by Mickey Cochran

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To continue building facility in alternating our thumb and index fingers, we're now going to approach the crossover exercises. This will assist you in the dexterity necessary in changing over to other strings with both your thumb and index. These crossover exercises are critical to your ability to lay the foundation necessary in becoming an accomplished fingerstyle mandolinist.

The objective would be to keep an even time as you count through the music. If necessary tap your foot at the same time as you're counting out the 4 beats per measure. Take it slowly at first and speed up only after you feel comfortable with the music.

There will be no fretting involved; the focus is solely on the fingerpicking pattern of alternating the thumb and index fingers.

Notes: Pay special attention to the letters above the tablature. These designate which fingers to use as you fingerpick. The numbers below the tablature indicate the meter and establish the rhythm of the piece. Be extra careful to keep an even tempo as you go through this study. In this first study our focus will be on playing with just the thumb and index finger.

Goals: 1. To keep an even tempo. 2. To hit only the strings designated in the sheet music. 3. To gain facility with alternating between the thumb and index fingers. 4. To learn how to switch over to other strings without faltering or accidentally hitting other strings.

T = Thumb • I = Index Finger • M = Middle Finger

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