Mandolin Reflection #7

I have been practicing scales on the mandolin, which really comes in handy for quicker finger movements. Learning by practice where notes are makes it automatic, as well as easier to read sheet music and makes my fingers move faster with less mistakes. Reading sheet music is a pain, but I realized that I have really managed to get the hang of finger placement when my friend left a violin at my house this weekend. The violin is a notoriously difficult instrument to play, but the finger positions are the same as the mandolin, so I thought I would test my skills on the mandolin by trying to play violin. It's different, because you use a bow and hold the violin under your chin, so that was hard to get used to, but I managed to play some scales and then "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". It's not exactly a difficult song, but it showed me that I have gotten better at the mandolin recently since my skills in that area were transferrable to another. I also tried to play a bluegrass ditty I had learned on the mandolin on violin, with some success -- it is harder to play the violin because there aren't frets. After a few tries I was able to get it right and play the correct notes without having frets to guide me, so I consider that a success as well. I also found that cello finger positionings are the same as mandolin ones. Again, it's a different technique of playing, but I was able to play scales and a couple mandolin songs that i know from sheet music. I think that this shows progression in my mandolin talents.