Your best tip for a beginner

  1. Sore Ears
    Sore Ears
    Mine, it took me several years and I discovered myself that string changes were my big challenge and especially slurred string changes. My tip would be to practice D and G strings on an upbow slur followed by D and G on a downbow slur. In that order. It really develops the "figure 8" pattern that facilitates smoothness in string crossing. Again its D-G on one bow followed by D-G on the reverse bow, of course A and E or A and D can be substituted.
    OK, there's my wisdom. I hope it will save at least one beginner some time on the learning curve.
  2. Mandoviol
    Mandoviol
    Pizz first, bow second. You want to learn the fingerings first before you do any bowing. But don't leave the bow in the case all the time until you become a master of the "fretless, four-stringed mando;" learn how the bow works, too. But start with pizzicato in order to get hand position and fingering right. Bowing is relatively easy after that.

    Also, watch to make sure your bow is straight on the strings and not at an angle when you bow. I've been playing for...yeesh, nearly ten years now, and I still occasionally have trouble with keeping it straight. You'll get the most out of your instrument's volume and power if you do.
  3. catmandu2
    catmandu2
    Play with other people often; timing is important in all music, of course, but rhythmic elements are particularly vital--as well as tricky--in fiddling.
  4. farmerjones
    farmerjones
    Periodically record yourself.

    Also, i think i gained my intonation earlier because i didn't shy away from double stops & drones from the beginning.

    Ditto, ditto, to find somebody to play with.

    Don't loose a tunes for the bowing.

    When you first bowed a note, your clock started.
    From that point, there will always be somebody better and somebody worse at playing than you. Work on your capabilities, but enjoy your capabilities, and be glad your clock started at all.
  5. walt33
    walt33
    "Pizz first, bow second." I had thought of learning scale using pizzicato and then when I had my intonation down, going to a teacher to learn how to bow. Looks like I might not have been the first to think that's a good idea.
  6. Jim Garber
    Jim Garber
    My best tip for a beginner? Listen. Get your ear tuned to the instrument. Get a tune into your head, sing it and then try to transfer it to the violin.

    BTW I think the pizz method is certainly valid esp in the early stages, but we are on a mandolin site and I think anyone who has played mandolin may have their fretting hands in pretty good shape and the bow is the new and difficult part.
  7. billkilpatrick
    jury is still out for this beginner ...
  8. farmerjones
    farmerjones
    Yes, listen and develop a model or example. Learning to sing in tune can help too. Singing just for the sake of developing intonation.
    Lately, i've been thinking, expense not withstanding, i'd start students on a mandolin, for the more accurate tonal model it develops. Not only for that, but some talented folks can actually, adequately serve two (or more) masters.
  9. walt33
    walt33
    Jim Garber said, "I think anyone who has played mandolin may have their fretting hands in pretty good shape and the bow is the new and difficult part." VERY true about the bow. However, I'm finding that the radiused fingerboard takes some getting used to, also. I seem to do well on the G and D strings, but going from the D to the A and the E doesn't feel as natural as on the mando. But then, I've only had the instrument for a week.

    Walt
  10. TonyEarth
    TonyEarth
    think about how you want it to sound, sing it in your head, listen to yourself and others (if you are playing with others).
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