Tremlo

[squeally dan]

I can't get that sound. What's the deal? Am I just not picking fast enough or what?

[John Zimm]

It could be a few different things, but I've noticed that my tremelo improved nicely after I slowed it down a bit and concentrated on playing the note(s) cleanly instead of quickly. This is especially true of doublestops played with the tremelo. There is something about a slow tremelo that sounds really sweet to my ear. After you get it down at a slower rate, then work it up to be faster when musically appropriate, but remember, faster isn't always better. Speed is only a tool we use towards a musical end.

Best of luck. Hope that helps a little.

-John.

[ira]

loose, loose, loose! my tremolo has improved (somewhat) as i have gone against my basic instinct to tighten my grip and wrist as i play faster. the looser my pickgrip and wrist the better my tremolo sounds. now i am working on double string tremolos- i assume its the same premise.

[Greg H.]

I found my tremolo improved once I put a bit more anle to the pick rather than trying to pick it straight on. Also brushing the strings lightly rather than digging in (which is my usual tendency) helped a good bit.

[squeally dan]

Thanks for all the feedback. I'll practice lightening up on the attack when I get home tonight.

[peterbc]

Mostly keep your picking wrist loose, but I also agree on the angle.

[John Flynn]

I agree with all the "relax" comments. Have a loose wrist and a loose pick grip. The faster you go, the more you have to concentrate on relaxation. If you get more tension at higher speeds, there will be a limit on how fast you can go. Also limit pick travel. Think about only moving the pick as far as you need to. Don't let the speed cause you to swing too far from the string. One image I picked up from some instructor is, "Pretend the strings are two lines on a light piece of paper and the pick is an eraser. You want to quickly erase a space through the lines without tearing the paper." Finally, tremlo is one of those things a player stuggles with until a light comes on and then to some extent they've got it forever, as long as they practice it occasionally. So no matter how rough it is now, just keep working for that light bulb moment.

[evanreilly]

Loose grip on pick; loose wrist. I practice my tremolo playing scales slowly in tremolo.
Obligatory Bill Monroe note: Bill called it "Tremblin'" the manalin. <G>

[Philip Halcomb]

Learn the tune Maiden's Prayer, it's basically all tremolo, but a simple melody. Play it until is sounds good. Then you'll be tremblin' the manalin...

[Steven]

Hmmmm,I keep hearing about holding the pick loose.So the fast tremelo needs a looser grip than normal speed back and forth picking?Question:when I try this the pick rotates in my grip,how do you keep a loose grip and not lose control of the pick?Please dont tell me to cross hatch the pick or use rosin,it doesnt work!

[John Bertotti]

I asked the same question about rotation Steve. I was told to work on pick control. Varying the pressure of my grip or sliding my fingers a bit gets the pick back in place but the grip is off a bit. At least it gets me by till I can adjust it better. I can say I still stink at tremolo especially multiple strings. John

[Philip Halcomb]

Unfortunately there's no known cure for the pick spinning, although you get used to managing after awhile...

[bmac]

I disagree that there is no cure for pick spinning... I am fairly new to mandolin (about a year) and was struggling with tremolo during much of that time. My pick was spinning as described and even when I used a death grip on the pick it still seemed want to spin. The secret, I have found is to experiment with pick angle to the strings. If your pick meets the strings at an angle the pick will tend to spin. If the pick meets the strings with the pick face exactly parallel to the strings it will not rotate and you can use a loose grip on the pick as is recomended. I can now play for a half hour and never have to adjust my pick. (holding position perhaps, but not because of pick spin). My suggestion would be to analyze the angle of the pick as it meets the string. Experiment and find the correct angle which I believe is the angle described above. When you find the proper angle the pick will not spin.

At this point I have a very effective tremolo, on a single pair of strings. I have just strarted to work at tremolo using two pair of strings and that is going to take a while. But pick spin should not be a problem if you find the right angle with the pick surface exactly parellel with the strings. When you find the correct angle you can use a very light grip and it will not spin.

I use a medium weight pick for playing but when working on tremolo I often found it useful to use a thin pick as it was much more flexible and forgiving than a medium weight pick.

[Peter Hackman]

I suppose it's a subliminal thing - I never practised
the tremolo systematically. But yes, I guess
loose wrist, angling backwards on lower strings,
and pressing the pick against the strings, liberates
the whole thing. No I'll go home and check - I will
probably land "distracted in a ditch, considering how to run"
like that poor centipede.

[farmer2]

Where can I find the tab. for Maiden's Prayer?

[ira]

i don't know about maidens prayer, but you can take any song (balads work really well) that doesn't have an enormous amount of changes, and tremolo it straight through. i have turned many a song into a balad for practice purposes with tremolo. do songs that are familiar and easy to pick out the notes. i try sliding the tremolo from one note to the other without too much seam in the middle.

[Tom C]

I find playing waltzes is good practice.

[Colin Irvine]

There are several tabs for Maiden's Prayer on Mandozine.

[Philip Halcomb]

Mandozine would be the best place to get tab for it. Then go to this site http://www.robcoleman.com/jethro/ and download the MP3 for it. Then try to play it that way using all tremolo. It should break you in. About pick spinning, I use a rounded pick, so the pick is welcome to spin in my hand and it doesn't seem to make a difference. A lot of the pros like the black dunlop picks (basic 1mm guitar picks) they have a little grip on them and they seem to work well for that style of pick. But try to use the rounded edge of the pick and not the pointy edge. Enjoy...