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Thread: Picking faster?

  1. #76
    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picking faster?

    Quote Originally Posted by Gunnar View Post
    That's been mentioned a couple times, and I used it for a while, but usually when I'm practicing mandolin is after my mom has me off the internet, or when the internet is down (frequently). But occasionally I do use it online, which is fine but it's not loud enough
    Do you have a smart phone or tablet? There are a ton of metronome apps. A metronome is not expensive at the music store either, for a good basic one.
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  2. #77
    Registered User Gunnar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picking faster?

    Quote Originally Posted by John Bertotti View Post
    Do you have a smart phone or tablet? There are a ton of metronome apps. A metronome is not expensive at the music store either, for a good basic one.
    Yeah, and I had a metronome app on a previous phone, but it was always way too quiet so I haven't gotten one again. There's no music stores anywhere close to me, and a real metronome is priced out of my range, although I love real metronomes, they sound great and I like to see the swinging arm. I'm probably just making excuses, and just need to go practice....
    Mandolin: Kentucky KM150
    Other instruments: way too many, and yet, not nearly enough.

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  3. #78
    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picking faster?

    Type in metronome on Amazon. They range fro 16$, got mine on sale for closer to ten on up even some swinging arm types for 35 on up. The one I have as a dial and you turn it to the bpm you want itnis loud or quiet and will click or beep. Look around some are under ten bucks.

    https://www.amazon.com/s?k=metronome&ref=is_s
    Last edited by John Bertotti; Oct-09-2019 at 6:04am.
    My avatar is of my OldWave Oval A

    Creativity is just doing something wierd and finding out others like it.

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  5. #79
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    Default Re: Picking faster?

    Quote Originally Posted by Gunnar View Post
    Yeah, and I had a metronome app on a previous phone, but it was always way too quiet so I haven't gotten one again. There's no music stores anywhere close to me, and a real metronome is priced out of my range, although I love real metronomes, they sound great and I like to see the swinging arm. I'm probably just making excuses, and just need to go practice....
    If the phone is too quiet on it's own you could always use a smart speaker or headphones, even if just in one ear. If all else fails you could put the phone on an empty box or tin to try to make it louder.
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  6. #80

    Default Re: Picking faster?

    Play at 122 bpm, then 124 bpm, then 126 bpm.........
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  7. #81
    Registered User Gunnar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picking faster?

    Well, yesterday I practiced for (unknown period of time) with Google metronome, I played tunes, and practiced tremolo, I'm gonna try to practice with it for a week and see what happens. I'm really wanting to improve my tremolo since I'm not good at that. I experimented with different ways of holding my right hand, and found I got the best tone when I planted my pinky, picked right over the end of the fretboard, and kept my hand away from the bridge. I think it's probably a combination of angle of attack and leverage, but I also am pretty sure that resting my hand on the bridge muted the tone. It was WAY quieter, and I think it makes sense on the same principle as a banjo or fiddle mute. As soon as I get off here I'll go practice with a metronome
    Mandolin: Kentucky KM150
    Other instruments: way too many, and yet, not nearly enough.

    My blog: https://theoffgridmusician.music.blog/
    My YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChF...yWuaTrtB4YORAg
    My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/africanbanjogunnar/
    Free backing tracks:
    https://backingtrackers.wordpress.com/

  8. #82
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    Default Re: Picking faster?

    Quote Originally Posted by Gunnar View Post
    Well, yesterday I practiced for (unknown period of time) with Google metronome, I played tunes, and practiced tremolo, I'm gonna try to practice with it for a week and see what happens. I'm really wanting to improve my tremolo since I'm not good at that. I experimented with different ways of holding my right hand, and found I got the best tone when I planted my pinky, picked right over the end of the fretboard, and kept my hand away from the bridge. I think it's probably a combination of angle of attack and leverage, but I also am pretty sure that resting my hand on the bridge muted the tone. It was WAY quieter, and I think it makes sense on the same principle as a banjo or fiddle mute. As soon as I get off here I'll go practice with a metronome
    When you say "plant" and "rest" do you mean literally? I've noticed a lot of confusion from the somewhat arbitrary use of these words. No one in his right mind rests his right hand on the bridge (or, more reasonably, behind it). Some people touch the strings behind the bridge ("ever so slightly" to quote Mike Marshall), others touch the foot of the bridge, but rest?? As for pinky it is quite common to drag the pinky along the top of the mandolin, which is very poor idea if you have small hands (like me) or don't want to stain the or scratch the top, but, again "plant"?

    There are many good right hand techniques, and many more bad ones, as people's anatomy differ. Not quite so with the left hand.

  9. #83
    Registered User Simon DS's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picking faster?

    Got tired of the Dunlop 1.5mm picks I normally use, 50¢ each, so I bought a Dunlop Stubby triangle.
    They cost 70¢ and have a hard plastic, but also slightly sticky feel to them.
    And what do you know!
    I can now play as fast as before, but cleaner. Haven’t tested it yet, but I imagine my top speed has increased.

  10. #84
    Registered User Gunnar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picking faster?

    Quote Originally Posted by ralph johansson View Post
    When you say "plant" and "rest" do you mean literally? I've noticed a lot of confusion from the somewhat arbitrary use of these words. No one in his right mind rests his right hand on the bridge (or, more reasonably, behind it). Some people touch the strings behind the bridge ("ever so slightly" to quote Mike Marshall), others touch the foot of the bridge, but rest?? As for pinky it is quite common to drag the pinky along the top of the mandolin, which is very poor idea if you have small hands (like me) or don't want to stain the or scratch the top, but, again "plant"?

    There are many good right hand techniques, and many more bad ones, as people's anatomy differ. Not quite so with the left hand.
    When I "rest" my palm on the bridge, (or behind it actually) it's not unmovably fixed, it's just resting a little. When I plant my pinky, it's a slightly more solid contact, (the same basic technique I use on guitar) but also not unmovable. It does slide around some, and it comes completely off when I play certain right hand ornaments. I cam play without planting or resting, but I find that I get more volume, speed, accuracy and tone with my pinky down than up. And in the event that I need to pick a little faster, resting my palm instead of pinky gets me a little extra speed (at the expense of tone)
    Mandolin: Kentucky KM150
    Other instruments: way too many, and yet, not nearly enough.

    My blog: https://theoffgridmusician.music.blog/
    My YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChF...yWuaTrtB4YORAg
    My Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/africanbanjogunnar/
    Free backing tracks:
    https://backingtrackers.wordpress.com/

  11. #85
    Stop the chop!
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    Default Re: Picking faster?

    Quote Originally Posted by Gunnar View Post
    When I "rest" my palm on the bridge, (or behind it actually) it's not unmovably fixed, it's just resting a little. When I plant my pinky, it's a slightly more solid contact, (the same basic technique I use on guitar) but also not unmovable. It does slide around some, and it comes completely off when I play certain right hand ornaments. I cam play without planting or resting, but I find that I get more volume, speed, accuracy and tone with my pinky down than up. And in the event that I need to pick a little faster, resting my palm instead of pinky gets me a little extra speed (at the expense of tone)

    I usually reject advice like "whatever works for you", but judging from posts like this one, and your videos, you seem to be in control, and very clear about your goals.

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  13. #86

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