Mandolin Picking with Thumb and Thumbpick

[Loretta Callahan]

My daughter (really a guitar player) brings her mandolin to play when she visits ... as it's easier to transport on the plane and such. She loves to play Celtic and other music with me, but she has serious mandolin picking issues.

I watched her carefully as she picks, and I think she's one of those "freaks of nature" who doesn't rest their right hand on the upper side of the bridge while picking. She anchors her right picking hand with her pinkie and ring finger on the bottom edge of the bridge.

She can't hold a mandolin pick properly if her life depended on it. She said every teacher and fellow player has given her lessons, begged, bribed ... tried everything to instill good mandolin picking techniques. She's watched video after video with famous mandolin pickers offering their techniques ... to no avail.

So, being her Mom, I thought maybe she could work with her "pick style disability", rather than fight it .... so I suggested she get a thumb pick. The way her hand is positioned .... her thumb seems to be in the ideal position to pick away.

She's gifted with the ability to hear and play complex rhythms and tunes, but I pick far better with less talent because I have very good pick holding skills (I'm told).

Thanks for mandolin thumb picking advice and ideas!

MzLoretta

[Loretta Callahan]

Well, I guess thumbpicking for mandolin doesn't exist. I googled it and got this thread.

Thanks anyway!!

[Jim Garber]

Actually that is how Wayne Henderson plays the guitar. I can't recall how if he plays mandolin that same way or if i ever saw him do so, but I would not be too surprised.

[man dough nollij]

Seems like playing with a thumb pick would be just like picking with a skinny flatpick, that was harder to drop. Was she fingerpicking before?

[Coffeecup]

I watched her carefully as she picks, and I think she's one of those "freaks of nature" who doesn't rest their right hand on the upper side of the bridge while picking. She anchors her right picking hand with her pinkie and ring finger on the bottom edge of the bridge.

There's a musician well known in this area who plays mandolin and banjo, and plants his fingers just as you describe. If I could play a quarter as well as him I'd be a very happy man.

If the Celtic music is slow airs it might be possible to use a thumb pick but there's no way that I could thumb pick a reel at dance speed.

[barney 59]

Bob Artis plays or at least did play with a thumbpick back when he was with Mac Martin. When I was beginning to have some trouble with my hands and having a hard time keeping control of the pick I experimented with a thumbpick but the angle of attack was all wrong---I almost had better luck with flattening out a fingerpick-- I could spin it around my forefinger until the angle felt right between my finger and my thumb. I discovered a Bluechip about then and that improved my control and I abandoned the fingerpick project. I still think it would work if I could find or make the right size and shape.
Sometime's people who have a "freak of nature" technique end up with an unusual and interesting style,like lefties that play righthanded instruments but play them left -treble up and bass down. They don't sound like other players. I knew a one armed guitar player, he would play the guitar on his lap - chord with his fingers and pick with his thumb. He was pretty good at it and able to pick some fairly complex tunes, not much volume though.

[Mike Bunting]

Radim Zenkl plays some pretty cool stuff with fingerpicks.

[roscoestring]

When I got my first mandolin I didn't know how to pick. I was picking guitar with three finger picks and resting my pinky on the instrument. I tried this for a while with the mandolin and got some interesting sounds from it. Rather than constantly explain my technique I finally forced myself to learn the traditional style. Sometimes I still try it with the three finger picks. I see nothing wrong with that so long as the sound is ok. I say go for it.

[journeybear]

Just one thing missing from your otherwise detailed description - just exactly how does she hold the pick? I mean, I get how she's resting her hand, but what is it about her pick-holding position that is so off?

[Phil Goodson]

Actually that is how Wayne Henderson plays the guitar. I can't recall how if he plays mandolin that same way or if i ever saw him do so, but I would not be too surprised.

Yep. On those rare occasions when Wayne picks a mandolin, he uses a thumbpick & 2 fingerpicks just like he does for guitar.

[Loretta Callahan]

Thanks for all the replies. Was starting to think I was a little nuts, lol. My daughter picks in a similar style as Wayne Henderson on the guitar. I didn't find vids any of him on the mandolin, but Radim Zenkl picks as I imagine she might on the mandolin. She needs to loosen up that right hand. She has an uber death grip on that poor pick. If she lifts up her hand, strum style, and uses a thumbpick, I think she'll have it.

My Grandson and I both started playing music Hawaiian style on the ukulele. You simply can't go uptight and strum Hawaiian style. He has no problem with a tight wrist. The first thing you learn with Hawaiian style is to lighten up, chill out and loosen that wrist. My daughter's wrist is stiff as a board.

Just one thing missing from your otherwise detailed description - just exactly how does she hold the pick? I mean, I get how she's resting her hand, but what is it about her pick-holding position that is so off?

She holds her pick between her pointer and thumb, but she holds it like an uptight lady at English High Tea with her pinkie stuck up in the air. It looks like she just picked up a hairball and is trying to toss it in the trash. It's quite painful to see, lol. She starts off in the proper position with the pick on the side of her pointer, but then it goes very bad, very fast.

Hmmm, Barney ... flattening out a fingerpick might work too.

Seems like playing with a thumb pick would be just like picking with a skinny flatpick, that was harder to drop. Was she fingerpicking before?

Yes, Man dough ... she fingerpicks well on the guitar. I was thinking that a flattened fingerpick might be like a skinny flatpick. I think I'll get her some ... metal so she can bend them and a few plastic ones ... just 'cause.

Thanks for all the replies. This helps ... a lot!!

[swampstomper]

Ralph Stanley picked the mando with his standard thumb and two finger picks on the Stanley Brothers version of East Virginia Blues on "One Evening Long Ago" -- a really neat sound (the commercial version has cross-picked lead guitar). John Duffy tried it a few times with good effect. Hey, as Emory Lester says, it's about making music! If she can do something nice, go for it!

[Loretta Callahan]

Ralph Stanley picked the mando with his standard thumb and two finger picks on the Stanley Brothers version of East Virginia Blues on "One Evening Long Ago" -- a really neat sound (the commercial version has cross-picked lead guitar). John Duffy tried it a few times with good effect. Hey, as Emory Lester says, it's about making music! If she can do something nice, go for it!

Awesome! Well, if Ralph Stanley can do it .... it's legal, lol. He's one of my faves. Thanks!

[Phil Vinyard]

I second the post on Radim Zenkl. I had him for two sessions at Kaufman Kamp a couple of weeks ago and he is an amazing player. Check out his site at http://www.zenkl.com/ He showed us how he played with a thumb and a finger pick and it was stunning to see.

[mandroid]

this is a combination thumb/flatpick http://www.elderly.com/accessories/n...ick--HE114.htm

There is a loop over your thumb, keeps it in place, but the pick is shaped like a flatpick , and so to do upstrokes that will have the same sound level as the downstrokes, you pinch with your thumb against the index finger.

Maybe like training wheels ..

[Loretta Callahan]

Thanks, mandroid!!

I'm putting together a thumbpick selection for her ... I'll include this one!

BTW, I went to Elderly, and they won't recognize my email or account ... even though I just received an order from them. Sent them two emails. Are they MIA??? Something I said???

Hmmmm.

this is a combination thumb/flatpick http://www.elderly.com/accessories/n...ick--HE114.htm

There is a loop over your thumb, keeps it in place, but the pick is shaped like a flatpick , and so to do upstrokes that will have the same sound level as the downstrokes, you pinch with your thumb against the index finger.

Maybe like training wheels ..

[mrmando]

I'm a big fan of those Herco picks ... I use a medium one whenever I play tenor guitar. Don't ask me why, it just worked out that way. I use a standard pick on every other instrument I play. A heavy Herco might be just the ticket for mandolin playing.

[mandroid]

I'm old fashioned, or maybe lack social contact, I tend to call stores over the phone, and speak to people when I can..

You Might try calling Elderly, Ms Loretta, if E shopping cart scheme won't work ..

[Loretta Callahan]

Thanks, mrmando! I'm always a new heavy pick. Struggling with tremolo right now with my Dawg and Golden gate.

I had a long conversation with someone at the place you mention this morning, mandroid. Since they are a sponsor here, I'd rather not get too detailed. I'll get into detail if anyone wants to pm me. Don't want to cause problems, but I'm not a very happy camper right now. If that changes, I'll post that. I prefer to post successes rather than obsess on the opposite.