Absolute OM beginner question - picking two strings

[Tim Logan]

I am a beginner on both the mandolin and the octave mandolin. The octave mandolin is really a challenge to me. I find it very difficult to pick BOTH strings of each course set without using a lot of "force" thus making a very loud long sustaining tone - which in turn can make tunes sound very awkward. I have a Trinity OM. My question is this (don't laugh hysterically): do OM players always pick BOTH strings? It is easier and sounds more pleasant to just pick one string. Quite an embarrassing question.....

[Ausdoerrt]

Yeah, the OM is loud (er than mandolin) - I think that's part of the point of the instrument.

I'm no expert on the instrument (aside from looking to get one and learn to play), but from what I've seen from proficient players, they pick it like you would a mandolin - both strings. Moreover, it's often used as a rhythm instrument, i.e. you play multiple courses, chords etc.

Moreover, from what I've heard from a friend of mine, good sustain is the name of the game, at least in Irish/Celtic music, which uses a lot of drones. These instruments are built to maximize sustain and volume so they can actually be heard when playing with louder instruments.

[John Kelly]

The octave is a louder instrument than your mandolin and also has better sustain. As Ausdoertt says, it is used a lot for playing Celtic/Scottish tunes and I particularly like it when playing bagpipe tunes. It also allows better hammer-on and pull-off techniques with the lower tension of the longer scale length and the slightly higher string height (at least this is how I have mine set up). Good too for accompaniment and chord playing.

If you want single string playing, you could try removing four of the strings from your octave, or trying a tenor guitar.

[Bertram Henze]

What's wrong with playing loudly?

[CES]

Keep at it, playing both will get easier as you gain experience! And, you'll gain control of your picking hand, which will help you control volume. Though I'm not a huge fan of doing it, I can play quietly enough to keep from disturbing other members of my family watching TV. That sort of practice does help with dynamic expression, though I'd rather just be loud

[colorado_al]

You do want to learn to pick through both strings, though being able to pick just one is also a good skill to have. Try holding your pick more loosely. Not so loose that it falls out of your hand, but loose enough that it can move when you pick.

[Ausdoerrt]

Keep at it, playing both will get easier as you gain experience! And, you'll gain control of your picking hand, which will help you control volume. Though I'm not a huge fan of doing it, I can play quietly enough to keep from disturbing other members of my family watching TV. That sort of practice does help with dynamic expression, though I'd rather just be loud

Careful, as it can also lead to some bad habits - I think there was a thread about this in the Theory forum recently. And I actually fell into a similar trap myself when starting out, as I only had time to practice late in the evenings.

I think it's okay for someone who knows the instrument and can control his/her right hand, but for a beginner I'd suggest focusing on getting a clear, loud tone first.

[Ray(T)]

To be totally accurate, OMs are louder than some mandolins! (I wish my Clark GBOM was as loud as my Kimble F)

As colorado_al suggests, try not to hold the pick too firmly and you might like to try a lighter and pointier pick than you'd use on mandolin.

[Bertram Henze]

Those strings are paired for a reason. Interaction between the oscillations of each string creates a more complex tone than a single string could deliver. Play both.

[Tim Logan]

Thanks to all of you for your feedback. You have given me the proper baseline to strive for - very much appreciate your help!

[foldedpath]

It's tempting at first, to think of an OM as just another way to play the same tunes you play on mandolin. However, you may eventually drift towards separating your repertoire into what fits best on each instrument.

That's where I've ended up with my mandolin and OM. The mandolin has a voice that "speaks" more quickly, due to the short sustain, high string tension and higher pitch. The fingering is easier on the short scale too. So with the Irish and Scottish music I mostly play, all the faster tunes like strathspeys*, jigs, and reels are played on my mandolin.

My 22" scale OM "speaks" more slowly than my mandolin, a combined result of the lower tension strings, larger hand stretch, and larger spacing between strings for the flatpick. It also has vastly more sustain then a mandolin, which requires some extra finger-touch damping on faster tunes. So instead of fighting against that, I just choose slower-tempo tunes where I can milk the sustain. For example: Scottish pipe marches, Irish "slow reels," and metered-tempo airs. The long sustain is an asset for these tunes.

This is just my approach, not the only way to think of this. I know people who play the same repertoire on mandolin and OM, or everything on the OM. I just think that since they have such different voices, it makes sense to separate the repertoire for the best fit on each instrument.

* Strathspeys are technically a medium tempo dance, but they often include little bursts of 16th note runs that I can play much more easily on mandolin (when I can manage them at all!).

[Tim Logan]

Thanks!