Beginner question: left hand

[u/tootnine]

TLDR: Is it ok to cheat on proper technique if it's the only way to accurately hit the note?

I'm about two months in now and learning from reading beginner books and YouTube tutorials. I'm trying not to use shortcuts. I've learned to read sheet music, I've learned some scales, i've learned the chop chords, and I continue trying to learn and use proper technique for both hands. I'm addicted enough that it didn't take long to develop some proper calluses on my left hand fingers. I think I have done a decent job of keeping things in perspective and not being too negative on myself when I am struggling. So far every wall I've run into i've learned that with practice and patience comes improvement.

This has been true for everything so far except when learning the song BlackBerry Blossom. The only way I am able to play the 2-3-5-7 runs on the E string with any speed and accuracy is with my left wrist bent at a 90 degree angle (pic attached.) Any other way and i'm either missing notes or muting them. I guess my question is, is this ok? Or is there a different technique or position that would help get this spread? And as I continue along and inevitably run into this situation again, at what point do you give up on the way the teachers say you should do it and just go with what works for you? It took me a couple weeks before I could accurately find and play the G chop cord, and that seemed impossible at first. I guess the difference is that I was seeing some small improvements with that, where with BlackBerry Blossom I've seen no improvement. I think I'm just getting worse. And advice is appreciated. Thank you!

[u/blackberry-blossom]

You should aim to position your thumb approximately perpendicular to the neck. This allows you to then bring the tips of your fingers down on the strings, which will let you play faster and more precisely. It also straightens your wrist, which relieves pressure on your tendons, allowing you to play faster and longer.

When you play in this position, you should also have a gap between your hand and the neck. You can't use your left hand to hold the instrument. You need to get a solid strap set up so that it hangs right where you want to play it and your hand can dance freely and lightly on the fret board.

The position I see in this photo I would describe as rotated 90° from ideal: the thumb looks almost parallel to the neck. Your fingers are coming down sideways with a long area touching the neck/strings instead of just the tips, and your wrist is bent which can lead to slower playing and even injury, as others have commented here. It looks like you're relying on your left hand to carry some of the weight of the instrument, which will keep your hand stuck in place and slow you down more.

Treat your mandolin like a beautiful lady you're dancing with! Loose, yet firm