Technique
will hear note softly but clearly. You can
practise slide slowly: strike C#, then let it
ring a few seconds before moving whole
hand energetically to right. Use of pinkie
in this situation is by no means arbitrary;
it really is most efficient finger in context.
c)
There are a number of interesting aspects
at c.
1. You almost certainly know standard
downstroke sign but perhaps are
less familiar with upstroke sign with
dot. It was introduced around 30
years ago and indicates an upstroke
on only one of pair of strings. There
is a similar sign for downstroke on
only one string of pair but I didn’t
need it for this tune. These signs
would obviously be meaningless for
instruments with single strings, like
violin or modern guitar, but they
come in handy for double-strung
instruments like mandolin. Generally
the sound has more ‘body’ if both
strings of a pair are sounded – the
thinner sound of single string then
provides useful contrast.
2. Remember swing treatment of equallooking quavers.
3. For left hand: as you play notes C,
C# and D, leave each finger down; by
the time you play D, three fingers (2,
3 and 4) are all exerting same force
on string.
4. I think it sounds good to let higher D
keep ringing when you play lo