Wednesday, September 28, 2022

Transitioning to mandolin from bowed string instruments

 CMSA had a workshop about this very topic. And, the MMO is fortunate to have a number of players joining us recently and over the years who have and are making this transition!

A few of us attended this workshop. What I want to focus on is tremolo.

By the way...your facility with your left  hand...awesome! Those of us coming from other musical realms have to work on those upper positions. Share your knowledge you bowed string peeps!

Some come to the mandolin thinking it's tremolo everything...do it when you'd make a left hand vibrato.

Well...maybe. But no.

The style/era of the music makes a difference. 

Baroque (Bach, Handel) - No or as indicated by the conductor. 

Early classical (Mozart) - Same. 

Later Classical, Romantic - Under the slur, long notes - usually dotted quarter or more. 

Modern compositions for mandolin orchestra - follow the notation, the composer is explicit about the needs of the music.

As far as HOW to tremolo...relax...perhaps do the quarter note/eight note/sixteenth note/32nd note exercise and envision how to make it flow. Think about making that liquid string of notes louder and softer. Stay in the zone...no tension. Relax.

If there's any question or controversy about when to tremolo, look to Lon. He'll have the answer.

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