Not hitting both strings when picking.

[LighteningZ2]

I am alternate picking a melody and I realized I'm not hitting both strings each time I pick. If I try to I can but when actually playing it doesn't happen. I've tried rest strokes but I can't really find a use for them when trying to pick at a decent speed. Its kinda driving me insane right now that I can't hit both strings. Anyone got tips on how to fix this?

If it helps its almost like I'm hitting the first one and my pick is kinda coming off of the set before it goes through the next one (almost like I'm picking upwards if that makes sense). I think this might be a habit due to the fact that I'm a guitarist but I can't seem to be able to fix it.

[CarlM]

How is your mandolin oriented as you play? Is it rotated back or forward at the top? Having it away from a more or less vertical plane can cause this sometimes. Also how you have it around the other two axes can affect this. A small strap adjustment or moving it little may help. Do you have a strap? You should for most styles of playing. Is your posture good? Sit up straight, shoulders level.

Also are you resting fingers on pick guard or laying your wrist behind the bridge? If you are completely free floating it is hard to control. Alternatively if you are planted rock solid, like a banjo player it can force your hand to move in ways that make hitting all the strings difficult at times. Most people free float a couple of fingers on the finger rest (pickguard) or curl their fingers up and float the wrist touching behind the bridge to give a reference point and stay in plane..

[LighteningZ2]

I am pretty much free floating with my forearm resting on the Mandolin. I also don't have a strap and I do think that would help a bunch. I appreciate the feedback and I will definitely try what you said. Hopefully they will help fix my problem!

Thanks,

-LighteningZ2

[mandocello8]

play everything with down-strokes, picking "into" the mandolin, resting the pick on the next string. this will hit both strings for sure. you will have to slow down somewhat. but you play slow before you play fast, yes?

[Bill McCall]

John Moore plays all rest strokes except when changing strings. He’s no slouch at playing with speed.

[mandocrucian]

Here's what I had beginner students do to monitor their playing with this issue.

Slightly de-tune one string of each pair of strings, so that it is noticeable. and you can hear the out-of-tuneness. Now, when you play, you'll be able to immediately hear when you are only hitting one string instead of two. Is it happening more on the downstroke, or on the upstrokes?

Your instrument will alert you (you will HEAR IT) when your plectrum hand technique is faulty, so you can narrow in on the problem area(s)!

I used this method myself when I began playing left-handed, so I'm not suggesting something that I haven't already road-tested.

AS AN ADVANCED TECHNIQUE this can be used to acquire the skill to only play one string of the pair. How would you apply this? It will let you play individual note when you are using split-string fingerings, allowing you to play notes sequentially, rather than as a two-note one-pair doublestop.

Niles H

[A-board]

I stumbled onto the de-tuning approach; it was quite helpful.