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Pick Direction 10
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The Scottish Mandolin
Conclusion
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Pick Direction 10
Conclusion
Pick direction is a thorny subject, and one which can produce anguish in beginners and even more experienced players who are thinking about it for the first time. It's not easy to begin with, but like everything else it becomes easier with practice.
It's worth finishing with a few quotations from experienced mandolin players:
"[The D-u-d-u pattern is] essentially a "default setting" for the right hand which ingrains linear rhythmic location within the meter." - Niles Hokkanen
"Poor pick direction technique will severely inhibit your ability to make progress beyond entry level playing." - Mike Stangeland
"One thing I have found is that if I am having a problem with a tune, and if the problem is not hitting the right notes, it is almost always a problem with pick direction.." - John Bird
Good luck and good pickin'!
This tutorial is also available as a PDF file which you can download from here. Be warned, however, it's a big file (700Kb).