Re: Left hand fingering question
Sounds like you've found half position: that place where your first finger is on first fret, second on second fret, ring covering 3/4 and pinkie covering 5/6. Half position is most useful when you have melodic phrases that require consecutive notes on frets 1 and 2 of the same string. Usually we play these by sliding the first finger, but sometimes it's easier just to slide down into half position and nail it that way. There's lots of classical mandolin music that calls for this fingering, and it's not too unusual to find folk tunes like the one you found, that benefit from it too. Just think of half position as a temporary change in your point of reference, and enjoy exploring!
Exploring Classical Mandolin (Berklee Press, 2015)
Progressive Melodies for Mandocello (KDP, 2019) (2nd ed. 2022)
New Solos for Classical Mandolin (Hal Leonard Press, 2020)
2021 guest artist, mandocello: Classical Mandolin Society of America
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