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Thread: OT-ish: fiddle pickin' ?

  1. #1
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    Default OT-ish: fiddle pickin' ?

    A question inspired by a post on the 'Fretless Mandolin' topic:

    I'm a fiddle player, and I play it with a bow. Then I bought a mandolin, which I don't play with a bow, 'cos the bridge is flat and it sustains well enough without being bowed. But now I can do some picking, so what's the mileage in using a pick on the fiddle? Do you find much use for that guys, if so what and why, and what are the problems (e.g. expensive od violin strings)? I've seen fiddlers who pluck pretty good with their fingers, but not a plectrum fiddler. What I'm asking is, is it a bit of a party trick, or a blind alley that you get into and spend time on before giving it up, or do you find it a useful addition to your fiddle chops?

    Thanks, Max

  2. #2

    Default Re: OT-ish: fiddle pickin' ?

    Quote Originally Posted by maxr View Post
    What I'm asking is, is it a bit of a party trick...
    For me, it was a one-off party trick . But, I love oud - it's like a combination of my favorite instruments. And, I can't afford a 10-string guitar..

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    Mandolin user MontanaMatt's Avatar
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    Default Re: OT-ish: fiddle pickin' ?

    It’s tough to navigate the pick through the radius for fast pickin, but it’s fun to do!
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    '`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`' Jacob's Avatar
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    Default Re: OT-ish: fiddle pickin' ?

    My mentor who introduced me to Old Time music in the 1960's could play many instruments. When playing fiddle, and not soloing, he tucked the bow under his left arm and chopped mandolin style rhythm with downward strokes with the back of his nails. Once saw Alison Krauss in concert add a similar part with the fiddle still on her shoulder, holding the bow, and using the back of her nails.

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    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: OT-ish: fiddle pickin' ?

    "Mad Fingers Pizzicato".....


    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

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    Registered User Scott Rucker's Avatar
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    Default Re: OT-ish: fiddle pickin' ?

    Vassar Clements plays some "flatpick fiddle" on a cut on Bela Fleck's Bluegrass Sessions album from the early 2000s.

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  12. #7

    Default Re: OT-ish: fiddle pickin' ?

    Of course, there was the brief moment of inspiration by Lindley on CB on Running on Empty

    (Last discussed on this day, 3 years ago - https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...hlight=lindley )

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  14. #8
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    Default Re: OT-ish: fiddle pickin' ?

    I get very nervous with the idea of putting a pick to one of my violins. My caution, or perhaps it is paranoia, comes from several factors.

    First, my violin strings ain't cheap. My bow is gentler.

    Second, The G, D, and A strings have synthetic cores and I just don't know how well they would hold up under picking.

    Third, the bridge is so skinny and innocent-looking.
    Now, I will engage in pizzicato, plucking the strings with my fingers, but there is a really good reason that the mandolin has now become my primary instrument. It is made for picking.


    Even so, before I discovered the mandolin, i would frequently run through new pieces by practicing the fingering while held like a mandolin and plucking strings with my fingers. They are both fantastic instruments.

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  16. #9

    Default Re: OT-ish: fiddle pickin' ?

    Quote Originally Posted by MontanaMatt View Post
    It’s tough to navigate the pick through the radius for fast pickin, but it’s fun to do!
    Which was also what I was making reference to, there with the hdgfl - flat to negligible radiused fingerboard. So, if a person wanted to do it...maybe to loop something percussive in the absence of a mndln or uke...

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    Default Re: OT-ish: fiddle pickin' ?

    Quote Originally Posted by GMorgan View Post
    I get very nervous with the idea of putting a pick to one of my violins...
    Yep, all those. But, if a person wanted to use a plectrum, I suggest something soft - softer even than a soft pick...or a brushing style with the finger tip a la charango technique..

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  20. #11
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    Default Re: OT-ish: fiddle pickin' ?

    Quote Originally Posted by GMorgan View Post
    I get very nervous with the idea of putting a pick to one of my violins. My caution, or perhaps it is paranoia, comes from several factors.

    First, my violin strings ain't cheap. My bow is gentler.

    Second, The G, D, and A strings have synthetic cores and I just don't know how well they would hold up under picking.

    Third, the bridge is so skinny and innocent-looking.
    Now, I will engage in pizzicato, plucking the strings with my fingers, but there is a really good reason that the mandolin has now become my primary instrument. It is made for picking.


    Even so, before I discovered the mandolin, i would frequently run through new pieces by practicing the fingering while held like a mandolin and plucking strings with my fingers. They are both fantastic instruments.

    Happy New Year!
    I'd second pretty much all of this, even though my violin is nothing fancy. Though violin is probably still my "primary" instrument.

    That, and many years ago I may or may not have broken a violin string strumming along to "have you ever seen the rain" in a desperate mandolin-less moment... it was a different time in my life heh
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  22. #12
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    Default Re: OT-ish: fiddle pickin' ?

    Here is a link to Ricky Skaggs playing Sally Goodwin. Fiddle picking starts about the 2:50 mark. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gE2aXWQocGw

    Adam

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  24. #13
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    Default Re: OT-ish: fiddle pickin' ?

    Quote Originally Posted by addamr View Post
    Here is a link to Ricky Skaggs playing Sally Goodwin. Fiddle picking starts about the 2:50 mark. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gE2aXWQocGw

    Adam
    Looks like he's got quite thin strings on that fiddle, maybe some kind of metal core. Thomastik make some tough violin strings which appear similar to their mando strings (solid or rope steel core, chrome tape wound). I wonder if it'll work using my usual Helicore metal rope core violin strings without destroying them? Well, I'll try it.

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    Default Re: OT-ish: fiddle pickin' ?

    Quote Originally Posted by Scott Rucker View Post
    Vassar Clements plays some "flatpick fiddle" on a cut on Bela Fleck's Bluegrass Sessions album from the early 2000s.
    Vassar also plays a flatpicked break on Paddy On The Turnpike from the Crossing The Catskills album.

    I've tried it; I sound terrible, but Vassar did it well.
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  26. #15
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    Default Re: OT-ish: fiddle pickin' ?

    Clements also flat-picked fiddle on John Hartford's Aero-Plain album. Can't remember which cut(s).
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  28. #16
    Registered User Elliot Luber's Avatar
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    Default Re: OT-ish: fiddle pickin' ?

    As a kid, I didn't know what a mandolin was, but I used to pick my violin with a guitar pick and play along with Beatles and Moody Blues records, etc. My friends joked about it but I was able to figure out the songs and keep up. Eventually, I met Don Stiernberg's brother who told me about his other instrument that mixed the guitarist's right hand with the violinist's left.

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