Newbies and Lurkers - Start Here

[scanbran]

Sounds good, Danny.

As I play more mandolin and octave mando, I find myself going back to the plectrum more and more, and it feels weird, and I can no longer hold on to the bloomin' thing!

I don't use one for guitar at all, and that's what I like about frailing banjo - it's all in the fingers

[Danny]

I'm more than happy to give you plectrum holding tips mate, it's the one area of guitar playing/musicianship that I can't fault myself on.

[scanbran]

Ha!

I think I need them ;D

Tried again today with some alternate bass strumming and just went back to fingernail instead.

Fiddly wee things that they are

[Danny]

OK, curl your index finger around on itself, making a sort on U shape, or as lower case n if that makes any sense, then place the fatter or wider end of the plectrum on the end pad with the narrower end (the part you actually pick with) facing out a roughly a 90 degree angle, and then just lower your thumb into place to hold it.

It'll probably feel quite alien at first, but stick with it it really does work.

Also, place your little finger on the body of the guitar/mandolin/whatever and use it as a kind of pivot when you play, that how everybody from bluegrass mandolin players to speed metal guys get to play REALLY fast and accurately. The chances are everyone from Eddie Van Halen to Bill Monroe have done exactly the same thing.

I hope that helps and that it made sense. If you have any trouble understanding it, let me know and I'll try and figure out how to do a you tube video on it.

[ocarolan]

Hello! Newbie signing in! Came across this Forum by accident and noticed that scanbran was here too. I know him from another Forum, and have also had the pleasure of meeting him/wife/daughter at an acoustic meet up last year. (His current avatar pic was taken then.) So I thought I'd join up here too.

I'm well into boring old f*rtdom now, being 61 7/12. have played acoustic guitar since around 1963 (thanks Bert Weedon), and, after cutting my teeth on the Shadows and the Beatles, became a folkie because there was a new music teacher at school - a female person of the opposite thingy! A rare thing in a boys school back then. Have been a folkie ever since. Thanks Gill!

Am at a bit of a loose end atm as the ceilidh band in which I played for 12 years or more, and the pub session I co-hosted for almost as long have gradually folded over the past two years.
Really miss that. I lead a worship band in our rural village church every Sunday, but that's a bit different. I have kept up a campaign for several years that we should have an occasional Sunday service in one of the three village pubs - no luck so far.

Anyway, my first love is fingerstyle acoustic guitar, and I dabble in uke, mandolin, bouzouki and electric bass guitar when I get the chance.

Looking forward to getting to know this place and some of its inhabitants!
Keith

[scanbran]

Hi Keith, so you've taken the plunge, then? ;D

I'm sure the folks on here will enjoy your contributions, particularly your music.

You know, I don't know if I introduced myself - must have, but not as comprehensively as that.

Anyway, cool you're here

Martin

[ocarolan]

Thanks for the welcome Martin! Nice to see a familiar face too!
Keith

[ned]

Hi Keith.
Welcome to the mob!
Martin said we would enjoy your music, so why not bung some on?
Funny thing is, we found a copy of Bert 's book Play in a day about a month ago at a boot sale, gotta give it a try and see if I can !
Cheers
Pete

[ocarolan]

Thanks for the welcome Ned. I started with Play in a Day - I'm not entirely convinced that the "Day" has come yet!

I'll happily bung some music up, thanks for the invitation, but is there anywhere in particular for that, or is any subforum/thread remotely relevant to the instrument OK?
keith

[Danny]

Hi Keith

Sorry I've not welcomed you on here sooner, I've just moved house and it's been all chaos and mayhem the last few weeks.

I'm Danny the eejit / hopeless optimist who started this site, welcome aboard

As for your music, post it where ever you want to, we're quite informal, and I'm a long way from being a forum Nazi so no need to worry about getting a telling off or anything.

I've been playing guitar for over 11 years now, and I still can't play fingerstyle worth a damn, any tips greatly appreciated mate.

As I said, welcome aboard, now, throw a few songs at us all, we don't bite often

[ocarolan]

Hi Danny and thanks for the welcome. Well done for starting this site - I like the look of it - informal is good; very good!
Hope the moving chaos clears asap.
keith

[Danny]

Cheers Keith

Thanks for the compliment, I didn't want this place to be too stuffy, that ain't what music is about is it?

The moving chaos is gradually getting cleared, at least I'm only a mile from the sea side now, if I ever get fed up with it I can take a walk along the beach to relax.

Danny

[mac]

Morning guys another newbie lurker here.

After years of enjoying banjo music in its various form and wishing I could play myself i have finally taken the plunge.

update - decided not to go for Goldtone CC, but have now bought a Deering Maple Prince and sorted out a teacher.

I'm really excited waiting for my new baby to arrive and to get to grips with clawhammer/frailing playing. Not much else to report yet but watch this space.

regards Mac

[ned]

Welcome Mac
Andy has a good reputation, so it should arrive set up and ready to go.
Good luck with the learning process ( Do you play anything else ? ).
Remember there is a lot of free tuition available from Patrick Costello, you can find him in the links.
Let us know how you get on!
Cheers Pete

[mac]

Hi Ned thanks for the welcome. Yes I do play something else the Alto Sax very badly hey ho we cant all be Charlie Parkers


Regards Mac