Looking for Advice for Holding Fingers Down

[JeffD]

The mirror idea is important I think. It provides instant feedback as to what you are really doing, as opposed to what you might think you are doing. Flying fingers are very visual.

[JeffD]

Things like holding fingers down, and other tips, really really help, especially when you hit a plateau in development and want to break through. There are many (many) who get stuck at a low level and could improve but for tips like these.

The tragedy is that folks who are stuck often think they have reached the limit of their ability. They give up, or learn to be satisfied where they are. Well many of them do. How many people think they have reached the limit of their speed, or think so, and their fingers are flying all over and it is taking seven muscle movements for activities that could take one or two.

Confusing doing things the "hard way" with not having talent, or ability.

Every little success jumps us forward a little, and should dispel the feelings we had that back there where we were was a limit. It was limit to how we could play with the techniques we had then. If that was not really a limit, is this?

What if we "knew" we had secret stores of talent and ability than have just not been expressed yet, do to limitations to our technique.

Whether we actually have limited talent or ability is not relevant. We will go farther believing we don't.

I am talking to myself as much as anyone reading this.

[shaundeane]

Glad to have found this thread, especially as I've been stating with FFcP stuff on JazzMando site and my question was whether as I work (let's say) in first position A sequence (frets 2,4,6,7) whether by the time I get my pinky on 7 my index finger should still be down on 2? Sounds like it should at least be hovering or perhaps touching with minimal pressure. I understand that the intent beyond theory is to stretch and I'm all for that but I'm trying to get the form down too and it seems to be an experiment between straight on classical guitar type position vs. a 45 degree angle and of course keeping the left thumb in proper position is an issue too. Anyway, of anyone has any feedback or pointers to instructional material, I would welcome it/them. Thanks and Happy Spring to all.

[Jim1hays]

All of this is great assuming the action on your mandolin is set light. Some mandolins come with an exaduration here-1/4th to 1/2 inch string height at the nut and need to be set lower.