Using Both Thighs Support Mandolin

[jarednye]

How does one keep their body symmetrical with the mandolins on both thighs and the fingerboard si far left. My chest and everything tilts to the left to compensate for this. Is this normal?

[colorado_al]

Elevate your left foot. Put it on your case, or on a box, or on the rung of the seat or stool, etc. You will see classical guitar players do the same thing. You could also buy a collapsible stand.
Something like this https://www.amazon.com/Stage-FS7850B-Guitar-Foot-Rest/dp/B000CD1R7K
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This will point the neck at an angle with the headstock higher then the body.

Or you can use a strap and hitch it up so the neck side is hanging higher than the tailpiece side

[jarednye]

Even with doing that I find that the mandolin still causes me to tilt to the left. Is it wrong to keep the mandolin on my right leg only?

[pops1]

I think anything that is comfortable for you is right for you. There are many ways to hold the pick, mandolin, left hand position on and on and on. I have a little saying, "what ever suits you tickles me plum to death". I don't see anything wrong with using one, both, or no thighs.

[DHopkins]

That's like "What kind of pick should I use?" or "What's the best strap?" Whatever works best for you is the best way to do it as long as the end product is not compromised.

[Tobin]

Lots of people, including me, just rest the mandolin on the right thigh when sitting. This lets you play with your arms more centered on your body, so you're not reaching so far left. It helps to point the neck a little to the front of you as well, so the mandolin is not flat across your belly but in a more natural position for your right arm to pick and your left arm extending more forward than left.

The other alternative, if you want to keep the body centered on both thighs, is to elevate the neck so it's pointing upward at about a 45-degree angle instead of pointing it flat to the left. If you look at old photographs of mandolin orchestras, this was the most common way of holding a mandolin and they all seemed to have perfect posture.

[David L]

Why would you want the body of the mandolin centered in the first place? if both hands are in a good playing position, the center of the mandolin (about where the neck hits the body) should be centered on your body, which puts the body of the mandolin on your right thigh.

[dadsaster]

I love Mike Marshall but I'm not a fan of his recommended ergonomics. As a taller player, I end up too hunched if I try cradling the mandolin as he recommends. I prefer both feet flat on the ground as I can stay the most relaxed throughout my body. I sit tall and place the tailpiece close to the crease of my thigh. With a strap I can let go of the mandolin with my fretting hand without it moving.

I arrived at this playing position only after a fair amount of trial and error. I wanted my positions to be the same sitting or standing. You might find a more natural position standing as it's hard to lean without falling over. Try and translate that to sitting. Try to find a position with body symetry and where you can stay as relaxed as possible.

[Toni Schula]

Fellow mandolinist Pete Martin has this video on how to hold the mandolin. I use this method since I stumbled over this instruction and never looked back.

https://youtu.be/0mDNJnKVO6A

Thanks a lot Pete!

(I might need to login and edit from my PC, if this post from the smart phone does not work.)

[jesserules]

The overwhelming majority of mandolin players play with the body of the instrument well over to the right side, and have done so for centuries. Look:

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Photographs don't lie!