Like any plucked instrument, mandolin notes decay to silence rather than sound out continuously as with a bowed note on a violin, and mandolin notes decay faster than larger stringed instruments like the guitar. This encourages the use of tremolo (rapid picking of one or more pairs of strings) to create sustained notes or chords. The mandolin's paired strings facilitate this technique: the plectrum (pick) strikes each of a pair of strings alternately, providing a more full and continuous sound than a single string would. COUNT 5
QSN1 What happens to mandolin notes when plucked?  ANS1 decay to silence QSN2 Do mandolin notes decay faster or slower than larger string instruments? ANS2 faster QSN3 What is tremolo? ANS3 rapid picking of one or more pairs of strings QSN4 What parts of the mandolin faciliate the tremolo technique? ANS4 paired strings QSN5 What is a plectrum? ANS5 pick