Best piece of advice you've learned here at The Cafe

[9lbShellhamer]

Hmmnn.

Technique- FFcP will get my little finger in the game!

Tone- FFcP sweeping exercises will get me sounding like Grisman, McCoury, Benson, Thile et al.
Focus on the right hand too!!!
Minimize pick movement.

Philosophy- I'm not a real player until I cross genre's and buy an oval hole! lol.
It's ok to just enjoy playing sometimes!
I don't always have to focus on FFcP, drills, practice, sometimes its ok to cut loose and have fun.

Forum Usage- Don't EVER post without searching first.
Don't be scared to post a video of your playing. People are very nice and can give really useful pointers!

Salesmanship- If you try to sell a knockoff Gibson, even on craigslist in IL somewhere, we will track you down and scurge you.

Equipment- Some overseas instruments are respected and some aren't.
You're not really playing Bluegrass unless you own a Gibson Loar that cost $87K, Just Kidding...
Equipment doesn't matter as much as you think. Play before you buy. Among all mandos there are gems and black sheep.

[outsidenote]

I've learned to my perpetual amazement, that not all mandolinists play bluegrass, and that his post probably belongs in the bluegrass forum.

Seriously though, I've learned that there is forum where you can find an answer to what perplexes you at present - about the mandolin.

[Tom Coletti]

To quote one of my better entries in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Cafe:

"Since then, mandolinists have long been in the search for the most cost-effective piece of wood with more cost-effective pieces of wood attached, and have generally resolved the search to this consensus: the best F-style for $500 new is actually an A-style for $750 used."

--Tom

[mandolirius]

Get off the computer and play your mandolin.

[BeginnerMandolinistTyler]

I have learned so many things here, that I really can't just pick one. If I had to, the best piece of advice I gotten, since joining the forums, was to alternate my pick strokes. Playing only hard rock(Everything in drop D/drop C and at moment drop B#) for 9 years = Only down stroking for 9 years = my guitar playing plateauing after like 2 years haha. Worse part was that I knew that alternating strokes was better but I just refused to do it. Once I got my mandolin, joined the Cafe, and started alternating my pick strokes, my playing improved immensely.

[yankees1]

Practice slow and get it right the first time-----speed will come !

[SWS]

When playing music with others; it's 80% listening and 20% playing.

Also keep a few empty cases laying around, so when MAS strikes my girlfriend doesn't notice anything out of the ordinary....I just have to come up with something to say when she says, "Hmmm I've never seen you play that one before," instead of a reply with, What? Oh yeah this is my ummm ....busted!

[Randi Gormley]

That dropping by the cafe "for a few minutes" usually means I'm here for an hour.

[Eric C.]

I've learned to not be either "for" or "against" capo usage on a mandolin.