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Playing it slowly is the obvious solution. The trick is to make "slowly" seem like the right tempo. Think Reggae or give it a heavy backbeat. Make it groove at a slow bluesy tempo. Overdo the swing...

That depends upon the speed of the quarter notes. Tremolo is fast repetition, the actual speed is variable.

So, use extra-light mandolin strings. You don't waste the extra length, and they are probably cheaper. That is what I use on mine, which I play on a weekly basis at an Irish session.

I use the Dunlap Jazztone large round tip 207 for all of my mandolin family of instruments.

The relative major of Cm is Eb, not Ab.

"Tie" is the correct term, not "bow".

Steve Goodman has a great song called "Talk Backwards", where he reverses the order of the letters. I highly recommend it.

I have been told by many adult students that one of the big draws of lessons is the pressure they feel to practice and learn, since they are committing time and money.

The B or B7 (in G) is a secondary dominant if it leads to the Em (vi). If it slides up to the C, it is called a "chromatic lower neighbor". That's quite a mouthful, but it's a cool chord.

Remember that you don't have to limit yourself to music written for mandolin. Violin and flute music can work fine.

Piano strings don't get oils on them and more important: they don't get dents from being pushed against the frets.

The E strings are highest in PITCH, which is what's important. I hold my mandolin so that the neck is parallel to the ground. Going up the neck doesn't get closer to the ground. Going up the neck is...

I sing "Lather" on a regular basis. What "cocaine references" do you mean? I guess "laying drumsticks on either side of his nose, snorting the best licks in town" could be taken as a double entendre,...

Their progress was not hindered by learning to read music and tab. Their progress was hindered by not listening and paying attention.

I have played the typewriter solo with an orchestra for Leroy Anderson's "The Typewriter". We went to a flea market and found the loudest old machine that we could.

"Voicing" just means the vertical order of the notes in a chord, and is applied to both complete chords and partial chords. You are describing "partial voicing", which is a great technique,...

The notes in a rootless Cm7 are Eb, G, Bb. That is an Eb major chord, not an Edim triad.

I have rounded off the "corner" of the bridge on several of my instruments. Having a sharp edge on the bridge is one of my pet peeves.

I played several instruments at Mass Street Music last...

Yes, but in this case the key signature is not in the proper key. The tune is obviously in A major, but with the wrong key signature (no sharps). OP is not asking about transposing to a different key.

While A-440 as a standard post dates this instrument, circa A-440 was is general use before that. String gauge makes more difference than slight frequency variations.

1st course to 2nd course is E5 to A4, which is a descending FIFTH, not a fourth. Octaves matter!

A - D - G - C should be called a circle of fifths progression because each chord functions as the fifth (dominant) of the next chord. Am - Dm - G - C is a diatonic (within the key) circle of fifths...

I never wear a cowboy hat and always use the single shoulder strap. It puts the mandolin in a better place to play it.

I've seen some great shows at the RedDog/OperaHouse/LibertyHall venue, including David Grisman, Finnegan and Wood, and Leo Kottke. My wife and I had our first date there in 1974.

They are hiding out with the unmatched socks.