Small hands!

[John MacPhee]

FFcP exercises Misty. www.jazzmando.com

Cheers
John
PS
Greg makes a mean mando, just brilliant.

[lorrainehornig]

What exercises?? I have been trying the 1/3/5/7 fret ones.

Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. I do fret board exercises by planting my index finger on the second fret and moving up the frets to the 7th or 8th fret with my other fingers. The index finger doesn't move. I move up all the strings. I also place my fingertips together (not palm to palm); then slowly move to a nearly palm to palm position (more like knuckles to knuckles) while fanning my fingers out. I can get quite a stretch. I hope I explained it well. I've been doing this for about 5 months. Back then there was no way I could reach very far with my pinky, but it's getting easier all the time. Now I have to train the little digit not to curl under when I'm playing chord progressions. My pinky is flexible, but lazy.

[yankees1]

There are other four finger G chops than the traditional placement.

[Gerard Dick]

6 months and you can't do it yet? You have high expectations. It took me 2 years to get it together. I have an involuntary reduced hand span due to an industrial mishap. Try getting it together farther up the neck like around Bb position. The necessary reach is shorter there. When that works out OK start working it back towards the G. If all else fails, then, as stated above, there are other 4 finger chops available.

[Misty Stanley-Jones]

Thanks all! I'm being patient and having fun. Started playing with ffcp and also doing other stretching exercises. I've thought about using pinky for the 6th fret for a while and then stretching to 7th. But if you're supposed to use the third finger for that then I don't want to get into bad habits.

Has anyone redone any tab for familiar fiddle tunes using closed positions? It's hard to remember not to use the open strings.

I also have Mandolin for Dummies and the Bluegrass Mandolin book by Tottle to work through. I have plenty to do besides stretching my left hand. I signed up to the Mike Marshall lessons too. Gotta get myself ready for my new mandolin when it's ready!

The good news is that 3-finger chords are getting easier in G, D, A, E, C keys. I can handle chopping some of the simple 12-bar blues like Johnny Cash.

[Beanzy]

Has anyone redone any tab for familiar fiddle tunes using closed positions? It's hard to remember not to use the open strings.

Here's a quick tip to get you right in the book of cool straight away. Wherever you see a 0 on one line write a 7 directly below it on the next course. Bingo! you're instantly the queen of double stops and using the pinky. (If any sound weird just tippex out the 0.)

[Johnno]

Hey Misty, new mandolin? What are you getting?
Cheers
Johnno

[Misty Stanley-Jones]

Hey Misty, new mandolin? What are you getting?
Cheers
Johnno

A new Gibson Goldrush. Way more mandolin than I deserve!

[Johnno]

Hey Misty
Just watched a vid on the gold rush now I got envy. I would like you to post a vid when you feel comfortable with it. well done and play hard Queenslander.
Cheers
Johnno

[Misty Stanley-Jones]

Thanks Johnno! What videos were you watching? I'd love to see them. Where do you play around Brissie? Nice to see local folks.

[John MacPhee]

Hey Misty
I just google searched and it was there. The only place I play is a small room with the door closed. I am not a competent player don't have a memory for tunes and I can't read fast enough to make anything sound reasonable so I just keep trying and one day it will all come together, I hope!
Cheers
Johnno

[Misty Stanley-Jones]

There is a jam at Everton Hills that is very accepting of newbies! My husband plays double bass and has sat in a few times. There is also the Friday night jams at Redlands but that's more country than bluegrass. Do you attend the festival out there each year? I'm sure we must have met by now.

Is the video the Mandolin Store one? I've watched it heaps of times! Dennis just let me know they will be starting to make my mandolin soon and confirmed I don't want a radius or big frets. So excited!