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Swedish-Banjo
Sep-03-2005, 10:06am
Hi!
I need all info I can get about picking hand technique! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
what position, and so on.
Thanks!

Peter Hackman
Sep-05-2005, 2:03am
Does your mandolin have a pickguard?

jasona
Sep-06-2005, 2:54pm
I think I made a breakthrough last night.

I have struggled for the past year working the same tunes over and over trying to get them clean and fast with good tone, but I've always had problems with muffling some strings with my hand. I finally got a DVD player installed on the computer and watched a DVD made my Mike Stangeland, comprised of clips of pro players' right hands. Looking at all of the pick grips used I realized that I might be holding my pick too far back in my grip. I switched to a large triangle pick, and moved it forward so the pick's point was positioned somewhat in front of the last knuckle of my thumb, closely imitating Chris Thile's grip. That seemed to do wonders for the cleanliness and tone of my playing, and because the pick is further away from my wrist, the same motion produces a much stronger pick and louder volume.

My question to all of you is: where is the point of your pick?

Peter Hackman
Sep-07-2005, 2:49am
Jasona--
Like you I use the large triangles, and like you I push the point forward in the grip (similar reasons and results).

Peter Hackman--
No pickguard here. I started without, am used to it now, and can't see the need for it.
The question was for Swedish-Banjo, who is the
one asking advice. För instance, I would advise very
strongly against pinky-posting on a mando
without a pickguard.

I learned on mandolins with guards.
However, I touch the guard
very lightly when playing, often not at all.
Seems the guard guides my right hand, without supporting it.

Swedish-Banjo
Sep-08-2005, 8:47am
Hey ya all!
Do not know what a pickguard is.
The thing is that my english isn't that verry good, so I would apriceate a description of how to hold the pick, and how to put the picking hand on the mando, though in a bit easier english. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif (here's a complete nerd.)
maby you got some good photos to show me?
Thanks again!

Peter Hackman
Sep-08-2005, 9:13am
Go to the homepage of this site. It has a picture of the cover of
the Tone Poets CD. One of the four pictures
shows a mandolin with a pickguard,
just below the e strings. They used to be standard on Gibson mandolins; nowadays they seem to be the exception rather
than the rule, at least on instruments designed for Bluegrass use.

It is there, presumably, to protect the
face of the mando from pick scratches, and is often used
to support the right hand, with all fingers curled or
with one or two fingers posted against it.

The Swedish word for pickguard is "plektrumskydd";
an older word is "glidbräda" (sliding board).


If our mando does not have one, I think it's unwise
to plant one or two fingers against the face of the mando -
there will inevitably be some wear; also, if your hands are
not very large, you might
dip the pick to deeply for your comfort.

Don't know if my English is simple enough - it's not easy to
convey in few words what pictures do so much better.
My Swedish isn't really *simpler*, but it's your
mother tongue, and mine, so if you need further
explanation, email me at pehac@mai.liu.se.
It would help to have a picture of your mando.

My advice on how to hold the pick is almost identical
to that given above.

Dfyngravity
Sep-10-2005, 9:31am
This is a very open question, and you will find many different answers all right by there own means. Here are some main points that everyone should at least try and if they don't work for you than try out some other ways.

1. Like said earlier, grip the pick between the side of your forefinger(try not to let the pick rest on the pad of your forefinger) and the pad of your thumb.

2. Grip the pick fairly light, a little pressure if ok as long as it is only enough you hold on to the pick. However, the lighter the better. I heard Thile say that he has dropped his pick while playing shows, because his grip pressure is so light. That's how you gain speed, clarity, and tone.

3. You can either have an open right hand or curl your fingers up in a VERY loooose ball. If you do curl your fingers try not to make a fist, this only increases tension, and whatever speed, clarity, tone, and over all clean picking will be lost. If you have and open hand position, most will suggest to lightly brush the top of the mando and not "plant" on the top of the mando as a banjo player would(maybe that's why mando players hate to see people do it!? haha). However, like ealier said there are plenty of great players who plant.

4. Keep your wrist, forearm, and hand as looooooose as possible. Any tension that builds up is bad. Is there going to be some tension in your arm or wrist? Sure it's just not physically possible to be completely relaxed. However, just keep a mentally note of it and when you feel tension just relax your arm. A great exercise for this is to play a tune you know really well and only concentrate on keeping all the tension out of your arm.

5. Try not to muffle your strings with the palm of your right hand. I would suggest *lightly* resting it behind the bridge. Don't plant it there because you will lose the range of motion in your arm and only be able to move your wrist. So if you are skipping strings like cross picking or playing chords you will not be able to get a full range of motion. And that is very important, especially for a good solid chop.

6. The last 5 things I put up there are rules/ suggestions and NOT laws of mandolin playing. Therefore there are many exceptions. If you find that something doesn't work, than look for another answer. The main things you want to get out of this is, very little tension in your right arm, don't hold the pick between the pad of your forefinger and the pad of your thumb, and don't lose the full range of motion in your right arm and wrist.

Hope this helps out more than it hurts you.

Warning: I am not a teacher or professional so by any means correct me or say I am wrong. It won't hurt my feelings. Infact I would love to hear everyone's opinion on playing because I am constantly trying to better my ways of playing.

Swedish-Banjo
Sep-18-2005, 11:34am
Thanks for all the good advices!
Even though I am a bit slow-thinkin´ when it comes to reading english, I have got a better view in how to manouvre my right arm http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Thanks y'all, you will probably hear from me again in a short future.

fredfrank
Sep-18-2005, 11:53am
I used to try and hold the pick with the point straight out from my hand, but it kept turning as you see in this photo. So that's how I hold it all the time.

DorothyD
Oct-01-2005, 12:56pm
Hey Jasona!

Could you tell us the name of the DVD you are talking about? It sounds interesting.
Thanks,

DMD

jasona
Oct-01-2005, 5:52pm
Hey Jasona!

Could you tell us the name of the DVD you are talking about? It sounds interesting.
Thanks,

DMD
Its a homemade DVD, comprising clips of various players from various video sources, where the camera focuses on the right hand of that player.

jmcgann
Oct-01-2005, 6:59pm
Food For Thought On Right and Left Hand Technique (http://www.johnmcgann.com/techtips.html)