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Old 08-18-2012, 12:36 AM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Chugiak, Alaska
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Actually, a lot of players do actually go from mandolin to fiddle, or from fiddle to mandolin. Knowing one of those instruments well definitely helps in learning the other.

In another thread in this "Other Stringed Instruments" subforum I made the point that mandolin often serves as a "gateway instrument" when fiddlers decide to learn guitar or guitarists decide they want to learn fiddle - mandolin is just familiar enough for both fiddlers and guitarists that after they learn some mandolin they can then go on and take the next step.

Mandolin helps the fiddlers get used to using a pick and playing on a fretted fingerboard, while the mandolin's short scale and fifth interval tuning helps get guitarists accustomed to those elements of the fiddle.

Hope that makes sense.


Wade Hampton Miller
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