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Be aware, fingerpicking is not a traditional approach to the mandolin and should not be considered as such. There have been very few fingerpicking mandolin exponents...so there really isn't much of a foundation to build on...nevertheless, fingerstyle mandolin still has its roots in a variety of traditional approaches established by guitarists over the years; notwithstanding, it is still not considered a traditional approach to the instrument. In respect to traditional stylings, such as bluegrass, always keep a defined approach to your learning efforts by separating the mediums and approaches to your mandolin for designated styles of music. Do not try to fit fingerstyle mandolin into a context of which has already been well-established as an accepted genre with a long legacy of players whom have delineated the parameters of the music...in other words, keep the traditional pure! If you learn a new medium, or approach, to the mandolin that would be considered unorthodox, be innovative by applying these approaches to new genres...or what would be considered genres with ever-expanding evolutionary traditions...jazz, rock, or new age...for instance. Bluegrass has set parameters and deservedly so...for it's one genre that is defined by the instrumentation and the long-accepted approaches to these instruments.

Before even getting started with your first lesson in fingerpicking the mandolin, I'm hoping you understand that this is a unique application which has never been established as an accepted approach to the mandolin. Traditionally, the mandolin has always been played with a flatpick (what was once called a plectrum) and, even today, it's the accepted medium for all recognized and esteemed mandolinists. Be fully aware, fingerpicking is considered a radical approach to learning to play the mandolin and, truly, before even attempting to learn the fingerstyle approach to the instrument, I highly recommend that you first learn to play it traditionally with a flatpick. This way you'll have a solid foundation and will have the fingerboard language behind you...allowing you more focus on the mechanics of learning to fingerpick.

The Advantages of Learning to Play Fingerstyle Mandolin

1. Mandolin has a very unique voicing as compared to most other string instruments. It can be isolated by ear, within a large ensemble of instruments, far easier than most other instruments with a low to medium range voicing. Because of this unique voicing, as a high-pitched instrument with percussive overtones, the fingerpicking approach to playing mandolin will further establish a polytonal uniqueness which will set it even further apart from other instruments...especially when playing in an ensemble setting.

2. With the fingerstyle approach to the mandolin, you'll be able to play the instrument unaccompanied and still have a fullness with the harmonic support not easily attained with a flatpick. The melody can be supported with an alternating or bass pattern movement that would be impossible to achieve with a flatpick.

3. You'll be better able to understand bass movements and how they affect the melody lines...assiting you with arranging and writing music.

4. You might find it more supportive to accompanying your singing...that is if you're playing alone.

5. If only playing with one other instrument, such as guitar, fingerpicking mandolin fills in nicely...and allows for more support on the guitar's part to take a solo...for you can apply comping with moving bass lines as opposed to just chopping the chords out with a flatpick.

6. There are infinite patterns to fall back on that increases the texturizing of a song over and above strumming with a flatpick...however, one approach to texturizing with a flatpick, in an arpeggio fashion, is called "Crosspicking" (see below) which would emulate that of fingerpicking.

7. With fingerpicking, you can pinch two to three, and even four pairs of strings, simultaneously, which is impossible to do with a flatpick. This pinching of the strings allows chordal comping, or a more piano-like voicing, further enhancing what can be accomplished with the fingerstyle approach to the mandolin.

8. On faster pieces, such as fiddle-like melodies, played in a single linear line, as is common on mandolin, accomplished fingerpicking offers up a very clear articulation between all of the notes...for, on average, when speeding up with a flatpick, the articulation fades and the notes do not have the same distinctness as when played slower (of course, some flatpicking masters of the mandolin have overcome this).

9. When playing crosspicking melodies, it's far easier to play at a faster pace and with clear articulation than with a flatpick...the character of the notes changes between flatpicking and fingerpicking a crosspicking piece. Both have their uniqueness in texture and tonality. It's best to learn both mediums for different applications; only, you will find it to be easier to play crosspicking faster with fingers than with a flatpick for it's easier and faster to pick two non-adjoining strings with fingers than spanning this gap between strings with a flatpick.

10. And, best of all, it's easier to separate the pairs of strings while tuning. You can pick the lower single string separate from the top single string of each pair of strings simply by picking upwards with the fingerpick, or fingernail, and downwards with the thumbpick, or thumbnail (depending on your choice of medium)...I have a problem separating the strings with a flatpick...for it seems that a flatpick will strike both strings even when trying to be careful to hit one at a time.

Hence, you can see that the advantages of learning to fingerpick your mandolin are immense. You'll find it will add an entirely new dimension to your mandolin playing efforts...for studio sessions, for performance or for plain play-by-yourself enjoyment, everything you learn now about fingerpicking your mandolin will further enhance all types of playing settings.

What can be accomplished with fingerstyle mandolin?

First and foremost, you'll want to be well informed on the possibilities...which, in turn, will hopefully inspire you to go forward with your fingerpicking mandolin studies.

When most think of fingerpicking, they imagine a classical or acoustic guitar with bass and melody harmonies played throghout. However, when we discuss fingerpicking mandolin, this may encompass all types of renderings, from single string melodies (fiddle tune style), chordal comping, alternating bass with melody runs (ragtime style), to counterpoint lines between the bass and melody (classical style). Considering that fingerpicking itself can emulate what a flatpick does with single note runs, you can see that any preconceived notion of what fingerpicking mandolin is, should be shattered from the start.

Mickey

Watch for the upcoming video on learning to fingerpick the mandolin soon to be released by Wisdom of the Wood Publishing...

If interested in further techniques for new mandolin voicings, don't forget to check out the Mel Bay title: "Mandolin Crosspicking Technique"...click on image below.

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Copyright ©2004 Mickey Cochran

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Please send any comments, questions or requests to Mickey Cochran at info@folkofthewood.com 

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