Beginner Mandolin Practice Tips from Mike Marshall

[@ninaappasamy4155]

This is really helpful. Thank you. Since I already know how to read music, learning the notes to songs isn't so hard, but that's really only half of the game. I didn't realize how much my playing was hindered by the fact that I was constantly trying to hold my mandolin in place.

[@paulruppa4160]

Mike, this is a great lesson. I'll be sending this link to all my current and former mandolin students. Part of my reasoning is that in this video you reinforce the direction that I've been giving for years. I could never come close to your playing, but my emphasis on fundamental tone production tone production technique syncs up with what I've learned and taught over the years. Students who follow your lead will be very happy with their success. Good luck with your school and Thanks!

[@iamsem2]

Thank you so much for these lessons! I just got a mandolin for Christmas and I love it.

[@bkdexter79]

The world is a better place with more Mandolin players!

[@mrswhitesscienceclasses8463]

Thank you for taking time to make these videos. I look forward to working on these fundamental exercises- as soon as I get my fingers toughened up a bit more!

[@stephenreiss10]

What a great lesson. Thank you very much.👍

[@stephtraveler7378]

Love it. Just like hitting a baseball or swinging a golfclub... Loose grip generates the power...

[@jean-lucbersou758]

this mandolin has such a wonderful tone .....ready for Music .

[@namelesswanderer9315]

Thanks for these videos. I wish I could afford your class on ArtistWorks, but it's beyond my budget by a lot.

[@radharcanna]

Great tips. Thank you.

[@joesneon]

Thank you Mike,I am a guitar player and a little banjo. I am lookin forward to the mandolin!!!!

[@MichaelDavis-dj7xc]

Thanks Mike your a great teacher

[@howgoodcanyouget1943]

very useful tips to keep in mind. has helped me in the songs I post on my channel of beginner progress :)

[@RavenMadd9]

Thank you MM

[@cbearw1]

Thankyou!

[@vini4cordaseph6cordas44]

Esse cara toca pra caralho

[@MrAuell]

Hey Mike, you are one cool cat!!! I am getting a Northfield Big Mon ( Englemann) partly on having heard you rave about them. The raves of Adam Steffey and Emory Lester meant nothing to me.... just kidding. They meant a lot. I have the Northfield F5S here in trial and I will choose whichever I like best between it and the Big Mon. We’ll see! I do like the F5 pretty well. Thanks for all you do!

[@Grindstaff09]

big mon in the end?

[@carloaiazzi6341]

Very good

[@TheSyngapur]

Thanks Mike amazing videos, please could you recommend me some good and soft set strings? I'm using Daddario Nickel plated steel EJ67 and I found them really hard on my fingers. Maybe you know something more soft materials? Brand? Thanks in advance and I'm your fan number 1! Cheers

[@TheSyngapur]

@Gypsy Mandola a big star on the sky have your name, thanks a lot! Coated of course, maybe some specific brand? Again thanks in advance! ☺️

[@claudiaking3012]

Do you have some tips for how to toughen up your fingers when you are just a beginner?

[@GoA7250]

Practice.... by doing is the only real way.

[@kylemcdermott2728]

Play play play !!!

[@LearnerChess]

Play until your fingers begin to hurt, being careful not to press down too hard on the strings. Then just repeat and soon your fingers won't bother you. (At least that's the way it worked for me. No need to torture yourself.)

[@heatherwatterson590]

Also make sure the action isn't too high on your instrument. If your mandolin is a student-style mandolin that's budget friendly, it's very likely to have the action too high (strings high off the fretboard), typical of economy brands, making you press harder thn you should have to. To solve this, take it to a music or guitar shop where they offer the service of "setting up" your instrument. This is part of it. It will help you not need to press down so hard. Not as expensive as you might think. ~$50. More if other stuff needs done. If it's more than $100, you're getting ripped off. God bless.

[@carldelia2386]

I just bought a Loar LM310. I’m not sure what gauge the strings are but they hurt my fingers. I’ve been playing for months now, I have calluses but I can’t seem to be able to play very long. Is there a gauge string you would recommend?

[@mikewilliams258]

"Good to see you all?" How does he do it?

[@peterdanner2336]

Mike Williams - One option, Euwall is a Scandinavian dude managing the camera 🧐

[@jasperZoeChloe]

5 min of pick tutorial is not what I expected

[@jamescarroll6954]

Take it from a self-“taught” player of stringed instruments who has arthritis and overuse injuries that could have been prevented-this guy knows what he’s talking about.

[@JustFiddler]

thank you

[@billtaurua1327]

Rio Herwindo mandolins

[@MsCellobass]

Do u recommend thumb pick?

[@ukewig]

Thanks beginner muchly!

[@MrMit-ng3dz]

i always did love to play the mandolin learned it in music class one day i never played any strings instrument before(had an electric guitar but i couldn't play it) but i was very good played lessons ahead of my class played songs i'd didn't know basically the teacher's favorite couple of months later the class stopped because one teacher said the it was the devil's instrument mfw i was called a satanist

[@uPick-iLick]

Dont consider it an insult, modern satanists (aside from the cult variety) are basically just an organized group of people whose main rule is "dont be an asshole"

[@herbertwells8757]

@@uPick-iLick As my high school friend Chuck used to say, “Everybody’s gotta have something.”

[@Bazerkly]

KOOL

[@TomasAntmarkDagobert]

I thought i had big hands :D

[@Rick_Cleland]

Oof.