Changing strings, need advice...

[stevedenver]

strings make a difference. the same they make on your guitars. fresh strings, once stretched, will hold tuning better. old strings can make you crazy trying to stay in tune.

Like mountain climbing, some find their own way, some need a guide to get started.


first, anyone who plays peddle steel certainly has not only a work ethic but some sort of ear

second, if you play guitar right, so should you mandolin

third, mandolin will come much more easily, with a few lessons, a few songs to practice, and a few scales to ingrain.

I can well recall when I started. Compared to guitar, it is not only tougher to fret, but, can be rather a quandary, as to what to play, and how. Chords, single strings, and getting to know your way around. It took me about 2 years of daily practice and playing to begin to match my guitar ability. Get a plan and a teacher. The teacher will help you keep the faith and on track. Oh, yeah, did I mention daily practice, if only fifteen minutes.

fourth, mandolin is a great instrument, BUT, it will be a nightmare if you don't, get it set up for your 'natural' playing side, ie right, get it set up and intonated-otherwise everything will sound awful, and, fresh strings are a start to better intonation. Having had a nice A long ago, poorly set up, even as a guitarist with strength and calluses, it was tough to play and not as satisfying.

Find a teacher for a weekly lesson-stick with it for three months and then tell us your progress. Do not close your mind thinking 'I cant fast twitch on that side'. You can, with work and mindful, daily practice.

As for trem, it takes time (a lot imho) to become fluid. IMHO, its not only control, but also, the right pick shape to start, as well as the right technique. The technique, to tremolo in multiples of the songs BPM. Ie it Lonesome Moonlight is played at , say, 60 BPM, as a waltz, then your tremolo will build, as triplets, in multiples of the 60 BPM to sound fluid and like they 'fit' in the melody. First as quarter notes triplets, then eight note triplets, etc. You can teach the muscles by slowly increasing the tempo and learning to keep up.

More importantly, don't worry about trem right now.

I think, once you get over the first step, you might find mandolin not only cool, but easy with your guitar background.

[bjewell]

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. Watching Bill play, I realized that trem is only a part of the overall sound. I also play Cajun accordion and those French sounds really sound great on a mandolin.

I've left the instrument out (in the case) and have been playing it every day since my friend returned to Tokyo. Gabarimasu (I'll do my best).