Trouble with Fretting hand.

[Jen88]

Hi,

I'm planning to go for a couple of lessons soon, to get some advice, but thought it worth asking here as well.

When I'm playing tunes (or trying to play them) I notice that if my little finger is on The D string, it mutes the A string and if it's on the A string it mutes the E string, etc etc.

It looks pretty arched, but I can't see it when I'm playing and I can't watch other people's hands, so I'm guessing it flattens out and rubs on the string underneath.

Is this just something that will improve in time, or are there any specific exercises I can do to speed things along.

Currently playing OM and Tenor Banjo (tuned the same) and I have the same issue on both.

I also have a Mando, but don't really play it, so can't say if it's any better on the smaller fret board.

Suggestions appreciated.

Cheers,
Jen.

[David L]

If you are playing melodies, muting the unused strings can be a good thing. If you are playing chords, it can be a problem, although some three-note chords require muting the unused strings.

[jshane]

You don't say how long you have been playing-- but, in my opinion, it will get better -- if you work at it. I'd bet that part of it is technical (how you are actually fretting the string) and part of it is that your finger tip is spreading too much-- and this is likely due to either not enough callus, or fretting too hard-- any / all of which will go away with practice.

[Ivan Kelsall]

I don't have much of a problem,but for the ''G chord shape'',instead of using the standard Bluegrass G chord shape which gives us G / D / B / G, (4th to 1st), i prefer to place my 3rd finger on the G string at the 4th fret which gives me B / G / B / G . It's a simpler chord shape & i don't damp the D string with my little finger. Also,i prefer the sound of the 'lower note' on the lowest string. One other thing,i'm fretting the lowest,heaviest string with a stronger finger & i get a much cleaner (to my ears) sounding chord.
It's one of the chord shapes given in 'The Gig Bag Book of Mandolin Chords',
Ivan

[Jen88]

Hi all,

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

Say for example, that I am playing something where I go between the A string (held on the 5th fret (I use little finger for that) and the open E string.

That is where I have the issue, because some part of my little finger is touching the E string and muting it.

Hoping this is just a lack of strength issue and it will improve with time.

Or, should I take the finger off the A string when I play the E string, then be ready to put it back on super quickly.

More advice welcome.

Cheers,
Jen!

[UsuallyPickin]

Look at the angle you are holding the mandolin at. Check out holding the instrument slightly higher and more parallel to your body with the headstock at about 10:00 o'clock or 2:00 o'clock if you are a lefty. R/

[Stevo75]

Hi all,

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

Say for example, that I am playing something where I go between the A string (held on the 5th fret (I use little finger for that) and the open E string.

That is where I have the issue, because some part of my little finger is touching the E string and muting it.

Hoping this is just a lack of strength issue and it will improve with time.

Or, should I take the finger off the A string when I play the E string, then be ready to put it back on super quickly.

More advice welcome.

Cheers,
Jen!

Hmmm... unless you're talking about playing a chord, where there may be some exceptions, your little finger isn't used for the fifth fret. So that could be part of the problem. In general, when playing in open position, the index finger is responsible for the first and second frets, the middle finger for the third and fourth, the ring finger for the fifth and sixth and the little finger for the seventh. That might help.

But I see what you're saying. Most of the time if I just played a note on the A string and I'm switching to the E string I will unintentionally mute the E string. So most of the time I pick my finger up to get it out of the way. There are times and techniques where you're switching back and fourth between the two strings and wanting to let the A string ring. So in that case you'll need to figure out how to keep the A string fretted while playing the E string. I can do this OK with my ring finger but not with my pinky finger. I don't worry about it though. That's just one of the things that I'm not going to be good at. I just pick up my finger and do it a different way.

[Jen88]

I thought that with the Octave Mandolin it was/is common to use first finger for frets 1 and 2, second for 3, third for 4th and 4th for 5th Fret, because of the longer stretch.

Not sure if I can move fast enough to play it another way.

If I'm correct then I don't want to give up on working towards that kind of stretch/use yet, but I'll look at lifting it off the string when I'm playing the open E etc and see if that works.

I've only been playing 3.5 months, so speed is still pretty slow when picking out tunes and if I have to do to much moving around with the left hand things fall apart a bit.

Guess it's all about figuring out something that works, then getting it in to muscle memory...

I don't seem to have this problem so much when playing chords, but I don't think I use the little finger in that many of them, and usually it's quite a way apart from the others, in terms of strings being held down.

Apologies if this is not making sense!

Cheers,
Jen.

[Stevo75]

I thought that with the Octave Mandolin it was/is common to use first finger for frets 1 and 2, second for 3, third for 4th and 4th for 5th Fret, because of the longer stretch.

Not sure if I can move fast enough to play it another way.

If I'm correct then I don't want to give up on working towards that kind of stretch/use yet, but I'll look at lifting it off the string when I'm playing the open E etc and see if that works.

I've only been playing 3.5 months, so speed is still pretty slow when picking out tunes and if I have to do to much moving around with the left hand things fall apart a bit.

Guess it's all about figuring out something that works, then getting it in to muscle memory...

I don't seem to have this problem so much when playing chords, but I don't think I use the little finger in that many of them, and usually it's quite a way apart from the others, in terms of strings being held down.

Apologies if this is not making sense!

Cheers,
Jen.

Sorry! I should have read more carefully, I was thinking mandolin and didn't see you were talking about OM. My bad. Forget everything I said...

[James Rankine]

I thought that with the Octave Mandolin it was/is common to use first finger for frets 1 and 2, second for 3, third for 4th and 4th for 5th Fret, because of the longer stretch.

Not sure if I can move fast enough to play it another way.

If I'm correct then I don't want to give up on working towards that kind of stretch/use yet, but I'll look at lifting it off the string when I'm playing the open E etc and see if that works.
Jen.

Jen

Don't lift your finger off- this can lead to "flying fingers " where the left hand keeps pulling away from the fretboard ultimately cutting the notes short which is particularly unpleasant on the tenor banjo. Keeping your fingers on the string if you are going back to it is a very good habit to get into. Your problem will be down to the fingers not arching clear of the adjacent string -common when you are starting out which you will overcome.

[belbein]

Mr Kelsal makes a great point that I think is under-stated. There isn't a National Registry of Allowable Mandolin Chords which requires you use the Authorized G shape. You do what works. The point is the music. Remember that Jerry Garcia was missing finger(s?) -- he couldn't make the normal bar chords. But you wouldn't argue that the man couldn't play. He just did it by violating the NRAMC rules.

[jshane]

I'm pretty sure Jerry Garcia was short a finger on his picking hand, not the fretting hand-- but Django did just fine sans a few fingers on the fretting hand, so your point is still valid.

[Jen88]

Thanks all for the suggestions so far.

actually things are going a bit better

I'll keep at it!

Cheers,
Jen.

[EdHanrahan]

... isn't a National Registry of Allowable Mandolin Chords which requires you use the Authorized G shape. You do what works. The point is the music.

Even Sam Bush, in his All About Rhythm Mandolin DVD (from Homespun, NFI) comments that if you sometimes mute an adjacent string: no big deal.

[Mark Gunter]

Is this just something that will improve in time, or are there any specific exercises I can do to speed things along.

Lots of good response/discussion, but I also wanted to address this part of the question in OP. It's so obvious that maybe no one saw necessary to mention his, but maybe it will help someone. Sometimes it's difficult to see the obvious solution and go back to fundamentals. So here goes. As far as exercises:

Exercise One. First, play the chord(s), finger the chord as usual. Don't strum. Now pluck one string at a time. Adjust your hand position to try to get all strings to ring clearly.

This exercise can be very intense. It requires concentration, and some physical exertion. Your body and especially the muscles in your arm,wrist, hand and fingers will want to tense up, and may cramp quickly, so you may not be able to do this exercise very long in the beginning. The key is to stop and forget about it when your hand is tired and try again later when you are once again relaxed. You should continue to work on this exercise in your practice routine until you have solved the problem. That could be days, weeks, months, years or a lifetime. Usually, you'll get great results in a few weeks.

Exercise 2. Second, play a chord progression that uses the trouble chord, and focus on clarity of sound. If you hear problems with the sound you want from the chord, stop and do exercise one.

Exercise 3. Third is a relaxation exercise. Once you begin playing the chord more clearly, intentionally focus on relaxation and elimination of tension in shoulders, arms, wrists, hands and fingers of fretting and strumming/picking hands.

Though this answer may seem all too obvious and simplistic, in actuality an entire book of useful information could probably be written on those three things. Practically guaranteed to solve chording problems in time.