You Can Play the Mandolin

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Tuning to a guitar: Well-tuned guitars are hard to come by, but if you do find one you can tune your mandolin to it. Just make your E string sound the same as the guitar's first, or bottom, string, which is also an E. Then ask the person holding the guitar to play the third string at the second fret; that'll give you the note for your A, or second, string. Next, have the guitarist play the fourth, or D, string, and tune your D string to match. And finally, tune your G string to correspond with the note produced by the guitar's third, or G, string. An even better way to tune a mandolin to a guitar is to have the guitarist play E, A, D, and G chords for you. (In any case, thank your friend for the help; you just might need his or her services again!)

Tuning hints: There's no getting around it: The mandolin is a persnickety instrument to tune; the double strings seem to play tricks on your ears. Even expert players have a tough time getting their instruments adjust ed perfectly. The only consolation is that once you do get the thing in tune, it tends to stay that way better than, say, a banjo.

When you're tuning a string, pluck it with your pick at the same time you're turning the peg. This will give you a better feel for how much the string is changing, and should therefore help you get it adjusted that much quicker. Also, if you're having trouble tuning one string in a pair without sounding the other string too (either because you strike it accidentally or as a result of sympathetic vibration), just lay a finger on the offender to muffle it while plucking its twin.

Tuning can be frustrating and tricky, so be patient and keep on trying. Take heart in knowing that other beginning mandolinists are also struggling at this very moment to get their blankety-blank instruments in tune.

THE PICK

Picks come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and thicknesses. After you've been playing awhile, you'll get a feeling for which kind is best for you. For starters, though, I recommend a teardrop-shaped medium pick . . . and I also suggest that you buy several rather than just one or two. A good rule of thumb is to get one pick for every pair of blue jeans you own. That's what they made that little pick pocket for, isn't it?

Holding the pick: Stick your right hand out in front of you, as though you were going to shake someone's hand (see photo 1). Now, while keeping your other fingers pointed straight out, bend your index finger inward, as shown in photo 2. Then balance your pick on the first joint of your index finger, with the tip of the pick pointing straight to the left (photo 3). Finally, to keep your pick from falling on the floor when you play, lay your thumb on the middle of the pick with enough pressure to restrain the thing (photo 4), but not so much that your thumb turns blue. You get the idea. The middle of your thumb should be right on the middle of the pick . . . and the pick, in turn, should be resting directly on the first joint of your index finger. Remember to keep your other fingers pointed outward.

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