Mandolin Lessons

Mandolin
Originally uploaded by Snak Shak

A few weeks ago I signed myself up for mandolin lessons. I've had a mandolin for years now, and can play a few songs on it, but I've never really gotten to a level that might be described as "proficient".

I am quite pleased with how quickly my right hand came back into form - my attack and pick control is really better than it should be give, given how little I've played this thing over the past few years. The right hand is getting there. The chord positions are so different from my more familiar guitar and the scale length is so different that there is an adjustment period to this, but the left hand is getting more agile as well.

At the moment, I am working on keeping rhythm while throwing in fills. That's a little like walking and chewing gum, but it's a must-have skill for any mandolin player. Next up will be soloing. That will be less of a stretch if I can get my fills down over the next couple of weeks.

It's fun to pull out an instrument again, I must say. I've been away from guitar, mandolin or bass for awhile longer than I care to admit, so dipping a toe back into music feels pretty good.