Bickfor Mandolin Method Volume II

[meshugy]

Greetings,

The second volume of the celebrated Bickford Mandolin Method (http://www.djangobooks.com/archives/2004/07/16/new_ebook_the_bickford_mandolin_method_volume_2.ht ml#000102) is now available as an eBook from DjangoBooks.com (http://www.djangobooks.com).
For more info or to download see: DjangoBooks.com (http://www.djangobooks.com)

Thanks,

Michael

[John Bertotti]

So for those in the know will this be a good continuation of the first one? I am learning a lot from the first. Would you all recommend someone else instead? Thanks John

[Martin Jonas]

I've recently downloaded Volume One, although I don't know yet whether I'll find the time and/or the dedication to work through it. There's a lot of interesting contents which I could probably benefit from. He used very prestriptive language, though. I assume that was the style at the time -- I have a German mandolin tutor from the 1920s which is in many ways similar and which also abounds with absolute statements to the effect of "do it exactly my way or you will always be hopeless". On first reading, the thing that most stood out to me is Bickford's instructions on single stroke playing (exactly the same as in the German tutor, as it happens). For down strokes, he says to strike the strings in a falling motion starting two-to-three inches above the string and following through after hitting the strings until the pick comes to rest firmly in contact with the next string down. Do people actually play this way, i.e. touch the pick against the adjacent (non-sounding) strings on every stroke? My own picking action is very different and I have trouble imagining how you can play fluently like that without setting off unwanted notes from the adjacent strings all the time.

Martin

[John Bertotti]

Right or wrong I've been trying to use only the motion and strength I need to accomplish my pick motion. Still a work in progress. I do catch myself picking only one string of the pairs if I'm not careful. Perhaps his is a better way but I haven't been able to make that much motion and maintain any accuracy. John http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Martin Jonas]

I have been wondering whether this rather exaggerated swing is intended to get beginners to actually hit both strings reliably and evenly, with the intention of dropping it once you are able to reliably achieve that. #In any case, as far as I can tell I am able to hit both strings cleanly, I like the tone I get, and my motion is a much shorter swing of the plectrum than described by Bickford (and more out of the wrist than the elbow-led motion described by Bickford). #Of course, that may be why I'll never make a decent classical mandolin player...

Martin

[Ted Eschliman]

For down strokes, he says to strike the strings in a falling motion starting two-to-three inches above the string and following through after hitting the strings until the pick comes to rest firmly in contact with the next string down. #Do people actually play this way, i.e. touch the pick against the adjacent (non-sounding) strings on every stroke?
I would have to say the answer is "most of the time," on the downstroke, especially at slow speeds; if you want to get the fullest, maximum amount of tone, yet have the pick at the ready for the subsequent upstroke (not too far...), this would be the maximum "throw" of the pick.
If you really think about it, the most string vibration ergonomically possible would end in this position.
Also common in the "Gypsy" Django stroke (A.K.A. "rest" stroke) this gives the fullest articulation possible. Watch a symphony timpani player sometime (heck, even a golfer) on how much they emphasize the follow-through, after the strike is complete.
Maybe this is academic at higher speeds, but Evan Marshall even recommends a practice regimen that involves 5-8 minutes a day working on this aspect of right hand articulation. Attention to this has revolutionized my own tone and playing.