Playing Fast, Precise Tremolo on the Mandolin

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Sorry about the audio quality and bg music. This was 2010 and I had no idea how to make a video back then.
Build up your ability to play fast & clean measured tremolo. When you articulate your tremolo using rest strokes, it sounds smooth and expressive. And once you can tremolo 16th and 32nd notes, it's just a matter of coordinating your left and right hands to play at really fast tempos.
This approach is based on what I learned from my teacher Evan Marshall, who showed me the importance of rest strokes. I was skeptical at first, but it's made my playing so much cleaner.
I have a remake planned for this video (with better audio quality!) where we will discuss triplet-feel tremolos, which is very common in slow bluegrass tunes, and shifting between triplet feel and 16th-feel. And we will discuss the "Brazilian tremolo", used by choro bandolim players, which is extremely expressive, fluid, and unmetered. Also, I've since realized that moving into and out of tremolo from playing single notes is a real challenge that needs to be drilled as well.
Music: "Bluegrass Signal" by John Reischmann

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1 окт 2024

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Комментарии : 308

@bobtrue1339 8 лет назад

This and her other video on right hand technique is the best information about playing fast that I've come across in many years of asking, looking and learning. In my experience, the pros do this naturally and as such are not able to explain what they are doing, other than to say "play relaxed with a lose wrist," or to recommend scale or arpeggio exercises which are not much use if you play them with the wrong technique. Many of the pros just counsel to do what comes naturally, since that's what they do. Unfortunately, what comes naturally to many of us does not cut it. Violinists for centuries have been taught a very specific technique for bowing. They are not told to do what comes naturally. It's time mandolin technique gets codified and taught properly.

@davidmccue3591 Год назад

I know this is super old...but yeah, man. I agree. The teachers on here that are making lesson videos seem to leave out all the techniques that...I guess...just came so naturally to them that it doesn't occur to them to elaborate. So...for example on the David benedict lessons...on lesson one he casually mentions that you can "throw in" some upstrokes. It doesn't seem to even occur to him how incredibly difficult those upstrokes are to an absolute beginner.

@ShelsleySpecial 10 лет назад

You should get a decent camera, a decent mic, and make some tutorial DVD's and sell them. Your approach to playing the mandolin, your calm thought out way of teaching and skills are perfect. I would buy them!!! I am serious! Get out there!

@jimmymahone5420 3 года назад

Bet she would have accepted donations gladly for The Great Gearup.

@davidmolloy126 5 лет назад

The BEST Tutorial on RU-vid for this, and it's helped me a lot, Thank you.x

@mabikey 3 года назад

This video was incredibly helpful to me when I first took up the mandolin and was working to develop my tremolo technique. I am so grateful to you for making this video and generously sharing it with the mandolin world!

@RockReynolds 12 лет назад

I have watched dozens of mandolin how-to's on RU-vid. This is the video for which I have searched. All the other videos told me to move my wrist fast. Duh! Finally - a video that tells me how to move my wrist quickly, and how I have to handle my thoughts. I'm 59 years old: I never heard these wonderful tips before. So this is how to get the hillbilly beat. Extremely well done. I have not seen another mandolin instruction video that even comes close to this - and I've seen a lot. Rock

@modalmixture 11 лет назад

You need to first find the tempo that represents the upper limit at which you can play cleanly and solidly, hitting beat 1 right on the metronome click. If you record yourself doing the exercise at increasingly fast tempos, you will hear much better where you lose it (I can't watch this video without noticing all the beat mismatches in my own playing).

@nonh8nsk8r 4 года назад

Here's my question. At 66bpm, you stressed that we need to keep our wrist relaxed when we play 32nd notes. However, you went from using your wrist to using your entire forearm. Your wrist was very rigid. Is this what you meant by changing how you play at fast tempos?

@camieljansen5504 5 лет назад

Please make the followup video to this! I really love your teaching. :) You're great! Please come back.

@Ganapatiputra 5 лет назад

Yes, I hope too !

@modalmixture 11 лет назад

Thank you Rock, I'm so happy this was helpful for you! I made this video because I too was frustrated with the lack of good online instruction.

@bsfseminars6988 4 года назад

Your teaching style is so clear, systematic, and easy to comprehend! Thank you for posting this! I will practice and keep watching for more of your videos.

@TheWhiteDevil1612 13 лет назад

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

@davemarty2008 10 лет назад

It also works for plectrum banjo by offering rhythmic options while playing melody with chords.

@seanhayes6769 6 лет назад

This is outstanding! If you want to learn the right way, listen to this woman. She knows her stuff and how to teach it!

@MarieMandolin 9 лет назад

very good tutorial. Thanks for sharing . Marie Mandolin

@modalmixture 13 лет назад

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.

@mikeroos52 4 года назад

Aside from the audio issues, your teaching style is great. Thanks so much for this lesson!

@175epi 5 лет назад

Very thorough and super helpful -- thanks!

@arthurshappey6510 9 лет назад

This helped me a lot! Thank you so much!

@jim9214 11 лет назад

Thanks so much ..awesome lesson, well explained and building speed gradually...as well as making good use of my metronome.. you rock Girl!!! thank you!

@FroMarty 9 лет назад

What's that backing track it's great

@mandotom 9 лет назад

FroMarty Low Gap by John Reischman

@tomihu2 12 лет назад

why do you put background music on a music instructional video? :/

@RmSayen13 10 лет назад

Thank you so much ! I'll did that step by step as you have shown :) Sincerly, I want to thank you again ! from France =)

@DaveMac-sw3of 3 месяца назад

Great Lesson, Excellent Instruction Well Spoken, Detail Oriented Professional and Educational Thank You !

@pennythecat 11 лет назад

Excellent teaching skills. Thank you so very much.

@RobertBarkerMinistryChannel 9 лет назад

Excellent instruction! I love the way you broke that down!! You're a very good teacher.

@gtrjoe1901 7 лет назад

Great lesson and very well explained. Thank you for your time & effort ~ Happy Holidays ~ My Best ~ Joe

@runjeet6193 6 лет назад

I am a beginner, and your an excellent teacher. I like your relaxed approach. great to follow

@darrenj7 12 лет назад

You're an excellent instructor, thanks so much!

@sandee71 3 года назад

Thanks v v much , i am benefitting from this practice.But G STRING tremolo practice , sound level goes high enough to wake up all my family and neighbors as well.Any suggestion for that.

@Banjo-lm2wl 9 лет назад

Thank you so much for teaching me this lesson. I have learnt so much from you and I am very greatful for your time and knowledge. Gilly b Australia

@callmejackaroo4723 4 года назад

Hot damn! You're gifted! A talented musician, but your abilities as a teacher are hard to find, almost nonexistent on RU-vid. RU-vid videos are usually the desperate measure called for by desperate times because people suck at making them so bad. Hell, I'm sure I would suck too. Difference is, I don't make videos, while other people make 29 minute videos on how to peel an apple, but it seems more like a video of a guy who probably needs help spelling apple, recording hhimself as he attemlpgs to say um 200,000 times and forget what the hell he is talking about . I hope you are making your talent for instruction available! Good job

@alfredbarten4901 8 лет назад

Thanks. I've been struggling with this for two years. I'm determined to get it!!!

@BassoCantante19 11 лет назад

Marry me.

@mando45454545 11 лет назад

Tai Chi principles. Classical mandolin techniques. Loose wrist the key. I would only add that the pick itself is held loosely and allowed to wobble in the grip. The string is snapped more than hammered. The pick paints the string like a soft brush when the tremolo really gets going.

@SRHMusic012 6 месяцев назад

This is great. I'm coming from working on guitar technique, and the right hand issues are similar. I know it's an older video, but it's quite good! Question: At the high tempos, is the first stroke still a rest stroke or is it just accented? Thanks

@jakefletcher3305 4 года назад

Thank you, this is going straight in my saved vids! I do wish I could find a teacher like you local to me. Calm, clear and very informative.

@chuckstephens4251 5 лет назад

Thank you for great and very clear instructions :)

@busterfulton9652 7 лет назад

Great lesson, thanks! I learned so much in 15 minutes.

@WWS322 Год назад

I liked this video. I'm a new player who plays guitar. I'm very glad I started the mandolin because I became indifferent to guitar. I recently bought an octave mandolin which is coming in the mail.

@GaryGrindcore 11 лет назад

I somehow messed my mandolin up. The strings are so tight on the mandolin that I can barely get any sound out of it when I tremolo pick. I tried dropping it down, but it sounds bad. Any advice on the bridge set up?

@williamfitch1137 Год назад

I am amazed at how quick I learned the tremolo with your video! Awesome! Thank you Girl! I don't know your name but thank you!

@aluminumwelder1 4 года назад

Do you offer any private tremolo lessons. 1/2 hour lessons should be fine. By the time you get me to 32’s I’ll be worn out and wasted anyway, at my age. Thanks

@cjsmith8319 Год назад

Guitar player, here. Have yet to pick up a mandolin yet, as I already have piano and bass to deal with. Anyway, thank you so much for this video. I wanted to tap into bluegrass music and now I have a great start!

@Grandmas70 12 лет назад

Hi I play a little guitar and am now shifting to mandolin. My big question is how to hold the pick. I dont want to have correct later. what is secret. Thanks so much. great teacher you are.

@joefagan9335 2 года назад

The 1/32 is entirely wrist vibrato ☹️. I wish I could do it though but the rest stroke and wrist movement played no part in the tremolo

@subhankarbhattacharya2940 2 года назад

This is excellent .. , I have heard the classical mandolin players, they had modulations in their tremolos , almost like fade in - fade out of voice … how does they manage to do that .. it’s all in the right hand isn’t it ?

@cbearw1 5 лет назад

Excellent tutorial! Thankyou!

@RareBeardlessWizard 9 лет назад

you have a great way of explaining this

@MichaelDavis-dj7xc 2 года назад

Great Job ! I think this will help me a bunch .i am a new - be You make it so easy to understand. Thanks for sharing.

@ryankmichael 13 лет назад

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

@mattkeyser4330 5 лет назад

That’s a really great lesson! Thank you so much

@eryljones224 6 лет назад

This is excellent, though I struggle with the 32nd, my pick sticks/stumbles on the strings!

@royelmo38 5 лет назад

Get some Dunlop .71 mm Gator grip picks. They are great for mandolin.

@banjopa 11 лет назад

It also works for tenor banjo.

@Rick_Cleland 5 лет назад

_"Who's pickin' the banjo here...?"_

@sandee71 Год назад

Practice How much Max bpm @ G string?

@andyszpekman5205 7 лет назад

Extremely helpful! Thanks for posting this.

@BobbyDob 11 лет назад

This has really helped! After a hardcore practice, I had it down. (Y)

@floater156 8 лет назад

Do you have any videos with you playing a song that uses tremolo?

@mirekklemens662 2 года назад

Thank you very much my friend. ❤👍

@larrycannon647 4 года назад

The music in the background is very distracting.

@victorestell4819 3 года назад

thank you that was an awesome tutorial that guitar players don't seem to teach very well

@gopalyoga3178 Год назад

I really liked your class a lot, it was really useful and informative, plus i get on with your style so i looked for the next class but was very disappointed because there isn't one. At least i cannot find it. If there is Please let me know where and if not, I'm sure that 3.3K people who liked your video so far would be really pleased and grateful. ☺️

@gopalyoga3178 Год назад

Grateful if you do a series, i mean. That would be wonderful ,

@DieterLo1 Год назад

Very helpful! Last month I started to learn Mandoline! Greetings from Germany!

@jub8891 2 года назад

when my right hand hit the wall i replaced with a robotic hand

@ivansarjanovic3760 4 года назад

Excellent tutorial! Any new lessons?

@pegtop5455 4 года назад

You are a machine; an analytical meticulous machine. “She keeps her fire engine clean. It’s a clean machine.” Amazing. I think the metronome felt Intimidated by your sense of timing. I might be projecting my own emotions onto the metronome but I doubt it.

@studmuffin1212 3 года назад

Brilliant. Thank you so much!

@pir869 5 лет назад

subbed and liked,two questions,one topic,info first i play guitar,learning to frail(clawhammer banjo),banjolele too(learning),your pick,are you using the largest curved portion to skim on the strings,second,are you holding the pick to contact the strings at an angle to make a longer duration contact so the pick slides across the string from the bottom corner of the pick to the top corner as the pick goes down,almost grazing slicing through motion than a single pick as a ginger nail would,to stop the pick catching as opposed to using the most pointed portion of the pick,same as the muted "chuga chuga" motion for metal rock. All for the sixteenths and up speeds,lower speeds can be done using individual alternate picking. Kinda hard to describe ,but the "chuga chuga" is a thing,like as banjo "bum ditty",visual is easier.

@modalmixture 12 лет назад

@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...

@dixiefallas7799 2 года назад

Excellent I’ve just mailed this to my son as I’ve just bought him his first mandolin and a tenor banjo so this should apply to the banjo as well I would guess. He’s a metal guitarist which in itself should help as it involves similar techniques. He’s only been playing it for a couple of days but he’s nailing it with my Irish band. Thanks you are a good teacher.🇬🇧

@MarkMcCluney 10 лет назад

And John Reischman is playiong in the next room too! Isn't that a wee bit distracting? (it is for me.)

@jimmymahone5420 3 года назад

You made a much better video than most of us would have. Splendid demonstration and explanation. BTW, was that a Rocket Deluxe mandolin you were playing?

@budbranch 4 года назад

Hi - great ideas, thanks. 1) how far do you estimate your pick protrudes below the strings? 2) how tight is your grip? thanks again!

@modalmixture 12 лет назад

@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.

@modalmixture 11 лет назад

So find that tempo, that's your baseline. Then your task is to slowly move past that barrier out of your comfort zone. Bump up the metronome just 2 or 4 bpm at a time and keep working at it until you can record yourself playing right on the beat for a full 30 seconds at that tempo. Then bump up again. Repeat during each practice session. You'll get there, and sooner than you think!

@sunjamrblues 3 года назад

Many thanks! This is really valuable information for anyone wanting to learn to play a mandolin. Hopefully you will have time to do a re-make of this video with upgraded audio and video. If not, it is what it is.

@Pitsoup 10 лет назад

would Sarrod picking work with this? In Sarrod you use the natural turning of the wrist. Save's the tendons in the elbow and accuracy is highly improved. I play guitar and never pick this fast. I'm just throwing this out there for "Boots" or "Salute's". Later man

@aluminumwelder1 4 года назад

Just got a mandolin this week and am 70. I’m gonna climb this mountain. Thanks for your lessons. It helps a great deal. Oz. Daphne,Al.

@RetroRareandRad 5 лет назад

I have have been seriously considering picking up the Mandolin. My biggest concern is being able to get my 53-year-old brain to play at a fast speed. I love how you broke this down into component parts! I think I can do this! Thank you so much. Can't wait to start. Just gotta find the right Mandolin.

@MarkMcCluney 10 лет назад

Hey! I've got a wee Seiko metronome just like that. Have you ever stepped on yours? Really glad I stumbled on this vid. Thank you so much ad I'm looking forwad to seeing more of your lessons.

@ONESNZER0S 6 лет назад

i think i love you

@modalmixture 13 лет назад

@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.

@CoronelMontoya 5 лет назад

Yesterday I bought my mandolin, I'm a collecting several pieces og useful data from the Internet hahahahaha. Yours, dear lady, is a a Golden Piece 😁. Thank you so much! Big hug from Argentina.

@llanbradach 12 лет назад

This video was great, I have been playing the guitar for 30 years and just started to have a go at a mandolin, I had no idea that the tremolo had a rest stroke in it, I'm now on my way, thank you.

@Ginasong 10 лет назад

I practice this with you almost every day! I got my mandolin about 3 weeks ago and I can tell that I'm getting a little better by doing this video with you. Thanks so much! You're a very good teacher. However, whenever you get to the part where you talk about how "this part gets difficult for beginners," it psyches me out a little. lol It's true though. :-)

@mandoshane 12 лет назад

it would be nice if you weren't redlining the mic on every downstroke. very rough on my speakers and ears. that aside, very nice video. do you have a video where you discuss triplet tremolo tecnique?

@tetontent 14 лет назад

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"

@elcidbob 4 года назад

A different perspective on tremolo (not that your approach isn't great): Recall that part of the purpose of tremolo picking on a mandolin is that it has crappy sustain compared to the instruments it's usually played with. The volume drops off really fast, so tremolo is used as a sort of stand in for sustain where the repeated soundings of the note keep the volume high enough to cut through to the back of the crowd, so the thing you're modulating by changing your tremolo speed is that oscillating volume. In a studio or mic'd up this isn't really a concern and it's all just style, but it does present an approach that isn't necessarily locked to the beat.

@davemarty2008 10 лет назад

I totally enjoyed listening and watching your approach to demonstrating the tremolo. Extremely well done!

@aleistercrowley7594 4 года назад

Gracias por compartir great video

@billdavies6158 3 года назад

Thank you so much much for sharing,you explain everything brilliantly,I am an absolute beginner so when you say how long it takes to do these things it is a great comfort to know and gives me an idea of what to expect,I hope you will do more beginner classes.Kindest regards,stay safe all the best from Portugal...

@Mando1923 Год назад

I find your method of teaching, explaining & demonstrating far more informative than anyone else on YT You really have a gift for instructing. By chance do you teach any Skype lessons as I would be extremely interested. Waiting for your next mando lesson!!

@teachersimpson 10 лет назад

Excellent way of breaking down the basics! I'm picking up the mando after years of playing th guitar. I'm particularly looking for how not the play the mando like a guitar. :) this helped a lot!

@dal2888859 10 лет назад

Thank you! I just got my first mandolin today. I friend gave it to me in appreciate for a charcoal portrait I drew for him! I'm so excited as I've been wanting one for some time. I am a guitar player and have become familiar with the basic G, C, D and Em chords on the mandolin through messing around with friends' mandolins. Thank you for this great structured way to practice.

@twobobs6260 5 лет назад

Have you made any other videos from a teaching point? Really would like to learn Lonesome Moonlight Waltz, love the tremolo parts. Great to learn how to use a metronome properly. Thank you. Pauline

@cognosc 10 лет назад

You're a good teacher! Very listenable to, very followable. And I'm sure you know about the mic and occasional overloading so ignore my making any mention of it ;) thanks for the videos - will look for more!

@georgenico8257 6 лет назад

Guys & Gals, what about playing two 32nd notes at the same time? Am I saying this correctly? How does one accomplish this? In other words, lets say a C and a E played together in tremolo fashion. Does this require different training or can we use this video to start tremoloing two notes together as well? Thanks!

@nicnacnic 9 лет назад

Thanks so much! Simply by seeing your right hand position, I was able to adjust my left hand (lefty here) and get my tremolo technique way more comfortable. Needless to say, compared to whatever I was doing way wrong before, I feel I can actually tremolo now.

@tbobvideo 12 лет назад

Good instruction, thanks, likewise the RH technique video. To get into the micromechanics a bit: sometimes, especially on the up-pick, it feels like someof the motion could come from the fingers. My wrist is still doing most of the back and forth motion, but there's a bit of bending at the first joint of the index finger. Any thoughts? And thanks again.

@nealatthecrossfishing 4 года назад

I’m gonna start learning mandolin. I had no idea that my former background of playing heavy metal guitar would come in handy when I wanted to learn mandolin. Let it be known that I don’t play (or even listen to) metal anymore. God has been good to me!!

@bgagelove 11 лет назад

As you were building speed, how fast did you bump up the metronome on the 8th-16th-32nd note exercise? Did you play the whole thing at, say, 60 and then once you'd mastered that you'd bump it up one or two clicks? How would you recommend building speed?