Chop Lessons

[swinginmandolins]

The following videos just came across my Youtube subscriptions so I thought I would post for those who may be interested.

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[Jim Broyles]

Pretty helpful, but I don't like or use his D shape (7452) because a) it is hard to finger and b) it sounds weak. I like 745x or 245x for a D chop. Bill Monroe used the 245x shape for his V chords. If you check the YouTube video of "Uncle Pen" with the young Bobby Hicks on fiddle, you can clearly see that he plays his E as 467x in the key of A.

[swinginmandolins]

I too prefer the D's you mention. I stoped using his D a while back for the same reason you mentioned, sounds weak. Also If you want to add single notes in the "bass", or "walk", it's easier.