Guitar to Mandolin question

[cu4life7]

For those who have learned both:

Is it easy or hard to learn mandolin if you already know guitar? Some searching has shown me all the chord formations are different, but would it be a pretty easy pickup for a guitarist? Thanks.

[HHP]

Originally Posted by cu4life7

For those who have learned both:

Is it easy or hard to learn mandolin if you already know guitar? Some searching has shown me all the chord formations are different, but would it be a pretty easy pickup for a guitarist? Thanks.

The mandolin is somewhat more logically laid out than guitar. The biggest adjustment is getting your left hand position correct and building unique techniques like smooth tremolo. Most people seem to make the adjustment pretty easily but it takes a little time.

[Wade Hampton]

I agree with HHP, and will add that some guitarists take to mandolin like a duck to water, others never get anywhere at all.

It might be most helpful to work on scales and to learn to think melodically when approaching mandolin. It's an okay chordal instrument, but its real strength is as a melodic instrument.

In other words, it doesn't hurt to learn mandolin chords, obviously, but that probably shouldn't be your primary focus.


whm

[cu4life7]

Yeah, I can see that. Most great mandolin I have heard has come out of melodic progressions and solos with a guitar running chords in the background. Thanks for your input guys. I am playing in a group of church guys and we get together and play CCR and eagles and things like that and I think we just have too many guitars (like 6) and could use some more color/diversity. Let me know if anybody knows of any good value models (like seagull equivalent) in the mandolin world. Thanks again.

[Wade Hampton]

To go back and answer your question about the ease of transition from guitar to mandolin, yes, there are a lot of similarities in basic technique that should (or at least CAN) make mandolin a natural next step for you, particularly if you already use a pick when you play. If you've been playing light gauge strings and bending a lot of notes in your guitarplaying, though, the stiffness of the double-strung courses on the mandolin will take some getting used to.

You'll also discover how easily mandolins can get knocked out of tune, and how important it is to keep the strings in good condition and and the bridge properly intonated.

Mandolins are most useful in an ensemble situation, playing melodies, harmonies, fills and accents. The traditional bluegrass mandolin backbeat really helps propel the sound and rhythm of a bluegrass band.

Played solo, mandolins tend to be less enthralling. Naturally, you'll be playing by yourself as you learn the fundamentals of the instrument, but once you figure out where the notes are and where to put your fingers you're going to want to play with other musicians as soon as you can.

For the vast majority of mandolinplayers, this means playing bluegrass. I've chosen a different musical path for myself, but getting started I played a significant amount of bluegrass, too.

Have fun with it.


Wade Hampton Miller

[Grenvilleter]

I started attempting to play mando after about 15 yrs of guitar playing. I took to it like a duck to water. It was fun, and so much easier to learn than guitar. Almost intutitive. Somehow my brain (what little there is) was able to invert the chord structures and notation without hardly any effort. Remember, a mando is a mini guitar strung in reverse E,A,D,G. Learning mando really improved my guitar playing as well.

I found after a bit, I would pick up my guitar and start playing/picking fiddle tunes I had learned on the mando without any thought to it. I'd pick up the guitar and play something 3/4's the way through before I struck a wrong note and wonder why I was not getting through the "difficult" portion until I would realize I never played said piece on guitar beforehand.
To me, there was a "magic" that happened where upon most things I learned on guitar was transposed easily to mando and vice versa.

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by cu4life7

I am playing in a group of church guys and we get together and play CCR and eagles and things like that and I think we just have too many guitars (like 6) and could use some more color/diversity. Let me know if anybody knows of any good value models (like seagull equivalent) in the mandolin world. Thanks again.

I was writing my post suggesting that you find some folks to play with when you wrote this response. My main musical focus when playing mandolin is also playing in church, and covers a wide variety of musical styles.

The mandolins I can most unreservedly recommend are priced reasonably, are musically flexible, and - most importantly - I've never heard a bad one.

They are the Kentucky KM-380S and KM-350S mandolins. Both are all solid wood, with the KM-350S being a somewhat plainer version of the KM-380S.

Sometimes these are listed without the "S" on the end, but they're about the most mandolin for the money that you can get.

I would recommend that you stay away from flattop and flatback mandolins, such as the Tacoma, the Mid-Mo and the Muddy Water brands. All of these represent a good value for the money, and have the additional attraction of being US-made.

But from a musical standpoint they're attractive mainly to player who limit themselves to Irish or Old Time music, or else to guitarplayers who think that a more guitar-like sound and guitar-like sustain are more desirable.

Well, maybe after you get facile on mandolin you can go that direction if that's where your musical tastes lie, but in getting used to the actual role and function of mandolin you're probably find that the projection of archtop f hole mandolins are actually more useful in a wider variety of playing styles. So I strongly recommend you start with an archtop mandolin. In that style, the KM-380S and KM-350S are hard to beat for both value and musicality.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

[stoney]

Just before I picked up my laptop to check in on the forum I was playing my Kentucky KM160S. I have had two Kentucky mandos, this one and an "F" style, both Korean made and both excellent instruments. I can't speak for the brand since its move to China in, I think, about 2002, but will echo previous posts in saying that the Korean ones are excellent. All solid, good fittings, nice tone and projection.

The funny thing is that I have been trying to sell this mandolin at a very, very low price for over a month on a couple of outlets with no inquiries. I decided to pick it up again and realize that I couldn't replace it with anything near comparable for less than $xxxx, so I guess I'll keep it instead of selling it for the $xxx I was asking!

I live in a great area for bluegrass fans, and have played a lot of mandolins. The only thing I've played that I would consider far above this one in tone and projection are the Rigels that were made here in VT. Unfortunately, they are no more. Besides, they were WAY out of my price league!

Mandos are fun! Have a ball.

Stoney

[desertgtr]

I pick the mando and guitar. It is easy for me to switch between the two. I do help people get started playing. I recommend just learning 3 cords to start, then learn the short scale to the cords, and then learn the double stops for the cords. You can play many songs and get the feel of the instrument. I always recommend getting the best instrument that you are willing to spend the $ for. Nothing worse that having a great desire and the ability to get started and trying to do it on an instrument that will not perform. You will get discouraged and quit. You can do it, just get with it.

[Fliss]

Welcome Desertgtr, I see it's your first post - good to have you with us

I'm another who plays guitar and mandolin and I think there are enough similarities (e.g. frets!) to make the transition reasonably comfortable. A lot of guitar players struggle to find room for their fingers on the narrower neck of the mandolin, but you may or may not find that an issue for you.

Some good makes to consider are Big Muddy / Mid Mo (as mentioned above), Red Line Traveller, Gypsy, Eastman. A lot depends on what kind of music you want to play - if you want to play bluegrass style, an Eastman carved top mandolin, with f-holes, would be a good choice. For something more folky, a flat top such as the Big Muddy would be ideal.

Fliss

[desertgtr]

Fliss, thank you for the welcome.

[martinedwards]

as a guitarist for over 20 years I could't get my big splodgy fingers onto the neck of the Antinori Mando I bought off eBay.

I made myself a mando with a wider neck and played it for ages. I found the transition was easy and it improved my guitar playing a LOT too.

after a few years I've weaned myself onto a narrower neck and play a lot of long scale octave mando (GDAE tuned bouzouki) now too.

after hurting my middle fretting finger a couple of months ago it's a lot easier to play chords with only three fingers on the zouk than on a guitar!! Next Sunday I play my first session leading worship in church since the injury (may 1st) and it'll be the zouk. can't see me putting the middle finger on a string for at least another month, maybe more.....