Difficulty playing round-back mandolin

Subject: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: Gulliver
Date: 10 Nov 06 - 01:40 PM

I play a round-back Suzuki mandolin at sessions. It's grand for accompanying songs but when I start into reels it keeps sliding about. This problem was mentioned in a couple of threads but I never saw a solution.

I've tried posture recommended by an expert mandolin player, taped sand-paper to the back, etc., but it still keeps sliding on the fast tunes. I have an old flat-back (Harmony), but the Suzuki sounds so much better, and when I can afford a new mandolin I want to get a good flat-back, but that won't be until sometime next year.

Any ideas on what to do until then?

Don

Subject: RE: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: pdq
Date: 10 Nov 06 - 01:46 PM

Get some Krazy Glue and glue it to your belly button.

Subject: RE: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: Big Mick
Date: 10 Nov 06 - 01:49 PM

pdq ....... you owe me a keyboard.

Mick

Subject: RE: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: pdq
Date: 10 Nov 06 - 01:53 PM

Sorry , but I'm a 'slow pay'.

Subject: RE: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: NH Dave
Date: 10 Nov 06 - 02:19 PM

Perhaps a "V" shaped neck strap that is long enough to extend down below the mandolin and then back up and clip to the sound hole on the front of the mandolin. The "force" of this strap will tend to tip the instrument up and out counteracting the tendency of the instrument to slide down.

Dave

Subject: RE: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: GUEST,Cluin
Date: 10 Nov 06 - 04:04 PM

A cordless drill/screwdriver and spme drywall screws work well (until the peritonitis takes hold).

Subject: RE: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: GUEST,Charles92027
Date: 10 Nov 06 - 06:53 PM

A Fluke ukulele has the same problem. Fortunately, the Fluke website: www.fleamarketmusic.com has the solution!
It's the jumping flea collar, which is exactly what Dave described, a strap that goes under the instrument and hooks onto the soundhole.

http://www.fleamarketmusic.com/store/Scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=213

Subject: RE: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: Leadfingers
Date: 10 Nov 06 - 06:56 PM

Round backed instruments DONT work with Round fronted Musicians !

Subject: RE: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: Gulliver
Date: 10 Nov 06 - 07:42 PM

Yes, I was thinking of a strap like that that because I saw one being used with an Ovation guitar. I'll try making one first. Thanks!

Subject: RE: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: Bernard
Date: 10 Nov 06 - 08:47 PM

What about a doughnut shaped piece of foam... diameter and thickness you'd need to work on!!

Subject: RE: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 10 Nov 06 - 09:19 PM

Greek bouzouki players must have the same problem - they seem to manage just by holding on their lap. Even when they are Round Bellied Musicians (which isn't at all unusual...)

Here's a clip of a Greek session showing this, and here's another player who seems to be coping. I dont know how they do it - I suppose it must be practice that does it.

I'd rig up a strap, either round the neck or round the waist.

Subject: RE: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: Gulliver
Date: 10 Nov 06 - 10:43 PM

If I'm playing for any length of time I use a strap around my right shoulder (I started with it round my neck, but changed it) and this supports the neck somewhat. I suppose practice will help--I've only been playing it around four months--but we seem to be getting more gigs now that the cold weather (Dublin) is setting in and the playing is getting more demanding.

I really noticed the difference playing a flatback that I picked up last Sunday at a gig and the ease with which I could play even the faster pieces on it...

Folk tell me they love the sound of the roundback and even just to look at but they don't realize what a pain it can be at times to play!
Don

Subject: RE: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 11 Nov 06 - 02:33 AM

God bless Orville Gibson.

eric

Subject: RE: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: breezy
Date: 11 Nov 06 - 02:39 AM

I had one , only good for hanging up

Do what I did and get a blue grass!, flat back mandolin, the one you have is no good as a practical instrument.

Round belly, nice one Terry

Subject: RE: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: Stower
Date: 11 Nov 06 - 03:45 AM

I play the Renaissance lute. Here's the solutions lute players use for the same problem (either one of the following or combining two solutions could be the answer):
a. Use non-slippy fabric on your leg underneath the instrument, such as a chamois (correct spelling?) leather - slippy leather's no good, of course! Some lutenists use the rubbery webbing sometimes used under carpets.
b. Wear a strap such that the instrument is suspended on your front and positioned slightly angled when viewed from the front. You'd have to experiment to find what suits you best. It might look a bit like this
c. Attach a strap or fabric to the strap button on the tail end of the instrument only (not the head stock), then tuck or fold the strap or fabric under your right leg (if you're right handed) so that the instrument becomes secure. This way the instrument becomes permanently suspended at the angle you like as long as you don't shuffle in your seat!
d. Try various ways of crossing your legs, perhaps like this. I must admit I find this gives me pins and needles after a while, but it works for some.
e. Use a foldable footstool.

I hope some of this helps. Of course, the smaller size of the mandolin may make many of these suggestions impractical. Good luck!

Subject: RE: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: Gurney
Date: 11 Nov 06 - 07:16 PM

I vaguely remember seeing someone play a roundback with a flat strip of something (metal?) held on the back by elastic to the soundhole, top and bottom.
It was a long time ago, and I was a good way away, so it wasn't a very clear view.   A disc of plywood with an egg-shaped hole should work.

Subject: RE: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 12 Nov 06 - 04:04 AM

Most round back players play sitting down, end of problem.

eric

Subject: RE: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: GUEST,memyself
Date: 12 Nov 06 - 10:07 AM

I never have trouble playing round-back; it's when I try to bring my mandolin up-front that the trouble starts.

Subject: RE: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: Mark Ross
Date: 12 Nov 06 - 10:48 AM

The great Kenny Hall solved that problem. He stands the mandolin upright on his knee. Doesn't use a flatppick, uses a finger nail!

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: Stower
Date: 12 Nov 06 - 05:22 PM

Eric, if merely sitting down really solves the problem, and you know this because you, too, play a bowl-back mandolin, you are *very* lucky in not having a problem almost every other bowl-back instrument player has. If you do play and sitting down solves the problem for you, perhaps you could advise Gulliver on posture and positioning?

Subject: RE: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: Dave Hanson
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 04:10 AM

Although I still have a bowl back mandolin, I no longer play it, but a long time ago I played a top of the range Suzuki and can't remember having problems playing sitting down, I played with the instrument resting on my right thigh at about 45 degrees.
Old photos of mandolin orchestras show them [ almost ] all seated.


eric

Subject: RE: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: stevethesqueeze
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 09:09 AM

I only ever play my bowlbacked instrument sat down and I use a piece of imitation Chamois leather I bought from a car accesory store for a pound or two whch seems to hold her in position. I just plonk the chamnois on my knee and the instrument on top. The chamois can also be used for mopping up spilt beer of the table.

stevethesqueeze

Subject: RE: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: GUEST,Jack Campin
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 09:59 AM

Something I have used to hold an ud in place: the sticky-feeling plastic mesh you use to stop crockery sliding around on tables or to stop objects from sliding around on car dashboards. As an automotive product it comes in single sheets, as kitchenware it comes in rolls and much cheaper.

On an ud, once you've got the playing position right you don't need any special tricks. But that position (neck dead horizontal, soundboard dead vertical) is a bit odd for sighted Westerners since you can't see what either hand is doing.

Subject: RE: Difficulty playing round-back mandolin
From: GUEST
Date: 13 Nov 06 - 10:45 AM

In discount stores they sell little rolls of rubber mesh. It keeps anything from sliding around. I put it under powderweight telephones to keep them from hitting the floor, powerstrips, keep some in the car for traveling casseroles.   Look wherever they sell shelfpaper or contact paper and you may find it. Easily cuts to any size, it's not sticky but it grips. And the investment is about a dollar or two so it's cheap to try out.