Lesson 1. From open strings to the first use of the little finger

With the first exercises of the Munier Elementary Studies we begin to familiarize ourselves with the instrument.
We will see in particular the exercises from number 1 to number 11.
Some small recommendations.

The first notes on the mandolin. Let's tune the instrument

The four double strings of the mandolin must be tuned in unison, that is, each string must be tuned in the same way as its twin.
Since there is an old joke that says that mandolinists spend half their time tuning the instrument and half playing with the instrument out of tone, it's better to spend thirty euros more for a good mandolin and ten euros for an electronic tuner.
The first two strings or cantini are tuned to the Mi and are those of thinner steel.
The second two strings must be tuned on the A and are always made of steel but a little bigger.
The third two strings are coated and must be tuned to the king.
The fourths, also coated, are to be tuned on the G.
Tune the strings one at a time, that is, do not try to tune both strings of the pair at the same time, because you will only waste time.

So are you ready?
And let's start with this adventure

Ethan Setiawan and Jeff Brassell in concert, 7 p.m., Thursday, March 23, 2017 in Bluffton, Ohio

Setiawan and his brilliant mandolin will share the stage with the voice of Brassel at Bluffton Town Hall Concert Series at 7 p.m., Thursday, March 23, in Bluffton, Allen and Hancock counties, Ohio.
If you find over there the evening could be really interesting

2017 Monroe Mandolin Camp. Nashville 13 to 17 September 2017

It will be held September 13 to 17 the 2017 edition of Monroe Mandolin Camp. The event is scheduled in Nashville, Tennessee, the city where great part of American music was born.

New this year is the inclusion of a course on blues influences. The course will be taught by the excellent Rich Del Grosso, a great in the teaching field of the blues mandolin.

The fees are reasonable, although it still has to be added to the microscopic detail of the trip, but there are discounts and grants.

More information can be found here

2017 Summer camp of the International Italian Mandolin & Guitar Accademia

Maestro Carlo Aonzo, the great italian mandolin virtuoso, announced that this year the annual Summer camp will be held again in Acqui Terme, a small city close to Alessandria, in the north west of Italy, August 20 to 27.
More informations about location, enrollment, courses and accomodation can be found here 

An interesting article in the Wall Street Journal on the great Avi Avital

The personal history of Avi Avital, the Israeli mandolin player based in Berlin, resembles in many respects a fairy tale.
The Wall Street Journal tells this tale on Feb. 9, 2017.
The article can be found here, it really worth to read it

Whole picking and half picking. Tremolo e staccato

Let's face it. Talking about 'half-picking' and ‘whole picking’ will give you, at a minimum, alarmed reactions of astonishment. The question will come in a second, how can even exist a pick in half.

But in the mandolin whole and half picking do exist and their definition is common to the vast majority of the classical methods for mandolin.

In particular, the whole picking is the movement by which the pick hits the strings TWICE, one down (from SOL to MI – from G to E) and up (from MI to SOL – from E to G).

The half picking is the movement with which the pick hitting the strings ONCE, up OR down.

When a note is played with 4 whole picking the strings will then hit 8 times, four down and four up.

Munier in the method assigned at the beginning, a 'correct' number of whole picking for different note values ​​ranging from 8 whole picking for the whole note, which is worth 4/4, up to 2 for the quarter note, which is worth ¼.

To this definition I would also add 1 whole picking  for the chroma, which is 1/8, cause that definition is then given (for the initial phase of the staccato study) and used in the text.

The use of whole picking in the precise measurement is used in the development of the tremolo mechanism, the wrist, arm and hand will gradually adapt to this new movement and, once well mastered the movement, you will first increase the speed and then double the number of whole picking per note, bringing to 16 the whole picking for whole note and to 4 whole picking for the quarter note.