Pettine Method

[Mandobar]

i was fortunate enough to buy the entire set of these books earlier this year on a tip from marilym mair's monthly newletter. i've just started working on them seriously...........boy, i feel like a 98 pound weakling.

is anyone else working on any of these volumes? (serious stuff. i feel like i am back at the ole conservatory).

[onthefiddle]

Hi,
I know what you mean! I'm in exactly the same situation.
The exercises look deceptively simple, but I'm realising exactly how much work I need to do on my right hand technique (a lot!) Undoing ingrained habits is tricky - I think a teacher could help a lot here.
Jon
P.S. I've been reading the fascinating and informative threads here for some time, but this is the first time I've posted - I couldn't resist a "Me too!" Unfortunately I'll be away for the coming week, but would love to rejoin this thread when I return. I've got questions and observations of my own too, so may start some new threads!

[Jim Garber]

Just curious... which book of the Pettine series did you start on?

Jim

[Dfyngravity]

where did you get them and can you still get them? I have heard about them but don't know where to get them.

[Jim Garber]

where did you get them and can you still get them? I have heard about them but don't know where to get them.
Try Plucked Strings (http://www.mandolincafe.com/strings/). Someone mentioned sometime ago that Norman had gotten some in. I don't know if he still has any left.

Jim

[Mandobar]

i got them from tom greene who had found a few sets. you could try and e-mail him- tgbg@cox.net. it wouldn't hurt to try and see if he had any left. i got mine back in the beginning of march.

what book did i start on? the first book, not the children's book (although that was included). #i am working on the right hand studies book (grey cover at this point). #why do you ask?

[Jim Garber]

#why do you ask?
The reason I asked is twofold... 1) I was interested in what stage you were working and when it became more difficult and 2) we usually discuss things like this on this list... I assume that is why you started the thread to begin with.

In any case, the first few parts are similar to many of the other standard mandolin methods. The serious stuff comes in books like Part VI - The Plectrum's Mechanism. This one is like high impact aerobics for the fingers, both right and left. Exercise 3 in that book, for instance, forces you to skip from the lower to the higher strings while still maintaining the rhythm and consistency of the strokes. This is a sneaky way that Pettine gets you ready for the duo style while also working on findingt your fingers way across the fretboard. It is intense, but would be a great addition to my daily practice regimen.

Jim

[Mandobar]

jim,

if you work with a metronome i found that the exercises found in book 2 can be harrowing as you try and pick up speed. hitting sixteenth notes on the beat or just after takes a lot of concentration. in order to get a clean sound you really need to work on it. i also find that the exercises that work in closed positions (very little if any notation with open strings) are torturous at first for stretching but have taught me that warming up with these is a good start.

sorry if i sounded a bit terse before. i thought you were going to tell me there were typos somewhere in them.

[Jim Garber]

Those initial exercises are sort of standard for most serious methods. Carlo Aonzo usually starts his workshops going thru similar exercises to get the fingers in shape. You are correct: it takes time and effort to get them clean and in rhythm. Good stuff.

You will note of course, that in contrast to the exercises, the pieces in the book are called "recreations." Here's a little piece of candy, now get back to work. <snap of whip> http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Jim