So I've been called on to play some mandolin in a theatre production. I used to have one, an Ozark, but I never got on with it, just found it too awkward and fiddly (even though I don't have any problems playing uke). So I treated myself to a new one, £350, so I figured it'd be a decent instrument, but I can't get past the effort it takes to fret notes and get them to be musical. It has what appears to be a nice low action, so is mandolin just bleedin' awkward to play? Doesn't help that the music I'm playing is in some pretty terrible keys.
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It's a tricky one. I play a lot of mandolin and have done for years. I tried to think of some constructive advice to your problem but it's kind of a non-specific problem because currently you just can't get on with it, which one way or another you'll have to get over. The only thing I have noticed is that people moving from classical (or at least who have learned classical or fingerstyle) find it easier to those who don't because much of you time is spent on the your fingertips, whereas at lot of non-classical players develop a more angled finger technique in the left hand that creates issues in the tight space of a mando.
It did my head in to begin with so I re-fretted it (up to the 12th fret) with bigger fret wire (Stewmac #0148) and it made it much easier for me.
It's maybe worth taking it to a tech to have the nut looked at and possibly recut. Mandolins aren't quite the same as guitars, in that you won't get a nice player for peanuts. At £350 it's likely it will need a setup before it can be used to it's potential. What is it, if you don't mind me asking?
A good gauge of the need for a setup is the following; put a capo on the first fret. Try playing a few chords. If you find it easier, then the nut needs attention.
Ultimately yes, the mando is a little different from a guitar in terms of playability, it's less forgiving with accuracy and finger strength, but a good setup will give you the best chance possible.
Maybe the capoed zouk will have the added advantage of enabling you to put the material into more friendly fingering patterns? I've seen a few players shifting capo positions mid piece to accomplish this.
Like the others have said, fret size makes a difference. I have an F5 style mando with big wire and a lovely sounding A-style that I had handmade by a US builder. The A-style is much harder to play because of the stupid, tiny frets, despite me ordering it with big ones. Needless to say it's become the crowning glory of my comically priced paperweight, ashtray, doorstop collection.
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