Holding a bowlback mandolin

[Chris Berardi]

Bear with me as I adjust to my new Calace mandolin (in many regards I feel like its day 1 again). My first question is exactly how should I be holding it?


Should I hold it at my waist or let it rest on my right leg?

How much forward and upward should the neck be?

At what angle should the bowl be rotated? That is, when I'm looking down, should I see only the side of the mandolin, or a bit of the soundboard (how much)?

I am trying to play without resting behind the bridge -- how much air space should my arched wrist be from the strings?

[MandolinoNapoletano]

Bear with me as I adjust to my new Calace mandolin (in many regards I feel like its day 1 again). My first question is exactly how should I be holding it?


Should I hold it at my waist or let it rest on my right leg?

How much forward and upward should the neck be?

At what angle should the bowl be rotated? That is, when I'm looking down, should I see only the side of the mandolin, or a bit of the soundboard (how much)?

I am trying to play without resting behind the bridge -- how much air space should my arched wrist be from the strings?

Whatevers most comfortable... Everytime I play a different bowlback, my sitting style changes... there's no one correct way.

[Bob A]

However it sounds best to you. Everyone's body is different. It will take a few months before you're at home with the thing.

[Martin Jonas]

There are a number of different approaches, and these have been discussed fairly extensively here in the past. Personally, I raise my right leg (with a stool, but you can also cross your legs to do this) and rest the bowl on the right thigh with a slip mat (a piece of shelf-liner). I hold the neck at about a 30 degree angle from the horizontal and touch the rim of the mandolin above the tailpiece with the middle of the forearm about halfway between the wrist and the elbow. That is the traditional Italian playing posture. It naturally gives you a slightly arched wrist and a couple of centimetres clearance over the bridge. Modern Italian involves holding the mandolin horizontal and having your lower arm rest on the tailpiece, playing with a straight wrist and little clearance over the bridge. Modern German involves holding the mandolin between both thighs with the neck more upright than horizontal. Take your pick.

Martin

[Schlegel]

I moved all around and ended up doing the same as Martin does eventually.

[JeffD]

If I am "playing along" with someone, I will hold it more horizontal. If I am taking the lead I will move the neck up more.

Shelf liner rules!

[Samjessin]

One nice thing is they are usually pretty light and can be supported very easily. Also, the point of the bowl puts all the pressure on one point of my slightly convex belly so the thing just stays put, as opposed to my A style mandolin where the pressure is spread over a large area of the back and I am more comfortable with a strap. I find that this is true while sitting as well. I usually rest the point of the bowl just above my right hip. I do not play classically and probably don't use the most efficient positioning, but it is very comfortable.

I really like the way that the round back mandolin moves when I am playing. It sort of rocks back and forth where the point of the bowl meets my body. This definitely adds an element to playing music where the body is more involved with the instrument like in the way a fiddle demands to become in tune with the body and posture.

[Chris Berardi]

Thanks for the replies.

It is still a bit awkward (compared to my initial Rogue flatback). But, I think I am starting to get it a little bit. I am getting a chamois cloth since I've heard that helps with the bowl rotation.

[vkioulaphides]

Said rotation happens --my impression, at least-- when your right forearm rests high-ish on the bowl, thereby causing it to "roll" underneath the arm. Without being ANY "authority" on the matter whatsoever, I rather keep my forearm more or less over the tailpiece, so that it is roughly in the middle of the instrument, and therefore causes of course no such rotation. But some very good players use the former "type" of posture, and still play brilliantly, so there must clearly be a way (e.g. chamois) to prevent the slippage.

Cheers,

Victor

[JeffD]

I've heard that helps with the bowl rotation.

I'm telling ya, shelf liner. Its fantastic, and comes in what many colors to compliment your attire.

[vkioulaphides]

Come to think of it, Jeff, even though I don't quite need it, that magenta strip would look quite lovely against dark slacks.

Cheers,

Victor

[Chris Berardi]

I'm finding it at the moment to be more comfortable and stable for me to hold the mandolin up off my lap a couple of inches so when I press it against my body with my arm it rests just below my rib cage. Do any of you foresee a problem with holding it as such elevated and using the forearm to support it against the body?

[Chris Berardi]

I'm telling ya, shelf liner. Its fantastic, and comes in what many colors to compliment your attire.

I was at the store the other day and they were having a sale on some nice shelf liner -- but the color clashed with my sequin jumpsuit.

[JeffD]

Come to think of it, Jeff, even though I don't quite need it, that magenta strip would look quite lovely against dark slacks.

I have heard of folks who fasten (somehow) a piece of shelf liner along the treble side of the bowl.

[Chris Berardi]

The chamois does greatly improves (read virtually eliminates) the stability issues. I also found that anchoring a finger (e.g., pinky) to the soundboard or resting the palm behind the bridge stabilizes as well, but this decreases the potential fluidity and freedom of the wrist.

[Chris Berardi]

I have heard of folks who fasten (somehow) a piece of shelf liner along the treble side of the bowl.

I would imagine an adhesive, like double sided tape or a glue, would serve that purpose.

[Chris Berardi]

I also note that clothing with very smooth fabric or additives like stain resitants (which is similar, I think, to teflon) make the problem ten times worse.

[vkioulaphides]

I'm finding it at the moment to be more comfortable and stable for me to hold the mandolin up off my lap a couple of inches so when I press it against my body with my arm it rests just below my rib cage. Do any of you foresee a problem with holding it as such elevated and using the forearm to support it against the body?

Rather fortuitous link: for such a posture, please look a the "thumbnail" image of the illustrious Ugo Orlandi on the thread regarding classical mandolin in Korea.

Cheers,

Victor

[Chris Berardi]

Yup, sort of like that!

[vkioulaphides]

Although Maestro Orlandi may have adopted this posture ONLY because he could not find appropriate shelf-liner to match those pants.

Cheers,

Victor