From the course: Mandolin Lessons: 1 Fundamentals

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The right hand, part 2

The right hand, part 2

- I'd like now to talk a little bit about different colors that you can get on the mandolin. There's a full range of sounds, obviously, and I encourage you even from the first time you pick up the instrument, to really begin to explore what is there and what is possible. And not get too fixated on playing the mandolin at one part of the string, with one volume level. To start exploring various dynamics. So the basic position I taught in the last exercise was letting the pick rest right there, where it feels very natural for your thumb to set. And that puts my pick, based on the size of my hand, right at the end of the finger board, is where my pick tends to hit. At the end of, they call it the Florida, I guess. (laughs) Me being from Florida, that makes sense. And that's sort of my medium tone, and of course as soon as I go back by, there's this whole other sound back by the bridge. It's real edgy and bright, and when I think about Monroe. That's where you get that sound. But the…

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