Playing Fast, Precise Tremolo on the Mandolin

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

[@bobtrue1339]

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]

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.

[@RockReynolds]

I have watched dozens of mandolin how-to's on KZbin. 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

[@mabikey]

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!

[@bsfseminars6988]

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.

[@davidmolloy126]

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

[@seanhayes6769]

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

[@modalmixture]

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.

[@ShelsleySpecial]

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]

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

[@camieljansen5504]

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

[@Ganapatiputra]

Yes, I hope too !

[@mikeroos52]

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

[@jakefletcher3305]

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.

[@irvinsmoot7511]

I've played for quite a while with no formal training. Your tutorial has helped me get started on the formal aspect. It has really helped me clean up and speed up my technique. Thanks.

[@aluminumwelder1]

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.

[@RobertBarkerMinistryChannel]

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

[@muhammadnaeem439]

Very effectivley explained to play these notes. One of the best videos to understand music. Thanks.

[@runjeet6193]

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

[@ryankmichael]

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

[@smartassan]

Thank you for posting this tutorial. You make it so clear and easy to understand.

[@CoronelMontoya]

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.

[@alfredbarten4901]

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

[@Whitehawkvisionfilms]

This is so AWESUM! Thanks! Your teaching skills are excellent!

[@davemarty2008]

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

[@Banjo-lm2wl]

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

[@RmSayen13]

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

[@97teledlx]

Thankyou for the lesson!!!! I gravitate toward "play it like this" lessons and being able to hear the final result is so helpful. You are a great instructor! Now to get working on this. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

[@TheTaiylorWallace]

I just got my mandolin last week and I've just reached chord work, but I was curious about tremolo. No one else has this advice. I tried it out, playing along with the video, and I was ecstatic to find it's not nearly as tough as other people made it seem. I could even keep up where I never used to be able to at a faster pace because I followed your wrist and arm advice. Thanks so much!

[@danielbatts9386]

Wow! The best technique video I've seen yet. Great explanation.

[@rainmtn53]

Thanks for unlocking the mystery of tremolo here! Keep up the great work.

[@andyszpekman5205]

Extremely helpful! Thanks for posting this.

[@suedavis6726]

Very clear teaching and I can tell it will be very helpful for me. Thank you!

[@robertadair9756]

I was close, and your video got me up to speed playing evenly! You’re the best!

[@busterfulton9652]

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

[@mellio9077]

You’re a wonderful teacher! Thank you for this wonderful tutorial

[@robhenningsen6210]

Awesome video! Practicing this everyday! Thank you for posting!

[@dadomilosevic9662]

Yes, yes. I have really enjoyed your lesson. Bravo!

[@dal2888859]

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.

[@Targetteer1]

What an absolutely delightful young lady!Thanks so much for your effort it has really helped me with the tremolo ,this is the best explanation of how to achieve this technique that I have seen,even from some of the big name players,just goes to show that just because your good at something doesnt mean you can teach it.This young lady is a very fine teacher!

[@leimaniax]

What a lovely human! Thank you for sharing this with us.

[@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.

[@nicnacnic]

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.

[@NoelRead]

Great lesson, thanks - I have been trying to work out how to play tremolo and this really helped.

[@ukulele15]

This is a hit out of the park, the rest-stroke is golden. Thanks & yes best on youtube!

[@TheNickdale]

Thank you. You are a very natural and good teacher.

[@cognosc]

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!

[@bgagelove]

Thanks! Will do. I think this is one of the best picking videos for mandolin or guitar that I have seen on KZbin. Thanks and keep up the good work!

[@fiddlerfinch]

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!

[@darrenj7]

You're an excellent instructor, thanks so much!

[@175epi]

Very thorough and super helpful -- thanks!

[@pennythecat]

Excellent teaching skills. Thank you so very much.

[@mattkeyser4330]

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

[@aaroncohen9896]

You are an excellent instructor! Thank you!

[@cjsmith8319]

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!

[@arthurshappey6510]

This helped me a lot! Thank you so much!

[@stevensimmons2675]

Excellent help. You wouldn't believe how much this has helped my guitar playing. Thank you so very much. Think your personality is awsome too. All the best to you!

[@DaveMac-sw3of]

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

[@philiphiggins3697]

this is the best help on tremolo I have seen. If I didn't live so far away I would have a few lessons from you. Thanks. Phil

[@mssippijim]

Thanks for the video, this is one of my trouble spots in playing mandolin.

[@chuckstephens4251]

Thank you for great and very clear instructions :)

[@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.

[@modalmixture]

@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!

[@dixiefallas7799]

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.🇬🇧

[@terrilomax1393]

Very clear, precise, and to the point !!

[@llanbradach]

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.

[@billdavies6158]

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...

[@lonrorow7571]

Thank you. Very clear and concise technique instruction.

[@nealatthecrossfishing]

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!!

[@MarieMandolin]

very good tutorial. Thanks for sharing . Marie Mandolin

[@estherfriedman5280]

You are a really good teacher! Thanks!

[@RareBeardlessWizard]

you have a great way of explaining this

[@jimwrathall5323]

Superb presentation, amazingly useful.

[@cbearw1]

Excellent tutorial! Thankyou!

[@teachersimpson]

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!

[@maggiefay1]

Excellent video for my beginning experience!

[@davemarty2008]

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

[@leikowooten]

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

[@DieterLo1]

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

[@banjopa]

Your technique will also work on plectrum and tenor banjo. I have been sending my students to this video to learn how to practice learning the tremolo based on your instruction here. Very well done!

[@buffalochipkicker]

Thanks so much! This is the first tremolo tutorial I've come across that really makes sense to me. Now maybe I can get somewhere...

[@ENSONIQ5]

Excellent instructional, thanks for this! I'm off to practice!

[@Lewisvilletexan]

I found your videos very helpful, and I really like your instructional style. I sincerely hope that you will consider making more of these instructional videos. It helped my tremolo a bunch.

[@Ginasong]

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. :-)

[@MichaelDavis-dj7xc]

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.

[@modalmixture]

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).

[@christopherreily1895]

So very helpful. Thank you so much!

[@magicdave93]

Another great lesson, thanks for posting. 👍

[@jimmarinella3666]

Thank you! Great instruction and inspirational!

[@cadaver4457]

As a drummer/mandolinist/guitarist etc this Seems obvious but im realizing now that for most people this isnt easy at all. I forget sometimes that some habits are learned and not built-into us and i can sometimes be a little too demanding of people. This lady's a great, patient teacher i could take some notes from

[@Junsq1]

This was really helpful. I am guitarist and I haven't found such a good tutorial for tremolo from guitar tutorials.

[@CPettybone1]

Great instruction! Having been an active Mandolin player with bad right hand technique for about 38 years and I've finally decided to "clean it up". You have been a great help! Now all I need to do is figure out how to practice this AND keep playing......Guess I'll take couple of Mando months off and finger pick the guitar or some thing. This is all your fault! Thanks!

[@royelmo38]

If you practice it progressively as she shows it takes no time to learn. Focus on the getting the first beat with more emphasis like she shows. That helps the progression stay grouped properly. She had trouble keepin up at 92 on the metronome.

[@fugidubber]

Thank you for sharing this lesson!!

[@gtrjoe1901]

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

[@CotnerMD]

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

[@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. :)

[@williamfitch1137]

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!

[@banyanroot]

Super video. This is so helpful!

[@studmuffin1212]

Brilliant. Thank you so much!

[@brianlittleton4714]

Thanks for the lesson. I'm using this to learn guitar picking at this point

[@jim9214]

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!

[@ptalbany]

Thank you I have not understood how to do this till now very clear on showing us this method

[@abbym.471]

Great instructional video. Thanks.