Advancing on the Mandolin

[acousticjazz]

Hello everyone, first I'm excited that this new subforum has begun! But onto the thread-

I've been playing mandolin for almost a year now, getting to know the correct way to hold the mandolin, correct hand position, chord shapes, scales, etc. but now I really want to begin "playing" it. I listen to a lot of great players; Mike Marshall, Chris Thile, David Grisman, Bill Monroe... But I'm just having a hard time taking that next step. Any advice from guitar players who added mandolin to their repertoire and maybe the steps you took to do so? I've played guitar now for 16 years and studied music in college, all of the ingredients are there, just need some help with the process. Thanks in advance

[HHP]

I may be stating the obvious, but you need to approach it as totally unrelated to guitar. Mandolins respond better to very different rhythmic styles and phrasing. Get some transcriptions of the work of the better players and work through how they do it. Also, add John Reischman to your listening rotation. May want to get the late Butch Baldasarri's book/CD from Homespum as it will get you moving in the right direction and add to the repetoire.

[Fliss]

I'm going to add another book recommendation - "Getting into Jazz Mandolin" by Ted Eschliman. Despite the title, it provides a great basis for developing in any style.

I speak as someone who has bought the book and not put in the time yet, as I've been focussing more on guitar, but I know that book is waiting for me when I make the commitment to get serious about improving on the mandolin!

Oh, and I'm excited about this new sub forum too!!!

Fliss

[matonman]

ive been picking mandolin for a few weeks now and have found it easy enough to pick a few fiddle tunes using fred sokolows "mandolin roadmaps" book.
i have ordered a couple of steve kaufmans books so ill see how i go when i get them, they have heaps of tunes in them so im hoping to build some sort of repertoire.
coming from flatpicking guitar ive found the transition to mandolin pretty natural down up down up etc and finding the melodies to the fiddle tunes i know, easy to find on the mandolin so maybe start there.
i am only a newbie so im interested to hear some "expert opinions".

[Wade Hampton]

I learned a lot of my basic mountain dulcimer technique from books when first starting out, but on all the other instruments I play once I've learned how to tune them I've found it much easier to just play music on them by ear.

I'm not suggesting you avoid the instructional books and DVDs, but I would strongly recommend just getting the instrument in your hands and discovering what it has to offer on your own, as well. In the past I've done a lot of playing along with the radio, because I've found it helps a lot with ear training - it's not like they're going to tell you what key they're going into next!

And there's no substitution for getting out and playing music with other people. One of the most inviting aspects of bluegrass music is the camaraderie and welcome that are extended to anyone who shows up at a jam session. Within the usual bluegrass song structure of I, IV, V and VIm chords, you can play simply, or you can take it further as much as your ability allows.

One last point - I've often seen beginning and intermediate players take their musical assignments so seriously that they try to play everything note for note as they've tried to learn it, yet at the same time they'll ignore the musical flow and feel of the original almost entirely. What I would suggest you strive for is to try to capture the feel - to me that's more important than copying somebody else's interpretation note for note.

Hope that makes sense.


Wade Hampton Miller

[acousticjazz]

Thanks for all of the advice so far, I already have the "getting into jazz mandolin" by Ted (reccommended on the mandolin cafe) and have been using ffcp to learn the fretboard. That is definitely a great book, from the same series I have the "getting into bluegrass" book by Dix Bruce which is also pretty good. Im findin it really interesting switching back n forth between instruments, and knowing the relationship between strings, referring to 3rds, and 4ths of guitar standard tuning and in 5ths on the mandolin. It makes me want to explore altered tunings on guitar more too, love that. I guess I'm just finding myself playing the mandolin like a guitar, which works for some things, but I want to play the instrument like a mandolin.... Guess that's the help/advice I'm looking for any recommendations for instruction books with fiddle tunes? What about some classical recommendations? Thanks again everyone!

[fatt-dad]

www.mandozine.com has a whole section that contains, "tabedit" files. You'll need the free "tabedit viewer" to open these files. The viewer allows you to see the files on the computer screen and also allows you to print the music in either tab or standard notation (both too). The viewer also lets the computer "play" the tune, which provides some listening reference to the music.

The mandozine files are sorted by classical, bluegrass, old-time, etc. genre. There is also a section that has exercizes.

No joke there are hundreds of tunes you can learn from these files. Go learn "Cumberland Gap." That's a fun old-time tune to learn!

f-d

[GerryinAZ]

I played Bass, and Guitar for many years (30+). I actually picked up my first mandolin in 1976 after Heart's Little Queen album came out and I heard the stuff they were doing with the instrument. I piddled around on it for a time and finally started taking it seriously about 10 years ago.

To this day I find myself having to consciously focus on staying in proper mandolin fingering. Old habits die hard! I just do my best not to get overly frustrated over it.

Mandozine was a great resource I used to help my playing come along.

There are also plenty of little 3-5 minute videos on UTube where you can pick up riffs and tricks, as well as varying translations of the basics to put into your gigbag.

Once you get comfortable with finger positioning, basic chord structures, Maj/Min scales, etc. I recommend you get out and find some places to play in your local scene: ITM seisiuns, BG/OT jams, coffeehouses, and stuff like that.

Playing out is always a great way to keep it fun, and to stay motivated, not to mention getting time in on the fretboard.

Have a blast! It's a great instrument.