Mandolin: Developing Right Hand Picking Hand Flatpicking Technique

Flatpicking Development Techniques

1. A relaxed wrist is far better than a stiff forearm approach. Keep in mind, David Grisman and Norman Blake both use the relax wrist approach. I've played with both a stiff arm and the wrist...I certainly can play with lots of speed as a forearm player...only, the tonal quality and feel are somewhat compromised. I now use a combination loose wrist and slight forearm movement.

2. Medium to Thick Gauge picks are the only way to go...Thin picks just slap and seem to relinquish control. The thicker the pick, the more truer the tone...the thinner the pick, the more the tone comes from the pick (instead of the instrument's natural voice).

3. When speeding up the alternating pick strokes, volume seems to always diminish. The best way to hedge up against this inversely proportionate phenomena is to:
a. always listen closely to the dynamic range
b. always use a medium to thick pick
c. be forceful with the picking hand
d. use medium gauge strings instead of lights
e. use more of the pick surface...not the very tip.

4. Holding the pick with the side of the index finger, as the index curves under the pick, while placing the thumb on top of the pick seems to be the most natural pick position. This way the hand movement, up and down, is perpendicular (at a direct right angle) to the horizontal plane of the strings. And, there isn't the transient sound that's encountered when the pick is not at a right angle to the string during its attack. For instance, if you hold the pick with the tip of the fingers (index and middle), such as Steve Morse does, the pick angle is no longer perpendicular to the string's plane (unless you arch your wrist). This works well on an electric; however, it doesn't seem to work well on acoustic guitars where the wound strings emit a scraping sound.

5. Bracing the wrist on the saddle/bridge seems to add a solid support...unfortunately, the drawback is that it's difficult to jump quickly between strings. The positive side: you will be forced to use nothing but wrist action. This position is a great exercise to focus the wrist movement, however, I wouldn't recommend it as a permanent hand position.

6. Supporting the hand with the little finger on the pickguard seems to offer a solid support without number 5's sacrifice of not being able to jump from larger string intervals. I personally use this position quite often...and have found it to allow me to add syncopations that seem far more difficult with a floating hand. The drawback: transient sounds occur from the anchored little finger hitting and scraping on the face of the instrument.

7. The floating hand: this is the most practical position...no limitation on reaching the strings, no transient noise (as long as you're holding your pick at a perfect right angle to the string plane), total freedom of movement and the easiest method to combine both forearm and wrist to the picking action.

8. An essential tool: I'd have to say that a metronome investment is critical to developing a solid picking hand. The metronome will assist you in measuring your progress along with ensuring that your meter and timing is unfailing.

9. I sincerely believe that crosspicking is one of the best exercises in developing a solid picking hand. Crosspicking involves lots of arpeggios forcing your picking hand to become well acquainted with jumping over and measuring distances between strings. Additionally, crosspicking seems to be more demanding in that it focuses the picking hand on developing picking accuracy...especially since there is very little margin for error. When picking out a crosspicking pattern, each string has to be picked in consecutive order...if the aim is off, the entire pattern, or song, is off center. Whereas, when flatpicking on one string at a time, it's far easier to regroup and find your place. Additionally, crosspicking melodies teaches you how to gain independence in accenting particular notes within the pattern...which is completely random and allows you to separate the "by rote" tendencies flatpickers can fall prey to. Therefore, I highly recommend developing your picking hand through as many crosspicking exercises as possible. (see our "Mandolin Crosspicking Technique" book published by Mel Bay)

10. Using dynamics: this seems to be where many fall short...it doesn't matter whether you're picking on bluegrass, jazz or rock, dynamics add the essence of the song. Varying the volume from pick stroke to pick stroke, depending on what the song dictates, is most critical to establishing the mood and feel. I'm sure you've heard your sure of machine gun flatpickers...fun to listen to, however, it seems to start to drone like an auditorium class lecturer. No matter how fast or slow, without volume inflections, interest wanes quickly. I still believe that it's not about speed; it's about music. All effective songs communicate with interesting dynamics that contribute to the message being conveyed. The message within an instrumental setting, of course, can be quite abstract in that it might be a certain mood of grandeur, sadness, elatedness, or even cosmic awareness...of which cannot be communicated vocally. In light of this, my ultimate suggestion for number 10 is to carefully listen to your attack and determine:
a. Does the choice of accents (emphasis on certain notes) contribute or take away from the song's communication?
b. Can I attain a lyrical quality with my picking hand...that sounds natural and integral to the song's feel?
c. Am I focusing on allowing the song to breathe with my choice of note accents?

Number 10 would be, in my personal view, the most important consideration. I believe if you're focusing on number 10 during the developmental picking stages, you will be miles ahead of yourself in gaining a playing prowess that will supercede your highest expectations. This would be the one aspect of your playing technique that will separate you from being predictable. Ten players can all play the exact same melody, with perfect timing and accuracy...only those who focus on the dynamics will have something different, and interesting, to offer.

Subject: playing the mandolin (a guitarist)
Date: Sun, 09 Nov 2003 19:05:01 -0500 (EST)

Greetings Brandon,

Glad to assist if I can:

hello my name is brandon. i have played guitar for a couple of years now, and
like to think that i am fairly decent. i noticed on your free mandolin
lessons that it talks about how you downstroke on the beat, and upstroke on
the offbeat. I have just tried this while playing scales. now i just started
playing mandolin about a month ago, and have tried this method, and had no
luck. but i can play the scales while just using downstrokes and no
upstrokes. my question is: are the upstrokes that necessary?" And if so,
why?"

Yes, the upstrokes will be essential...for speed and good timing. It would be impossible to play many traditional, or bluegrass, mandolin tunes with all downstrokes. What you'd want to consider is tapping your foot on the downstoke for each downbeat...once you have an even tempo of downstrokes, try playing an upstroke at the exact tempo of your foot raising...hence, as your foot goes down, your hand goes down...as your foot rises up, your picking hand rises on a picked note on the upbeat.

If you have problems with the above, this same technique is taught visually in the Wisdom of the Wood video: "Intro to the Mandolin"...

Let me know how else I might assist...Mickey

Thanks and I look forward to hearing back from you.

brandon

Subject: picking
Date: Wed, 3 Sep 2003 09:49:19 -0400

Good stuff on right hand picking technique. One thing I would mention...the tendency of the right hand to get tense as the tempo speeds up. It should actually be the reverse...as you play faster you need to be MORE relaxed, so it's definitely something to work on--i.e., make a real conscious effort to notice the tension in your right hand as things go faster and keep relaxing it. Pablo Casals said he would relax his hand after EVERY NOTE. Also--the sympathetic tendency of the right hand to tense up when the LEFT HAND is executing a difficult fingering. In this case, the right hand should NOT know what the left is doing, so it stays relaxed. Technically, the right hand should just do what it does no matter what the left hand is doing. I find a good exercise is to execute a difficult left-hand fingering pattern while monitoring your right hand for tension, and relaxing it every time you notice the tension. J. Cadley

Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2002 12:32:28 +0000
Subject: right hand brushing mandolin bridge

Dear Sir?madam,
I have been playing mandolin for several years now but have a question
regarding my right hand technique. When I'm picking the strings my
right hand occasionally brushes the bridge of the mandolin. I make a
conscious effort not to rest my hand on the bridge or the strings,
(even though I do find this quite comfortable). However to avoid the
bridge completely would mean arching my hand at an uncomfortable and
unnatural angle for me, making it difficult to play. I have read in
places that it is okay to rest your hand on the bridge. Your opinion
would be greatly appreciated.
Thankyou
Conrad Bays

Greetings Conrad,

Glad to assist if I can:

1. It might be that your forearm is pivoted from a lower point on the bout of your mandolin...my forearm is pivoted on the top of the mandolin which angles my wrist away from the bridge...

2. You might try a larger flatpick...one that gives you more picking area without your hand having to be too close to the strings...I use a large triangular flatpick myself...

3. Be aware, there are some major players that do brace their wrist directly behind the bridge...I've seen this both on guitar and mandolin. I believe that you could use this approach if it works for you...only, make sure that it doesn't limit your picking facility.

Hope this helps...Mickey

Let us know what you've discovered when experimenting with the tips in this section...e-mail us at: info@folkofthewood.com