies
notation.