I saw another post - I think by Henry - making comment about playing air mando. If I didn't play the mandolin, I would have just laughed that one off. Instead, it got me to thinking about my practice routine when there is no mandolin around. This may be off the wall but, when I'm in the car listening to music and I hear something with a good beat or a tune I want to play, I work on right-hand picking and strumming technique. I practice on keeping my pick grip relaxed while imagining the play of the pick on the strings - both melody and chords. Alternately, I regularly visualize scales and note placement on the fret board. It's easy for me to see a keyboard or guitar fret board in my mind since I've played them most of my life. My goal is to know the mandolin fret board without conscious effort about the notes (finger placement). But, practicing the left hand without a mandolin does not work well in the car. Air-mando with the right hand is much easier and is less distracting while maneuvering through traffic. And, it is clear to me that the right hand (drives) the sound when playing. I regularly visualize playing. It's a habit that is carried over from my 30 years in martial arts when learning/perfecting different techniques. It seems to help me when I get home and practice. Just curious if anyone else does this.
I don't do much of that Fred, but I know that Jonathan Harnum in the book The Practice of Practice cites studies that indicate that doing just that engages the same learning/playing centers in the brain as actually physically practicing and playing the instruments - and also, people who are working on learning something get better results when combining that type of mental exercise with their actual practice. You're probably on to something there!
I believe that focused practice is pretty much the only kind of practice that helps me improve. For that reason, I don't plink and drive.
about 40% of my current tremolo practice is air mando
Yikes! This just gives me something else to worry about while working. Note: I am a professional truck driver. Average 130,000 miles a year. I see distracted driving (and the sad results) every day. It's bad enough with cell phone usage, texting and reading! Please save the air mandolin practice for your own work space. The life you save might be your own.
I love playing air mandolin . . . I never hit a wrong note!
I must confess my air mando is dictated by insomnia
Mark, it seems to help me. Besides getting used to the smaller neck, the hardest thing for me has been changing my right-hand technique over from guitar. Every little bit helps. I may look up Jonathan Harnum's book and give it a read.
Texting and driving is now illegal in Texas which I fully support. I've had too many close calls with drivers focused on their phones instead of the road . Fortunately, plinking and driving is not - as long as you don't let it get out of hand. And, it helps pass the time while driving.
I play air mando at my desk during lunch sometimes and I do think it helps. While driving my car I Practice my singing. It helps me remember lyrics especially to new songs but I also sing my old standbys too. I try to minimize distractions while driving- we have had some horrible accidents in our area lately from distracted drivers. Bonnie
Thank you Bonnie. Exactly the point I was trying to make. Fred states that he is from Texas. According to the NHTSA (National Highway Transportation Safety Administration) 2014 there was 476 vehicle fatalities in the State of Texas. 2013 480 vehicle fatalities and 2012 482 vehicle fatalities. These are the most recent years available from NHTSA. Call me crazy, but I strongly believe that all life is sacred. Every day a fatal vehicle accident occurs in Texas alone. BTW, my log book shows me driving 2275 miles over a period of 5 days in Texas so far this month. I have seen how Texans drive.
I'm with you trav'linmando.I don't drive full time any more,but I've been run comepletely off the road 2-3 times by lady folks putting their makeup on and driving in the mornings.We had 2local girls killed here this year.Homecoming night they were on the homecoming court while heading to school that evening decide to lean in together and take a selfie.lost control of car,killing both instantly.Just be careful folks.
