Mandolin Picking Advice

[Bucksstudent]

I've been a casual mandolin player almost as long as I've been playing guitar. However, I have always had this problem, and never noticed it until now. When I pick, I rest my hand near the bridge, which obviously leaves little room, and I end up hitting the fretboard on the E and A strings. I tried correcting this by playing with my hand behind the bridge, but I can't palm mute that way, and the open strings end up ringing a little.

I realize that I'm probably not the first player to ever have this problem, and decided to come to some real players for advice.

[Pine Apple Slim]

??? I don't get it. Are your hands that big? Maybe you can make a video so we can see what your talking about? Mandolin is not really flatpicked in the same way as a guitar. And palm muting seems to be a weird thing to be doing as well to me. Mandolin notes generally ring out. If you want stattaco rhythms you mute with the fretting hand. Watch this vidoe of David Grisman. I don't think hes anchoring his hand at all. Looks more like his forearm is kinda anchored but the wrist and hand stays free to move. It kinda floats, with maybe the pinky draggin on the top for posistion at times. 

 

Heres Chris Thile, his grip appears similar, but more of a closed fist with no pinky to feel the top.

 

And the master's hand looks similar as well.

 

 

 

 

 

[Bucksstudent]

Well, I'm not exactly playing bluegrass here, but...

 

On the higher strings, I hit that part of the fretboard.

Often on chords, I end up hitting this part of the fretboard, or just when I pick the two low strings when I'm hybrid picking. I palm mute to get the Carter/Johnny Cash "boom-chuck" sound, which sounds good on the mandolin.

When I pick between the fretboard and bridge, strings ring out while I'm doing runs and picking out individual notes. When I play guitar, I'm able to mute ringing notes with my palm so it doesn't sound sloppy.