learning mandolin

highland-piper · Post by **highland-piper** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 10:41 am

Hi all,

My wife has a mandolin (a Big Muddy M-3) and I'm going to learn to play it. I've been playing guitar for years, so I was able to pick out some melodies. Any advice? I'm thinking of just using some youtube videos to get started.

Here's a question -- what is "proper" pick technique when playing a melody? Is it strictly up/down, up/down with exceptions for string crossing, based on phrasing, anything goes, something else?

I'm assuming strumming is pretty similar to guitar.

Tim2723 · Post by **Tim2723** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 3:13 pm

I'm sure you're in for a lot of fun! First line of defense is to visit mandolincafe.com. They are the Chiff & Fipple of the mandolin world. There you'll find every resource imaginable.

As to mandolin method I'll just say this: The first mistake most guitarists make when crossing over is to assume the mandolin is a small guitar. While it has strings and a pick, it also has all it's own techniques that start with how to hold it correctly. At the 'Cafe' you'll find tutorials and links to the best of the best video lessons, as well as everything you'll need to know about instruction books and CDs. And of course, there's a huge community of players who are as friendly and helpful as the folks around here. Good luck and have fun!!

maki · Post by **maki** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 7:24 pm

Mandolin Cafe really is the spot.
Check this board;
Celtic, U.K., Nordic, Quebecois, European Folk
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/forum ... opean-Folk

There are also social groups for Irish Trad, and Big Muddy/Mid-Mo Mandolins.
The Song of the Week social group often has ITM tunes!
Have fun!

s1m0n · Post by **s1m0n** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 8:36 pm

Thirds on the cafe.

Padre · Post by **Padre** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 1:47 am

Mandolin Cafe rules!
but what you might want to start with
is a video with Mike Marshall published on youtubes by D'addario strings
there he shows and explains how to hold mandolin, how to hold a hand on the neck and so on.
you got to remember that it's not a guitar in fact it's closer to fiddle.
best of luck

Tim2723 · Post by **Tim2723** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 6:37 am

That's a great way to describe it. It's more like a fiddle than a small guitar.

maki · Post by **maki** » Mon Apr 30, 2012 1:57 pm

Tim2723 wrote:That's a great way to describe it. It's more like a fiddle than a small guitar.

Particularly true of the Arch Top mandolins.
Any way you slice it, mandolins are really neat.

If you have too much time on your hand check out Dave Grissom(The Dawg) on youtube.
He did some great work with the late Jerry Garcia.
What the heck, All of Dawgs work is fantastic- in any genre.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_q ... .12j4.16.0.

highland-piper · Post by **highland-piper** » Wed May 02, 2012 12:28 pm

Thanks for all the tips guys!

I played fiddle a little while too.

I joined mandolin cafe, but just lurking so far. Don't want to ask questions that are already resolved.

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Wed May 02, 2012 5:47 pm

That's Dave Grisman, not Grissom. I'll second that recommendation.
Also, check out Chris Thile-- he plays almost supernaturally well.

Padre · Post by **Padre** » Thu May 03, 2012 2:51 am

I'd add to the inspiration list
Sam Bush, Tim O'Brien, Butch Baldassari
Sierra Hull, Ricky Skaggs, Ronnie McCoury & Andy Leftwitch
and a father of the bluegrass mandolin Bill Monroe.
these might be a little to intimidating
but listening to those guys I always repeating myself
to learn to fly, first you need to learn to walk
and Rome wasn't build in a day

there's loads of tutorial avaliable on DVD's
and I think now there's even more on youtube
some of them are pretty good.

Feadoggie · Post by **Feadoggie** » Thu May 03, 2012 9:17 am

Padre wrote:That's Dave Grisman, not Grissom.

Actually both are very good and unique players in their own frames of reference.

David Grisman, the Dawg, known and loved as the mandolinist of the Even Dozen Jug Band (who here remembers that?)

and David Grissom, iconic Austin based guitarist (played for Joe Ely, Dylan, Mellencamp, etc., etc.)

I've been spending too much time lately listening to Andy Leftwitch (Three Ring Circle) and Chris Thile (Punch Bros. and Goat Rodeo Sessions).

Feadoggie

Tim2723 · Post by **Tim2723** » Fri May 04, 2012 5:46 am

Playing fiddle will give you a bit of a leg up too (in that every experience helps), but even that isn't the same. But you have a good mandolin, lots of music experience, tons of available resources, and you've joined the number one mandolin community. It's going to be hard to go wrong.

highland-piper · Post by **highland-piper** » Fri May 04, 2012 8:23 am

I saw David Grisman at a music festival a few years ago. Incredible.

Thomaston · Post by **Thomaston** » Fri May 04, 2012 2:31 pm

I recommend Dan Beimborn's albums. Great mandolin playing. They're not on iTunes, unfortunately, but last I saw were available at elderly.com.

Dlew919 · Post by **Dlew919** » Sun May 06, 2012 8:24 am

Apart from www.mandolincafe.com (which is brilliant), there's www.mandolinsessions.com and www.jazzmando.com : I thorugoughly recommend all of them..

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