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Thread: Position playing or shifting?

  1. #26
    Registered User Simon DS's Avatar
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    Default Re: Position playing or shifting?

    I’ve posted this before, but I think it’s a great example of shifting up the neck.
    Enjoy!

  2. #27
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    Default Re: Position playing or shifting?

    Also, thanks for the great publications that I received from you by snailmail in the early 1980s, starting with "The Pentatonic Mandolin" and most of the following ones. They were a great help to me when such material was scarce. I owe a lot to Mandolin World News, your booklets and those of John Baldry from the U.K.
    ....Rickker
    +1

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  4. #28

    Default Re: Position playing or shifting?

    Quote Originally Posted by dorenac View Post
    It's hard not to also comment on the tone Sierra's Gibson has. Beautiful!
    She probably uses a $30 pick.

  5. #29
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Position playing or shifting?

    Quote Originally Posted by JonZ View Post
    She probably uses a $30 pick.
    On a $10k mandolin. Seems about right.
    Not all the clams are at the beach

    Arrow Manouche
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  6. #30
    Registered User Simon DS's Avatar
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    Default Re: Position playing or shifting?

    Hmmm, $30 pick with a $10,000 instrument ?
    Well that’s encouraging, my pick price to instrument price ratio is pretty close to that of Sierra Hull.

    Strange though, because when I play I don’t sound like Sierra Hull.
    Last edited by Simon DS; Jan-23-2020 at 6:10pm.

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  8. #31
    Stop the chop!
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    Default Re: Position playing or shifting?

    Quote Originally Posted by bigskygirl View Post
    Well, since you asked I have been hearing from pros that while the pinky and playing up the neck is an option they prefer to shift and hit the notes with the stronger fingers...I know, someone will jump in and say “my pinky is strong” I’m talking in generalities here...generally the ring finger is going to be stronger than the pinky.

    Also, more than one pro has said that whenever possible it’s desirable to use open strings for the best sound. Again, someone will jump in and say closed stings sound good too and

    Really?




    If the open notes somehow stand out would it not be best to avoid them altogether (as I was fortunately advised to do as a beginner)? Open notes are harder to control, you can’t bend them, slide into them, etc. Even today I resist leaving a string on an open note. Also many times you’ll have to avoid open notes for better pick economy. For instance, on an A major phrase ending in e, f#, g#, a, it’s usually most convenient to play all notes on the d course.

    On the other hand, certain tunes, and types of tunes call for the use of open strings. E.g., on a fiddle tune in A a common effect is to play the e course open and slide into that same e on the a course.
    The first fiddle tune I worked out on the mando was Brilliancy (from a Howdy Forrester LP). In the second part the first three bars are to be played on the e string, jumping up and down between open and fretted notes. But I always play the final a in the first part on the 7th fret.

    As for the original question, I tend to combine fixed positions with a more mobile approach. Many figures can conveniently be thought of as translating motivic germs up and down the fretboard. And, of course, playing a melody in parallel thirds or sixths will have you moving all over the fretboard. I play San Antonio Rose in he key of Ab , with the bridge in Eb. The first phrase stars with bb+g (frets 8 and 12) and ends with c+ab (frets 3 and 6), and the next phrase ends on the eb note on the 1st fret.

  9. #32

    Default Re: Position playing or shifting?

    I mostly play fiddle, but i stumbled into FFcP, some time ago. So i think in those terms. When i grab the neck with my left hand, i am thinking in a given key.
    I do "reach" up the neck with my fourth finger on occasion, according to the music. I'll say only this: It's easy to slide up the neck for that note. The bugger can often be retreating from that note or phrase in atimely manner. This runs contrary to my no rehearsal approach. Gives me a lil something to work on.

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