Thile lesson

[Jim Garber]

So now we know how to pronounce his last name (From an earlier thread) it's Thily.

Actually, he pronounces it Theely. I always thought it was Teely -- more German pronunciation.

[sblock]

Interesting what you don't see.

No tone guard. No pick guard. No arm rest.
No mention of the pick he is using or that it was named after him.
No visible endorsements.
--Love it.

Sorry, but that's just not correct -- Chris Thile is definitely using a ToneGard on his Lloyd Loar F5, and if you look carefully, you can see it in the video (as others have already pointed out). No, he does not typically use an arm rest or pickguard.

Yes, he is holding a Blue Chip pick. We all guess it's the CT55 model!

Probably a Lakota Leathers strap.

I'm guessing the shirt and pants are from Costco -- but maybe WalMart? The experts here will set us straight...

[DougC]

Does anyone want to show a video of themselves picking a mandolin now? Ha, ha.

No? Lets talk about the weather instead huh?

Today I'm focusing on keeping that pinky finger 'at the ready'. And tomorrow, same thing. Next day, I look in a mirror as I play. All the time, relax body: get rid of tension. Three gigs this week. Remember to breathe. etc.

[Bertram Henze]

performer, not a teacher

Talking about some topic in front of a camera is performance which takes practising and a concept. Teaching is different: interactive, aware of students' abilities and approaches.

My theory for this case is that somebody talked CT into doing this at short notice, without allowing time for proper preparation, room and camera setup etc.
Either that, or CT was abducted by terrorists who stand right behind the camera and point AK47s at him to make him reveal secret strategies of western devil music...

[choctaw61]

As a noobie I enjoyed the video.Perfect no.(I find that in reading my bible).But good info.I thought. Fingers in position and the part of practicing some with just pinky and ring finger.just MHO.i will take the good with some bad.lol

[Scott Tichenor]

I'm guessing the shirt and pants are from Costco -- but maybe WalMart? The experts here will set us straight...

I'm no expert, "Sorry, but that's just not correct," to quote another post on this forum.

My sources say Chris is paid to wear a lot of the clothes you see him in, and it ain't Wal-Mart or Costco. Yes, I just said that. Does he look like he's ready for the board room? Nope, but if you think he dresses badly apparently you haven't seen what a lot of people between 20 and 35 are wearing.

As far as the video, well, no good deed will ever go unpunished and lack criticism on the internet. Setting up a video that needs to splicing, no edits, etc., a lot easier than all the production work that can go into one. When Chris speaks I prefer to listen. Carry on.

[Steve Sorensen]

A lot to learn there . . if you're willing to just listen.

Steve

[jclover]

I saw this thread yesterday, and did not think I needed to watch a video about holding a pick. After reading some of the early comments, it seemed like it was poorly done anyway. Being neither fanatical or critical regarding Thile, I just skipped it.

Watched it today though, and am glad I did!

[Willie Poole]

Also needed is a training video for people that may have some problems with being able to make and/or hold those four finger chords which he says are a must, I can`t make them anymore so I have to improvise but I can still play and sound decent....After a person gets to be older and can`t move his/her fingers around like that so some instructions to help those people would be nice if someone dared to do it... As Bart said teaching or speaking on the spur of the moment about any subject is hard but since C.T. knows the mandolin as well as anyone I am sure he could talk for a long time about how to do certain things with it....In my opinion I am not sure there is a right or wrong way to hold a pick or move you arms, as long as it gets the job done that is all that matters, I suppose it is like hitting a golf ball, there are ways that are better than others but not everyone can accomplish it...

It is worth watching though and I`ll go back and look at it a few more time and hope to get something from it each time I watch it...Thanks CT..

Willie

[G7MOF]

The best lesson I have seen about holding a pick is in the Mandolin for Dummies book. It changed my style completely.

[holden]

That...was...awesome. I'd listen to him give tips like that all day…

[Lord of the Badgers]

I actually have been altering my pick hold the last few weeks. It's a slow process unlearning bad habits, but already I feel it reaping dividends.
But yes, I don't care how this is shot, I was listening to CT too. I don't normally sit for a 10 min youtube vid due to my low attentio

[Robert Smyth]

I thought it was a great little video lesson! We should all be grateful any time a person of Chris Thile's calibre takes the time to explain technique. His DVD from years ago is still one of my favorites.

Having said that, I do think that Mike Marshall's treatment of pick holding is the best I've come across. He addresses the pick's angle of attack upon the strings, which I haven't heard anyone else talk about.

[Chris W.]

I just checked out the Sheldon Online Academy's YouTube page and there are more mando lessons

However they are not from Mr. Thile There is also a Bela Fleck lesson for you banjo pickers. These are all fairly recent. I wonder if this will be an ongoing thing??

Looks like he doesn't try to utilize the Thile pick-hold

[Caleb]

Holding the pick like Thile (et al) suggests is one of the most unnatural things I've ever come across in playing mandolin, but it works. It has even bled over into my guitar playing and helped it tremendously. Give it a shot if you've not done so already.

[John Hill]

As a student of Marshall & fan of Thile I agree with their "the right way to do it" approach to holding a pick: relaxed hand, arm & shoulder; no pinky planting, angling the pick to the strings and so on. It may not be the most natural thing at first...but with practice it becomes so and what I've found is it makes cross picking much easier.

As for the video it really seems that he was asked to do this off the cuff at a moment's notice but still, quality info from one of the best who has clearly put a lot of thought & practice into it. But really now...criticizing clothes & hair? Cmon.

[Charles E.]

Mike Marshall covered much of the same ground years ago.

I enjoyed Chris's lesson all the same.

[Jeff Budz]

I enjoyed the CT lesson, i will think more about his comments on keeping the entire picking arm loose from the thumb to the shoulder; tightness is something I fight with. It's also interesting that he wears the mando over his neck like a guitar, something to consider instead of the over the shoulder method I use. I find Mike Marshals' advise on sitting, one leg on case, no strap to be inapplicable to me since I am always performing standing up.

I think this video was shot on green screen, the CG background was pretty lame and a bit distracting. Thanks for posting this, hope he has more pointers in the future.

[BradKlein]

This thread contains some of the silliest comments ever on the Cafe. But it starts with a wonderful master class video that we should all be grateful for. This is material that CT and other serious players have been thinking hard about and refining for many many years. I can't think of a more useful video to appear on this forum. Thanks, Chris!

[Bertram Henze]

Looks like he doesn't try to utilize the Thile pick-hold

Comparing his fingers to Thile's demonstrates what "anatomy" really means. Thile uses several fingers to counter his thumb (which I also do), but this man's forefinger can do that job alone. I guess with those hands he can change a wheel without a wrench.

[Pete Jenner]

There's some good and useful stuff in there, even things I've seen no-one else explain.

How many times have you seen no-one explain them and what did they look like?

[Pete Jenner]

A lot to learn there . . if you're willing to just listen.

Steve

...and zen enough to disregard the mic noise.

[Pete Jenner]

As far as the video, well, no good deed will ever go unpunished and lack criticism on the internet. Setting up a video that needs to splicing, no edits, etc., a lot easier than all the production work that can go into one.

Scott, as much as I hate to disagree with the boss, you can't deny the production values on this video are atrocious. Well you can but then you'd just be in denial.

Chris does a good job working with what he is given and he delivers some good information but if I were him I wouldn't be happy with whoever produced this thing. Perhaps it was one of his family members to whom he owed a favour. For the first few minutes he looks uncomfortable. Not his fault. The lack of production does Chris no favours.

Here's are the ways in which I think it could have been better.

1 It should have been a multi camera shoot with cutaways to the right and left hands done either live or in post.
2 A decent camera. You can hire a good camera relatively cheaply.
3 Lighting - some lighting - any lighting.
4 Better audio - preferably not recorded on the obviously cheap camera and a quality mic. (See point 2)
5 A script - Just 30 minutes spent working on a few points to give the presentation some structure would have made all the difference.

Chris Thile normally comes across well on on camera but not this time.

As a former commercial television professional, perhaps I am being too picky - if so, take aim and shoot me now.


P.S. ...and the set looks like it's been salvaged from Judge Judy.

[Jstring]

Did you see the run that he does using only his 3rd and 4th fingers @ 7:06 in the video... wow!! Totally clean + really strong...

I thought I was pretty solid with my pinky....after hearing that, I guess not!

[chasray]

Wow, this is a tough crowd.
The video was definitely worth it to me. I took it as something done quickly without the added cost of production (yes, it could have been more slick). But there is still a "cool" factor with Chris for the youngest among us. But I'm speaking about a group I'm not a member of.