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STARTING TO TACKLE MANDOLIN
Have had a Gibson 1921, aluminum bridge A style mandolin for some time now.
Needing something to focus my time on now. So, I'm going to start trying to learn. Have never been a fan of Bluegrass. So, my mandolin recollections are very limited. Going to start with chords. And get into scales later. Any help you mando players can send my way, would be greatly appreciated. Resorces, Tutorials, Helpful hints. Is a thick pick the norm? What say you Mandolin Guru's ? Last edited by Acousticado; 04-09-2022 at 12:27 AM. |
#2
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I'm not sure whether the 'mandolin guru' fits me but I've played for a few years so will weigh in. Thick picks do seem to be the general rule to my ears and preferences. I signed up for lessons on Peghead Nation when I first began and really benefited from them. I don't do as well with books alone so the videos were better for me. You might also check out mandolessons.com where loads of lessons and tips are available for a donation by your choice. It's a great instrument, and will give you bullet proof calluses as a bonus! Have fun.
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"I go for a lotta things that's a little too strong" J.L. Hooker Last edited by Kerbie; 03-20-2022 at 08:03 AM. Reason: Not here, please. |
#3
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Thanks leew3.
Will look in to those. |
#4
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Barron Collins Hill at madolessons.com https://www.mandolessons.com has a bunch of mainly bluegrass lessons for free. He posts a new one every week usually with the music and tabs. He seems to be a nice guy and the price is right.
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-- Patience is a strength, not a weakness; and if by practicing patience we stop retaliating to harm and criticism, people will gradually come to understand that our real nature is very special. |
#5
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I like thick picks (3 mm) - I use Dunlop mostly.
I found a fiddle tune book handy when I was starting, as it had lots of tunes from different genres. I mostly used the Fiddler's Fakebook - it's in standard notation, but there's a mando edition in tab. D.H. |
#6
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I came to mandolin 14 years ago after 30+ years of violin and guitar. I am a big bluegrass fan, but here are some other genres and artists to check out if bluegrass isn't your thing:
Aaron Weinstein - swing, jazz, chord melody. Andy Statman - swing, jazz, klezmer. Marla Fibish - Irish trad John Paul Jones - yes that guy from Zeppelin. Check out him doing "Going to California" on YouTube. Gerry Hundt - electric and acoustic mando blues. Rich Delgrosso - blues Jim Richter - blues and rock David Grisman - EVERYTHING! Hot club gypsy jazz, rock, folk, you name it. Dawg is the mando king! Yes thick picks (1.5 mm or more) are needed to chop through those high tension, double string courses. Also rounded triangles work better for most of us than teardrop. Pete Martin (petimar press) has lots of instructional material that isn't all bluegrass based. |
#7
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Not all mandolin players use super heavy picks - it's common for some folks who play irish traditional music to use something as light as 1.0mm - Marla Fibish for example. Lighter than that and things can start to get a bit thin sounding.
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1969 Martin 00-18 2018 Frank Tate tenor guitar |
#8
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great info thanks all
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#9
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Quote:
WARNING! Some fiddle tunes are played a lot in Bluegrass. Player beware. I too was never going to play bluegrass, but fiddle tunes that caught my ear, well a lot were written by Bill Monroe. Have your mandolin set up by a mandolin guy.
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2007 Martin D 35 Custom 1970 Guild D 35 1965 Epiphone Texan 2011 Santa Cruz D P/W Pono OP 30 D parlor Pono OP12-30 Pono MT uke Goldtone Paul Beard squareneck resophonic Fluke tenor ukulele Boatload of home rolled telecasters "Shut up and play ur guitar" Frank Zappa |
#10
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"Have your mandolin set up by a mandolin guy."
Brick gives some valuable advice above. If you have a tech you like, don't hesitated to ask whether he or she knows their way around mandolin set up. Hopefully they'll be honest if they don't and you can find someone who does. It makes a great deal of difference on a mandolin.
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"I go for a lotta things that's a little too strong" J.L. Hooker |
#11
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There is a mandolin forum who has a member, Rob Meldrum, who has a valuable mandolin setup guide he'll send you for free. Get a ruler and some feeler gauges and weather you do the setup yourself or hire it out, all the measurements you need will be in the guide. You'll know where you stand. Those old Gibsons don't usually have adjustable bridges, so a pro would be prudent. If a shop sells high end mandolins and has a repair department, you should be ok.
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2007 Martin D 35 Custom 1970 Guild D 35 1965 Epiphone Texan 2011 Santa Cruz D P/W Pono OP 30 D parlor Pono OP12-30 Pono MT uke Goldtone Paul Beard squareneck resophonic Fluke tenor ukulele Boatload of home rolled telecasters "Shut up and play ur guitar" Frank Zappa |
#12
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Lots of good advice so far. The previously mentioned on-line learning platforms are good and can be GREAT if you really dig in. For most of us the pick you use on mandolin is going to be thicker than the one you use on guitar. You need to to push through 4 pairs of strings that are at higher tensions than guitar. Get ready to toughen your finger callouses and if you don't already stretch your hands/wrists and forearms before and after playing, start doing it. After a period of adjustment you will be singing the praises of an instrument tuned in fifths!
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#13
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My F9 Gibson came with a terrible factory set up.
Butch Boswell placed the bridge in the perfect spot, balanced out the frets, lowered the action and I got to work learning the major, minor, 7th, 9th, and maj7th chords. Major,minor, pentatonic, mixolydian, scales were next. I transferred as much knowledge of guitar as I could. Discovered interest ideas. It's a wild journey diwn that rabbit hole.
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rubber Chicken Plastic lobster Jiminy Cricket. |
#14
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Rabbit hole for sure. Seven years in, and I feel I'm getting a handle on it. A lot to like with tuning in 5ths. Not really rewarding of sloppy playing. You play sloppy and it sounds bad, But be able to play perfectly, and you can slop it up, they call it playing greasy, and then it sounds great if that makes sense to you.
But please take my word, start before you are 65.
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2007 Martin D 35 Custom 1970 Guild D 35 1965 Epiphone Texan 2011 Santa Cruz D P/W Pono OP 30 D parlor Pono OP12-30 Pono MT uke Goldtone Paul Beard squareneck resophonic Fluke tenor ukulele Boatload of home rolled telecasters "Shut up and play ur guitar" Frank Zappa |
#15
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Quote:
Try this. Learn the 4 finger C and G chords, first position first. Then once you learn the F and D, you can play in any major Key. Then learn the Am (4 finger)and ‘Em (3 finger). Then you can slide those up. Not sure if this is the best path but it’s where I have started
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2023 Gibson 1960 Fixed Bridge Hummingbird w/Ultratonic 2021 D'Angelico EXP-1 Throwback archtop 1983 Martin HD-28 w/Ultratonic 1965 Gibson J-45 w/K&K/Ultratonic conversion 1940's??? Harmony Patrician archtop 2002 Taylor Big Baby 1985 Kentucky KM850 mando w/lr baggs radius 1959 Gibson A-5 Mando 2004 Fender Strat (Mexican) Army bugle Old autoharp Indian flute Cowbell |