https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/finger-pressure-mandolin-beginner
Finger pressure is important. Why? Because I said so.
Discuss the Mandolin lesson: Finger Pressure
You made a very good point with distorting the notes if you do not use the tip of your finger. What if you have to hold down 2 sets of strings? Do you barre that fret? I am a female and my finger strength is just ok. Just curious. Thanks!
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Welcome @sbeltz Stephanie! If your mandolin is set up well, you should be able to bridge the two string sets easily, depending on your finger size. I have fairly small (thin) fingers and can bridge (fret two string sets with one finger by flattening the end joint) fairly well. Hope this helps
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Sometimes you don’t need to, and sometimes you do. But like Gunnar says, a mandolin that is setup correctly will allow you to do that with just a bit of practice 
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You mentioned in another lesson that certain notes simply won’t sound right if the fretting hand is too perpendicular to the neck, with the fingertips and nails pointed upward, as when playing guitar. I think you said that the hand needs to be tilted at the wrist so the nails are facing down the neck. Or maybe you didn’t say that in so many words, but I just got that impression. In any case, if this is true, is it simply to help us fit our fingers into these relatively small frets? As a general rule, should we always keep our fretting hand tilted?