Playing Fast, Precise Tremolo on the Mandolin

[darrenj7]

You're an excellent instructor, thanks so much!



[AccountOfJason]

are you always doing a rest-stroke on beat 1, even at faster tempos?

[hrdrockgrrl]

@AccountOfJason No - at some point the pick stops hitting the string below and it's all muscle memory. But it's still important to maintain the feel of doing the rest strokes on beat 1 if you want a nice even tremolo. And I always make the very first note of the tremolo a rest-stroke no matter what, to give it a nice solid start.

[PoweredByChoro]

Really great work! I'll have to try out your tremolo practice techniques. I have been finding the choro bandolim players tend to really vary their tremolo speed, starting slow and picking it up as the phrase continues. Jacob is masterful at this. But, I think I can improve my right hand technique for sure. Cheers! :)

[hrdrockgrrl]

@PoweredByChoro Great point, choro bandolinistas tend to use a 'slow tremolo' that is very fluid and unmeasured, sometimes picking up speed as they go. I think it sounds devastatingly beautiful when done well, but I haven't had much luck yet doing it myself. Somehow the good players made it sound steady, relaxed and elastic all at once. This seems to be where the science breaks down and the art begins...

[MsRushrocks]

*Thanks for the great lesson......gotta go practice now!

[TheWhiteDevil1612]

You know it's going to be important when a lady says 'let's talk'.

[ryankmichael]

Thank you so very much for this tutorial - practicing along with it, my tremolo has immediately improved tremendously!

[feralrom1]

Hey hrdrockgrrl! You rock! Thanks for this. Back at you later, when I get it down.

[BryanOwnzzz]

Nicely done, I liked the way you explained the technique and really broke it down. It really helped, thanks.

[morghath]

Well Mam i must say its been a while since i picked up my old kentucky 160s mandolin ive set it up and it sound nice to my ear..i heading towards getting a eastman 514..as im now getting hooked in to it,,this lesson you gave here is fantastic and i really appreciate you taking the time to do it.Take care and more power to your mandolin elbow :)

Robbie.

[shannondawn44]

very informative . Thanks :)

[umavunga]

Very good, once it gets going.

[Advocaretx]

And yes, I'm very new. About a month to the day.. Um gonna do this exercise every day!

[Advocaretx]

Good stuff...

[dhfinch]

you rock hard woman! I've been a professional fiddler for years and could not break the 105 bpm barrier on mando. thanks to you, now i can. thank you so much!

[fatguyaaron]

Thanks for this video. I have been in black,death metal, and punk for bands for 12 years and have always wanted to get into fast bluegrass and you helped me bridge the gap. thank you.

[leikowooten]

Thanks so much for the best lesson ever. I've come from the violin thinking I could easily teach myself how to play the mandolin--WRONG! With this lesson along with the video on the solid right-hand, I may be able to... This is a new hobby for my retirement.

[leikowooten]

A GREAT lesson. I needed to go back to the very basics in order to move forward.

[dermotxy]

Really great video. What type or size of plectrum do you recommend?

[hrdrockgrrl]

@dermotxy I use a Blue Chip TAD 50, a triangular-shaped pick 1.25mm thick with a bevelled edge. It's a $30 pick though, and while I like the Blue Chip material a lot, it really doesn't make *that* much difference. Wegen and Red Bear also make similar, cheaper picks that sounds great.

[fl0wer1tdz]

Hi hrdrockgrrl - I have been practicing almost daily for about 10 years and have had lessons from great players, yet still had trouble breaking past 104 and playing a satisfying tremolo. I first saw your two videos 2 months ago, and have practiced your techniques almost exclusively since. I had to make some serious changes to my right hand, but I think I am finally getting it!!!! Thanks much. Can't wait for your next video.

[hrdrockgrrl]

@fl0wer1tdz Thanks so much for the feedback! I'm glad to hear you had a breakthrough. More videos on what to do with your new tremolo coming soon!

[billton12]

Good stuff! Thanks for posting!

[TheMANDOLINLOVER]

Great lesson. Thank you very much . Can I know which brand Mandolin is that ? I am an amateur from India and need your help to buy a new F style mando . Keep uploading new videos pls

[hrdrockgrrl]

It's actually a fairly inexpensive Epiphone model, not bad for my first mandolin but it does have some intonation problems and the tuning machines are pretty bad.

[euzuki]

Sehr gute Erklärung hat mir sehr geholfen. Thank you !

[polymerchm]

Thanks so much!!!! I finally got tremolo down thanks to your technique.

[Steveofwashington]

Great lesson, it really breaks it down nicely. You rock!!

Question: is this basically a similar technique to the tremolo in Dick Dale/surf rock type stuff? (With the exception of guitar instead of mandolin, of course). It sounds very similar to me. Thanks.

[CotnerMD]

Great lesson. I look forward to your lesson on playing at fast tempos.

[80sJay]

Thanks for sharing.

Very nifty! I feel like I'm picking these techniques up quite fast, and yours is very helpful.

By the by, I love your red hair!

[tetontent]

I have got to thank your for explaining this and how to practice the right hand technique and hoe the tremolo works and how to learn it. i will be using both videos alot to learn all of this. I am just starting to how to play mandolin and you explain things very clear to me. oh an this is a real compliment from me, you are very pretty, pretty smile, and play very well. I hope to see more videos on mandolin from you, so i can learn more. Thank you again for your time

Robert "tetontent"

[Luxorcist]

I enjoy watching your videos. Ive been in a metal band for about a year now, and even things like this teach me little tricks and such. ive never met a mandolinist, if thats the title you prefer, but your rest stroke on the beat should prove useful to a guitarist like myself. :)

[MikeSkullman]

I've never been all that good at this. Thank you :)