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FREE MANDOLIN LESSON 4 - by Bradley Laird

EXERCISE 3 - STEADY 8TH NOTES
Again, two 8th notes get one beat. In this exercise, you will play a steady stream of eight 8th notes on each string. This should be played with a "down-up down-up" pick direction throughout.

Starting each measure with a downstroke and ending each measure on an upstroke. This is counted aloud as "one and two and three and four and." Notice the "ands" are all on upstrokes.

EXERCISE 4 - STRING CHANGING
Here is an exercise to give you some practice in changing strings.

Keep the down-up pattern of pick direction going as you did in exercise 3.

EXERCISE 5 - COMBINING 8TH NOTES AND QUARTER NOTES
This exercise is similar to #2 in that we are combining 8ths and quarters.

Practice each measure alone before attempting to play the entire exercise. To count the rhythm of the first measure you say "one, two and, three four."

EXERCISE 6 - RESTS
A quarter note rest (shown in between the two notes in measure one) gets the same amount of time as a quarter note–you simply do not play a note. Move the pick down for the "rest" note, just do not touch the string. An eighth note rest (shown in measure 3) gets the same time value as an 8th note.

It is suggested that you move the pick in the normal up-down manner, just do not hit the string.

EXERCISE 7 - REPEAT SIGNS
Here are some more exercises in string changing. Measures enclosed by the repeat sign are played twice. Remember to use a down-up-down-up pick stroke pattern.

This stuff is easy! (Well, that last measure is not so easy!) I am ready to go to lesson 5.