Tremolo position

[Kwigles]

Hey y'all I have been trying to hone my tremolo technique and I'm wondering where you hold your right hand? I sometimes rest the base of my palm right behind the bridge but I'm wondering if I should be practicing with my palm floating above the bridge. Also I noticed that Andrew Marlin slides his right hand pretty high up the neck when doing tremolo.

Ok one more thought... I have started playing a couple songs in 3/4. When do you use a rest stroke in 3/4?

Thank you for the guidance!

[DavidKOS]

Hey y'all I have been trying to hone my tremolo technique and I'm wondering where you hold your right hand? I sometimes rest the base of my palm right behind the bridge but I'm wondering if I should be practicing with my palm floating above the bridge. Also I noticed that Andrew Marlin slides his right hand pretty high up the neck when doing tremolo.

First, I recommend never resting your picking hand on the bridge...or anything else. Some players do those things, or plant the little finger, but most of the older mandolin methods showed a free floating right hand. That said, many people play well and do plant their little finger, etc.

"Andrew Marlin slides his right hand pretty high up the neck when doing tremolo."

Many mandolin players in his style do tend to play "sul tasto" - that means toward or over the fingerboard - when playing, particularly when using tremolo.

That's not where most classical and Italian players typically position their hand for most playing except for certain effects.

Here's an example:



Frankly it depends on what style music you want to play and what sound you are going for. If you primarily want to play American roots and folk music, you'll just have to imitate the players you like best.

[tmsweeney]

for tremolo working in "measured" tremolo helps immensely, this is tricky and requires a lot of "mundane" practice.
you play tremolo slowly with a metronome , hitting the string on each beat starting at say 100bpm or so.
gradually increase the number of pick strokes per beat (don't speed up the metronome)-by dividing each beat further with the tremolo pick strokes, so if you played 2 pick strokes each beat - try 4 and then 8 and so on.
So don't speed up the metronome but get more pick strokes per beat.

the other thing discussed from a recent work shop was always start tremolo on the down stroke.

the hand should barely touch the bridge, its important not to put pressure on the bridge with the right hand, this takes focus and practice over time.

as for a rest in 3/4, it depends on how its written, but always count 3 even if you don't play the beat.
western "waltz" time is ooom pah pah.

[gspiess]

Interesting that Andrew Marlin is mentioned. I've tried that tremelo style and I don't know how he does it.

[DavidKOS]

Interesting that Andrew Marlin is mentioned. I've tried that tremolo style and I don't know how he does it.

That's why I say that many mandolin techniques can be style and genre specific...and that many people play well in spite of their technique, not because of it.

[pops1]

When you tremolo hold your pick at more of an angle, at least getting started. It will allow you to hit the strings hard with little resistance and less volume. As you get better you will be able to use less of an angle. I still use some angle when playing a tremolo as I think it is smoother sounding. Start by rotating your pick about 45 degrees to the strings.

[Mark Gunter]

I remember hearing someone in a podcast say that they actually rest the pick on the fretboard to play tremolo … something that seems impossible to me … but he pulls it off beautifully. Viva la difference!

[DavidKOS]

When you tremolo hold your pick at more of an angle, at least getting started. It will allow you to hit the strings hard with little resistance and less volume. As you get better you will be able to use less of an angle. I still use some angle when playing a tremolo as I think it is smoother sounding. Start by rotating your pick about 45 degrees to the strings.

That would work better with thick and rounded picks than with thinner (but stiff) pointed picks.

[Kwigles]

What an amazing community! I post one comment and suddenly I have all the guidance I need. Appreciate it

[Mark Gunter]

What an amazing community!

IMHO, the best on the web, hands down. Don’t be a stranger, come often, stay late lol

[lflngpicker]

Great question and very helpful suggestions! I have “mad respect” for all you guys! (Trying to sound hip at 68 next month!)

[pops1]

That would work better with thick and rounded picks than with thinner (but stiff) pointed picks.

I don't have a really pointed pick, but with a regular, thinner pick I still rotate some. The 45 degrees is to get a start learning, I don't rotate near that much, but I never do a tremolo with the pick flat to the strings, I don't thinks it sounds as smooth, and it is more work. A friend of mine points his picks really sharp, I'll have to try and remember to try one of his and see how it works. Don't hold your breath waiting for my memory, it's not what it used to be.

[Simon DS]

First, I recommend never resting your picking hand on the bridge...or anything else. Some players do those things, or plant the little finger, but most of the older mandolin methods showed a free floating right hand. That said, many people play well and do plant their little finger, etc.

"Andrew Marlin slides his right hand pretty high up the neck when doing tremolo."

Many mandolin players in his style do tend to play "sul tasto" - that means toward or over the fingerboard - when playing, particularly when using tremolo.

That's not where most classical and Italian players typically position their hand for most playing except for certain effects.

Here's an example:



Frankly it depends on what style music you want to play and what sound you are going for. If you primarily want to play American roots and folk music, you'll just have to imitate the players you like best.

David, you can’t post stuff like this on MC without also posting the notation.








https://youtu.be/xU-0hJFm1Lw

[DavidKOS]

David, you can’t post stuff like this on MC without also posting the notation.

https://mandolincafe.com/forum/threa...40#post1605340


the whole book

https://vmirror.imslp.org/files/imgl...o_parte_2a.pdf

just the piece you want



Sure. There you go, Simon.

[ralph johansson]

for tremolo working in "measured" tremolo helps immensely, this is tricky and requires a lot of "mundane" practice.
you play tremolo slowly with a metronome , hitting the string on each beat starting at say 100bpm or so.
gradually increase the number of pick strokes per beat (don't speed up the metronome)-by dividing each beat further with the tremolo pick strokes, so if you played 2 pick strokes each beat - try 4 and then 8 and so on.
So don't speed up the metronome but get more pick strokes per beat.

the other thing discussed from a recent work shop was always start tremolo on the down stroke.

the hand should barely touch the bridge, its important not to put pressure on the bridge with the right hand, this takes focus and practice over time.

as for a rest in 3/4, it depends on how its written, but always count 3 even if you don't play the beat.
western "waltz" time is ooom pah pah.

Sometimes there's confusion over the actual meaning of words. E.g., in his d'Addario video, Mike Marshall says something like "the palm of your hand touches the strings behind the bridge ever so slightly" which at least one member interpreted as MM being a huge fan of resting your hand at that spot. I've developed two techniques; on a mando with pickguard, I brush (ever so lightly) with my fingertips across the guard (because it's there), on a mando without one I brush with the palm of my hand across the strings behind the bridge.

I don't know whether my tremolo is misurato or non misurato in general, and I don't think of it as faster or more of anything. Seems applying a certain amount of pressure against the strings will trigger that motion -- as if it was there from the very beginning. I use tremolo very sparingly, and often in short bursts. E.g., on a medium waltz, a figure comprising a dotted quarter note and three eighth notes will mostly come out as three sixteenths and three eighths. But I'm not really sure. On mando hangout you can hear my rendition (from 2007) of Watson Blues, where sometimes I use tremolo over several bars, sometimes in short bursts with a definite beginning and end, and sometimes let it just evaporate. Those are conscious decisions in actual performance.