violin to mandolin, your experience please

[Tom Wright]

Hey Jim,

Thank you for your answer. I also thought about talcum powder but it will probably be weird-looking, and penetrating in the strings etc...

The problem is that the calluses don't have any "fingerprint relief" and are harder and dryer than the pulp I had before, so they slide on the fingerboard like pebbles on ice... I don't have anymore control ^^

Even if I press down harder the sensations are bad compared to before.

Never mind, I'll try to adapt with time or quit one of the two instruments ^^

Thanks again

Antoine

It is entirely possible to play violin with calluses, and most pros have substantial thickness, and I sure did. Being slippery should not be a bug, but a feature, because it helps in shifts and slides, and makes that cool swing wobble, or shake, vibrato easier.

You should not depend on sticky contact with the violin fingerboard. Better technique is a hand shape that is independent of grip and contact. An exercise that helps is to finger a third across two strings, the doublestop, and try the wobble. (I suggest 2nd and 4th fingers.) You have to squeeze less so you can move, but just enough to have a clear pitch sound. Then try to play a tune while holding that shape.

More callus helps mandolin, because you can slide, and clearer tone is possible because you are less likely to ooze over the fret to damp the vibrating part of the string. The pain goes away as the callus hardens.

Keep playing both instruments and celebrate the real mojo, whch is your own hard-as-nails fingertips.

[erichkopp]

What Tom Wright said. Your callouses will harden and become more a part of your fingertips--no need to pick one instrument or the other or do anything special to your fingers to play violin. You'll get used to it real quick.

[Aleg]

I'm late but thanks for your answers