I have a mandolin!

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 8:07 pm

A music store near where I live is closing and selling off all their stock for half price. No whistles, unfortunately (they mainly specialize in guitars, and largely of the electric variety), but they had three lonely little mandos, so I brought one home.

I used to play a little on the mandolin, but it's been years...are there any websites out there for neophytes (or beginners books other than that putrid Mel Bay one that starts out with "this is the pick")?

Redwolf

rh · Post by rh » Tue Jun 21, 2005 8:38 pm

Redwolf wrote:are there any websites out there for neophytes

http://folkofthewood.com/page5296.htm is Folk of the Wood's free online mandolin lessons. the site is pretty graphic-intensive so beware if you have a slow connection.

the major mandolinists' hangout site is http://mandolincafe.com , not sure there's much in the way of beginner's lessons but the people on the board can be very helpful.

congratulations, the mandolin is a great instrument, just watch out for MAS (Mandolin Acquisition Syndrome), the eight-stringers' version of WhOA. much more costly...

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 8:47 pm

Oh, that's perfect! Thanks!

The real bummer is, I squashed my left index finger in a door this morning, which is sadly limiting practice, but I'm hoping to put in at least a little time every day. I really like the idea of having another instrument to play at sessions eventually, and I've always enjoyed the sound of the mandolin.

Redwolf

Doug_Tipple · Post by **Doug_Tipple** » Tue Jun 21, 2005 9:53 pm

I love playing the mandolin. Redwolf, make sure that your instrument is set up so that it is easy to play. Most mandolins directly from the music store will need some adjustment. Since you have to depress two strings for each note, having an instrument that is easy to play is important, especially when you are learning.

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 1:05 am

The mandolin is tuned exactly like a violin and is in the same register. Music for violin and fingering diagrams should be usable without any change. Scales are dead easy in any key—the tuning in fifths guarantees that—and chord charts are available. I have several good books of instruction and one great collection of old timey tunes notated for mando (with accompanying CD of the originals) if you'd like me to dig them out.

OutOfBreath · Post by **OutOfBreath** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 12:41 pm

I have a fireplace!

Seriously, congrats on the new "baby" and may it bring you hours of enjoyment.

dubhlinn · Post by **dubhlinn** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 12:52 pm

Wombat wrote:The mandolin is tuned exactly like a violin and is in the same register. Music for violin and fingering diagrams should be usable without any change.

A wise observation that a lot of beginners overlook.This little bit of information opens the door to a vast quantity of sheet music normally associated with the fiddle.

http://www.rambles.net/brody_fakebook.html

I've had a copy of this for years now and many of the tunes I've learned, especially the rags, are better suited to the mandolin than the fiddle.

Slan,
D.

Unseen122 · Post by **Unseen122** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 1:37 pm

So what make and model tell us everything.

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 3:38 pm

Unseen122 wrote:So what make and model tell us everything.

Oh, it's just a little Rogue...nothing fancy, but the action is comfortable, the neck is true and it holds tune well. It reminds me a bit of my old mandolin, which died when my then two-year-old daughter mistook it for "a guitar just my size!" It just seemed sad that the store was closing and no one seemed to want the mandolins...this particular store caters more to rock guitarists. It'll be fun to see if I can ease back into playing it...it's been a long time, and I never knew more than a few tunes before, but now I have more time to practice than I did when I was in high school and college.

Redwolf

brewerpaul · Post by **brewerpaul** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 7:50 pm

[quote="dubhlinn
http://www.rambles.net/brody_fakebook.html

I've had a copy of this for years now and many of the tunes I've learned, especially the rags, are better suited to the mandolin than the fiddle.
Slan,
D.

[/quote]

Then, there's this:
http://www.fqms.com/Mandolin_Picker_s_F ... 7C1032.cfm

I have the fiddle one too and use it for playing at old timey sessions. There are lots of collections of that type of music which is great on mandolin eg The Portland Collection.

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 12:05 am

The mandolin is probably the greatest, most versatile instrument which ever received the gift of strings. I mean that.

spittin_in_the_wind · Post by **spittin_in_the_wind** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 8:48 pm

It's a long, slippery slope, Redwolf...

Robin

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 9:14 pm

spittin_in_the_wind wrote:It's a long, slippery slope, Redwolf...

Robin

Yeah, I can tell...this little thing's already sucking me in. I was absurdly pleased at being able to play a G scale nicely today, so I kept playing it over...and over...and over...different speeds and rhythms...up and down the scale. I'm sure my neighbors are already heartily sick of me!

Redwolf

Wormdiet · Post by **Wormdiet** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 11:05 pm

Redwolf wrote:
spittin_in_the_wind wrote:It's a long, slippery slope, Redwolf...

Robin
Yeah, I can tell...this little thing's already sucking me in. I was absurdly pleased at being able to play a G scale nicely today, so I kept playing it over...and over...and over...different speeds and rhythms...up and down the scale. I'm sure my neighbors are already heartily sick of me!

Redwolf

Cool on the purchase!

Does this store have a website with stock lists available? (Checks funds for another guitar or mando)

The nice thing about a mando is that - if you just strum it - it sounds great, being tuned in 5ths.

From what little I know, a big challenge is getting the picking technique down so that it is quick, accurate, and efficient. Have fun!

Redwolf · Post by **Redwolf** » Thu Jun 23, 2005 11:35 pm

Wormdiet wrote:
Redwolf wrote:
spittin_in_the_wind wrote:It's a long, slippery slope, Redwolf...

Robin
Yeah, I can tell...this little thing's already sucking me in. I was absurdly pleased at being able to play a G scale nicely today, so I kept playing it over...and over...and over...different speeds and rhythms...up and down the scale. I'm sure my neighbors are already heartily sick of me!

Redwolf
Cool on the purchase!

Does this store have a website with stock lists available? (Checks funds for another guitar or mando)

The nice thing about a mando is that - if you just strum it - it sounds great, being tuned in 5ths.

From what little I know, a big challenge is getting the picking technique down so that it is quick, accurate, and efficient. Have fun!

Nope...it's just a little local place. I think the owner ran it more or less as a hobby, and cars have begun to occupy more of his time. Nice bunch of people though...my daughter took guitar lessons from one of the guys there, which is why I happened to be hanging out there.

I happened to speak to my daughter's teacher today, and the two other Rogue mandos have been snapped up (one, I hope, by a friend I mentioned it to last night).

Picking is what I'm focusing on right now. It seems to be pretty foundational...I figure I want to get the basics down correctly from the start (and it's something I can practice even when my left hand is sore...it's going to take a while to build up these calluses again!).

Redwolf

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I have a mandolin!

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