Mandocello Right Hand Technique

[Mike Rodbell]

Hey all,

I'm working through the Bach Cello Sonata I prelude & am finding it a bit of a challenge (perhaps useful?) to maintain an alternating (dududud) picking pattern, particularly when working through the initial arpeggios. Feels like it may be a good challenge/opportunity to improve on my accuracy/skill with alternating strings.

Anyone out there have any guidance/observations on how to best address those portions of the piece (I'm thinking about the first half dozen or so measures)?

[DavidKOS]

Perhaps when changing string you can use 2 downstrokes in a row.

[colorado_al]

Practice the picking pattern on only one string at first. Once you have that down, add a 2nd string on the same pattern. Once that is mastered, add the third string. It might also help you to pause a moment after the first note of each bass note, as though the 16th has a dot, giving it half as much more time. It is a common phrasing technique used by cello players in this piece. It might help you to think of it as one note on the bass string, and then just alternating picking on 2 strings

[Mike Rodbell]

Practice the picking pattern on only one string at first. Once you have that down, add a 2nd string on the same pattern. Once that is mastered, add the third string. It might also help you to pause a moment after the first note of each bass note, as though the 16th has a dot, giving it half as much more time. It is a common phrasing technique used by cello players in this piece. It might help you to think of it as one note on the bass string, and then just alternating picking on 2 strings

Thanks. I'll give that a try. A lot of this stuff is counter intuitive. Go slower to go faster.... Trying to get it to the point where there's less wasted movement & confidence....

[JFDilmando]

Initial bits of that piece are commonly played down, down up....for the sound rather than for any facility. Same is true for other parts of the piece where third and second string are played followed by first.... This is very common in classical technique ... But so many bluegrassers freak out if they even think of altering dudududududududududududududududu

[colorado_al]

I find it easier and more efficient to up pick on the D string and down pick on the A string when repeating these phrases. (or on any two adjacent string pairs when alternating one to the other)

[Mike Rodbell]

Thanks all. I've found all the feedback helpful & the practice trying to get the DUDU (Even if not ideal, this tune is a terrific piece to work those sorts of things out!). Your approach is interesting, although perhaps in the face of the bluegrass purists who seem to emphasize the down stroke on the beats (and up on the off-beats...)