How to get that "buttery" sound

[Henry F]

Well, this is my first post even though I've been a member for a few months. I've been playing mandolin for a couple of years after having played guitar for almost 50 years. I thoroughly enjoy playing the mandolin, although I am now in a temporary "limbo" due to some left hand wrist surgery (4 corner fusion) . Hopefully I'll be able to return to this love after therapy.

Anyway, while contemplating my return to this journey, I was wondering if there is a technique to obtain what I call a "buttery" sound while playing tremelo. Maybe it's just my mandolin, but when I play, I can't seem to get that smooth sound without that hard string smacking noise. I'm figuring it might be the angle of the pick. Any thoughts on this? Thanks....

[barry]

Make sure you have a fairly loose grip on the pick.

[Tobin]

Hi, and welcome (even though you've been here a while)!

Tremolo is one of those things that really takes years to perfect. A smooth tremolo requires a loose wrist, very loose pick grip (probably the most important aspect), good pick angle, and a light attack. Tremolo gets that smacking noise you describe when you try to beat the strings into submission. I think it is the jazzmando site that describes the correct approach as "stirred, not shaken". I try to remember that when doing tremolo, though I rarely live up to it. My tremolo definitely gets too hard and coarse when I'm playing with others, even if it sounds great at home alone.

I mentioned this elsewhere recently, but do you have a fingerrest/pickguard on your mandolin? I find that this really helps in keeping my hand in-plane with the top, instead of wanting to curl over to the treble side of the strings when I'm picking. Keeping that hand flattened out helps to keep my pick at a better angle to the strings, for gliding over them instead of digging into them. This is helpful with regular picking, but becomes even more important when doing tremolo.

[DataNick]

"Buttery" usually from what I can tell refers to playability/set-up. However I think I know what you mean. If you mean the tremolo sound like Grisman's tremelo, then pick angle and "glide" is important. The pick is almost gliding over courses of strings vs. a sharp single course tremelo that you would find more in classical mandolin technique, AFAIK...

[Josh Levine]

Dip your pick in butter before playing.

[Tobin]

The pick is almost gliding over courses of strings vs. a sharp single course tremelo that you would find more in classical mandolin technique, AFAIK...

Very good point, sir! I find that when I do tremolo, I always use double-stops. It really adds a smooth, buttery dimension to tremolo that I can't get when I tremolo on a single course (which sounds too much like classical Italian for me). Tremolo across two courses really opens up the range of motion and allows for a smoother blended sound than just a single-note tremolo.

[Roger Moss]

My sound is more like lard.

[OldGus]

Some top wood tremelos better than others. I have a guitar with a tight grained Red Spruce top that tremelos better than my mandolins. Grisman and Monroe both seemed to prefer Red Spruce and using a lot of tremelo. The tight Red gives a crisp response with a lot of guts. It has more to do with the mandolin, I think, and response rather than tone but of course good technique helps.

[Clinton Johnson]

In addition to what's already been stated, that mellow bassier (buttery) sound also comes from striking the strings further up the neck towards nut rather than closer to the bridge side. It's the sweet spot

[dscullin]

Also, a more round edged pick (Dawg Pick) also contributes to a fuller, bassie sound. I use a Wegen 1.4 mm triangular pick and have rounded off one of the triangular points to obtain the same effect. It takes more effort to obtain the same volume as a beveled pick. Agree with all the other previous posts

[Bertram Henze]

For the perfect tremolo, two strings per course are just not enough:



On a mandolin, you'll always have breadcrumbs with your butter.

[Relio]

When I played classical guitar in college, my teacher explained to me that developing a tremolo is a lifetime pursuit. Keep it up!

[fscotte]

A good instrument goes a long way to getting a good sound.

[Henry F]

Wow! Thanks for all the input everyone. Now I just have to wait till my therapist gives me the OK (3 months ?) to try all these suggestions...

[Henry F]

In response to some of your questions, I have a Loar LM 220 VS and an Eastman MD 504, neither of which have a fingerrest/pickguard. (Yes, MAS has started to set in)

[choctaw61]

Welcome to the Cafe Henry! Wish you a speedy recovery.I understand ur pain.I'm recovering from a motorcycle accident.I'm left handed with most of the damage to that side.I got a lot of arthritis now,plus nerve damage.I fight with the pick and on tremelo sometimes seems like im trying to rip the strings off.But I'm starting to come along now.I just picked up the mandolin in October. Never played an instrument. I think this has been the best therapy.I couldnt open or close my hands or barely move my arms when i started.Keep practising.We will get there sooner or later

[David L]

If you rotate the pick so that it is not parallel to the strings, you can then "rub" the strings. If it is rotated a lot, you won't really get any sound, but can practice moving smoothly. Then turn the pick halfway back to parallel to get a tremolo. I recommend this as a practice device, not as an end result, although slightly rotated can work well.

[journeybear]

Yes, it would help if you could clarify the term, or its meaning to you. And if you can't do that, you should at least clarify the butter.

[Tobin]

Wish you a speedy recovery.I understand ur pain.I'm recovering from a motorcycle accident.I'm left handed with most of the damage to that side.I got a lot of arthritis now,plus nerve damage.I fight with the pick and on tremelo sometimes seems like im trying to rip the strings off.But I'm starting to come along now.I just picked up the mandolin in October. Never played an instrument. I think this has been the best therapy.I couldnt open or close my hands or barely move my arms when i started.Keep practising.We will get there sooner or later

I hear you on that. I had my right (picking hand) wrist shattered 10 years ago in a horse accident. It still has a plate and 11 screws holding it together. In the early therapy stages after surgery, I thought I'd never get full use of my hand back. After 3 years, I had most of the strength back but not the mobility. Even today, I often struggle with range of motion. The direction my wrist has to move to pick (and tremolo) was always the worst, since the accident. It still makes crunchy noises in there. But years of picking the mandolin and doing tremolo has not only improved my mandolin-playing skill, it has actually made my wrist more flexible and somewhat normal. So yeah, playing the mandolin is definitely good long-term physical therapy.

(Obviously, a medical professional should be consulted on this, especially in the early recovery period.)