Thile lesson

[Chris W.]

[SpencerMando]

Good info but man this is shot badly. Why would you shoot a pick holding video without zooming in on his hands?

[mandrian]

I agree. Very poorly shot. Could not really see the details of what he was talking about, particularly with the left hand.

Regards

[G7MOF]

So now we know how to pronounce his last name (From an earlier thread) it's Thily.
I wonder how much buckle rash is on the bottom/back of that mandolin?

[Bertram Henze]

I just remembered what this reminds me of...

I wonder how much buckle rash is on the bottom/back of that mandolin?

There you get to see The Thile Mandolin Distressing Method in operation for free and you don't even appreciate it.

[Nashville]

Thanks for the post. I do appreciate Chris Thile, but as a learning video it could have about 8 minutes trimmed off. Probably two minutes is sufficient to teach pick holding technique. Agreed about comments on camera close-up or lack of.

[bbaker2050]

Producer: wanna do a video on holding the pick?
Thile: Sure...when?
Producer: Now. Just say whatever comes to mind...don't over think it though.....Go!
Thile: Okay......here goes nothing!

[Pete Jenner]

The background noise is unbearable. Someone needs to be shot.

[AlanN]

I found it valuable. He talks just as much about body ergonomics as pick grip.

[Astro]

Yeah, that looked like a fairly spontaneous off the cuff lesson from one of the worlds greatest players. It was free, so hey--nothing at all wrong with that. I am 2 1/2 years into it and I learned something from his beginner lesson. I appreciate Thile doing it and I appreciate ChrisW posting.

Since I'm a fan, I found the initial awkwardness of presentation more endearing than annoying. Like the first year sincere college professor before burn out. I did initially think in the first 2 minutes that it was going to be a parody of a lesson. I could see him having fun with that like a SNL skit.

I guess if I were paying for a video lesson by the minute and I'd never heard of him, I'd want more scripted, edited, and polished.

But to have it from Thile free on you Utube, for me, it was perfect.

[Paul Busman]

So now we know how to pronounce his last name (From an earlier thread) it's Thily.
I wonder how much buckle rash is on the bottom/back of that mandolin?

Haven't watched the vid yet but I think he uses a Tonegard, which helps with that.

[grassrootphilosopher]

The background noise is unbearable. Someone needs to be shot.

The background noise is unbearable indeed .

I also liked CT mentioning that the video devellops into a parody of a teaching video. This was exactly my thought for most of the time.

While ergonomics might be a big thing I thought it was entirely misleading to tell anyone (beginner beware) to squeeze the thumb against the mandolin neck. To actually make this a teaching point will cause many to fail to play properly as they might not understand what CT is really talking about.

[bart mcneil]

I tend to agree with Astro and, of course it is hard to argue with the price. Some folks can teach. Others are better at performing. Some can do both well but that, I think, is fairly rare. The content was golden, in my opinion.

[Bertram Henze]

I also liked CT mentioning that the video devellops into a parody of a teaching video. This was exactly my thought for most of the time.

I suspect it's called "Sheldon Online Academy" for a reason.

[OldSausage]

There's some good and useful stuff in there, even things I've seen no-one else explain.

[Astro]

Interesting what you don't see.

No tone guard. No pick guard. No arm rest.

No mention of the pick he is using or that it was named after him.

No visible endorsements.

I wonder if he knew this would eventually find its way to the Cafe where everything visible would generate an opinion?

Lets just get this out of the way--

-Whats the little table for ?

-And 1960's tweed church pants with a buttoned watch pocket and an open colored purple shirt ?

--Love it.

[bbaker2050]

Don't get me wrong....I think I learned something there.....it's just Thile being Thile and I love it!!!!

[Bertram Henze]

No tone guard. No pick guard. No arm rest.

I think I can see a black clamping on the underside; also, the mandolin seems to stand out a little from his body. So, unless this skinny man has a pot belly, a tone guard could be there.

Whats the little table for ?

...in an otherwise empty room. That's the really creepy part of this video - it looks like there has to be a purpose. You keep waiting for something involving a top hat and a white rabbit.

[Astro]

Producer: wanna do a video on holding the pick?
Thile: Sure...when?
Producer: Now. Just say whatever comes to mind...don't over think it though.....Go!
Thile: Okay......here goes nothing!

Don't get me wrong....I think I learned something there.....it's just Thile being Thile and I love it!!!!

I thought you likely nailed it.

You keep waiting for something involving a top hat and a white rabbit.

Bertram-- Thats It !!


ps: I think I may see a tone guard clamp at the bottom too.

[Bob Clark]

I like it. I think it's really cool that someone of his stature would share his knowledge of technique with the rest of us without collecting our money or trying to sell us something. I also like the quirkiness of it. He seems to be doing just an off-the-cuff explanation as if he was talking it in person to a small group.

I think it was nice of him to do this. I hope he continues to do these mini-lessons. I enjoyed it and got something out of it.

[JeffD]

There's some good and useful stuff in there, even things I've seen no-one else explain.

Yes. I especially liked how he gave a sound physical ergonomic reason for curling all the fingers under. I had not heard a good justification before. It makes a lot of sense.

[JeffD]

I agree with folks' thoughts on the camera work and setting. I want to add though, that with all the professional and amateur training videos out there, of a range of quality, it is delightful to see a training video where the quality of the content far exceeded the quality of the presentation.

I mean of course it all needs to be there, but there are so many training videos all over the internet where the style, camera work, presentation is first rate but the substance of the training is mediocre, (or in one infamous case just wrong).

[stevedenver]

aside from the usual anti CT bias so often prevalent with some-pearls before swine
(I could care less about his pants, the table, and had to listen for the background noise-you little nit pickers!!!)

while not presented in a military-like fashion, mind numbing script, -"gentlemen this is your M-16, it is your friend, your lover, care for it and it will care for you....."

that video merits watching several times-there is much to learn and know presented. As good as any in person lesson I have ever had.

I didn't find it rambling, but, I dare say, some are simply impatient with someone articulating the complexities of physical movements. Its the art of listening, not trying to jump ahead.

I have dealt with the tricky task of explaining physical movement, in other disciplines/interests, fencing, dressage, tennis, etc.-

For me, this is exactly the depth of explanation, that may take hold for me several years after I have heard it and practiced daily trying to implement it. I am confident I didn't 'get all of it' first time through.

[Bertram Henze]

I didn't find it rambling, but, I dare say, some are simply impatient with someone articulating the complexities of physical movements. Its the art of listening, not trying to jump ahead.

I think the ergonomics are very important and often underrated.
I am just impatient with linguistic padding like "hmm... errhm... ehhh..". CT is much more fluent like that on stage when introducing a song, so this situation seems to be very different for him.

[bart mcneil]

But Thile is a performer, not a teacher, to my knowledge. His performances are very very well rehearsed. This appeared to be an extemporaneous informative video. I would cut him some slack. For those of you not teachers, try it sometime, and you may wish you did as well as Thile. I know for the first year of my teaching I stumbled as badly as Thile and was amazed they rehired me.