Greetings TG Citizenry!
Mike here, and I'm a new TG columnist with a focus on mandolin, including players, styles, makes, models, etc, and to offer some instructional guidance, if there's an interest.
Just wanted to start a general mandolin discussion thread for those who might be interested in pursuing the "biggest little instrument in the world", or what some also refer to as the "8 strings of pain". Let me know if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for further topics mandolin-related.
Mandolin anyone?
TGMandolinMike wrote:
Hi MIke looking forward to anything you have to offer, speaking for myself I think you will need to take a 'Mandolin For Dummies' approach with me as I know zilch!!Greetings TG Citizenry!
Mike here, and I'm a new TG columnist with a focus on mandolin, including players, styles, makes, models, etc, and to offer some instructional guidance, if there's an interest.
Just wanted to start a general mandolin discussion thread for those who might be interested in pursuing the "biggest little instrument in the world", or what some also refer to as the "8 strings of pain". Let me know if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for further topics mandolin-related.
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TGMandolinMike
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Hi Dennis, nice to meet you.
A mandolin is tuned in fifths like a violin, but in courses of two for a total of eight strings. The pairs are generally tuned in unison. From the top down:
E, A, D, G
This is standard tuning. Bill Monroe (the Father of Bluegrass) would often "cross-tune" his mandolin to different notes, much like an open tuning on a guitar to get kind of a drone effect. Another great contemporary player, Radim Zenkl, often tunes his mandolins into all kinds of interesting combinations, with fascinating results.
A mandolin is tuned in fifths like a violin, but in courses of two for a total of eight strings. The pairs are generally tuned in unison. From the top down:
E, A, D, G
This is standard tuning. Bill Monroe (the Father of Bluegrass) would often "cross-tune" his mandolin to different notes, much like an open tuning on a guitar to get kind of a drone effect. Another great contemporary player, Radim Zenkl, often tunes his mandolins into all kinds of interesting combinations, with fascinating results.
hey Mike. I'm actually planning on buying a Mandolin in a month or so. i only noticed there was a mandolin Forum on here yesterday!! But at that point, it sat empty and abandoned. My newly acquired knowledge of music has seen me want to buy every instrument under the sun. i'm working out the penny whistle and harmonica just now, I have a keyboard and 2 guitars. I'm going to get a mandolin, clarinet, ukelele and fiddle. They all work to the same principles, it's just that they're set up differently, and I'm gonna love finding out how to work them.
I'd like to know how it's tuned as well, basically, I'd like to know what similarities it has to guitar in terms of playing it, chords, scales etc., to prepare me for when I buy it. I'm sure I'd be able to figure it out myself in time, but your arrival is too coincidental not to get a head start. Do tell...
Cheers
I'd like to know how it's tuned as well, basically, I'd like to know what similarities it has to guitar in terms of playing it, chords, scales etc., to prepare me for when I buy it. I'm sure I'd be able to figure it out myself in time, but your arrival is too coincidental not to get a head start. Do tell...
Cheers
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TGMandolinMike
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Hi RicksPick,
Thanks. That particular example is a 1922 Gibson F-4 mandolin, which was their top of the line "oval sound hole" model. Hope you enjoy my posts and ramblings.
Thanks. That particular example is a 1922 Gibson F-4 mandolin, which was their top of the line "oval sound hole" model. Hope you enjoy my posts and ramblings.
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TGMandolinMike
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Hi Carpet,
Glad you're ready to take the plunge. Let me know what your budget is and I'll be happy to recommend something.
Standard mandolin tuning (from the top down) is:
E, A, D G
(2 strings tuned in unison for each note)
As the mandolin has a scale length of less than 14 inches, these notes are one octave higher than the corresponding notes on a guitar. They are equidistantly tuned in 5ths, so in some ways it's a bit easier to get around on then the guitar because a lot of chord positions (and scales)are interchangeable across the neck. Happy mandolin hunting!
Glad you're ready to take the plunge. Let me know what your budget is and I'll be happy to recommend something.
Standard mandolin tuning (from the top down) is:
E, A, D G
(2 strings tuned in unison for each note)
As the mandolin has a scale length of less than 14 inches, these notes are one octave higher than the corresponding notes on a guitar. They are equidistantly tuned in 5ths, so in some ways it's a bit easier to get around on then the guitar because a lot of chord positions (and scales)are interchangeable across the neck. Happy mandolin hunting!
I'm only going to get a cheap Mandolin to start with. I've seen them in my local music shops with prices ranging anywhere from 75-300 pounds (I think you double it for dollars). I'm gonna start off with a cheap one at first and see if it grabs me. If it does, then I'll invest in a good model.
I googled those two Mandolin players you metioned. It's such a small instrument and looks so easy to play (I'll regret saying that, I know - cos it's they're skill that makes it look so). Do you think guitar playing ability will translate easily? I'm sure it will give me something of a head start.
I googled those two Mandolin players you metioned. It's such a small instrument and looks so easy to play (I'll regret saying that, I know - cos it's they're skill that makes it look so). Do you think guitar playing ability will translate easily? I'm sure it will give me something of a head start.
TGMandolinMike wrote:
It's interesting that it's tuned to the 4 lowest strings on a guitar.Hi Dennis, nice to meet you.
A mandolin is tuned in fifths like a violin, but in courses of two for a total of eight strings. The pairs are generally tuned in unison. From the top down:
E, A, D, G
This is standard tuning. Bill Monroe (the Father of Bluegrass) would often "cross-tune" his mandolin to different notes, much like an open tuning on a guitar to get kind of a drone effect. Another great contemporary player, Radim Zenkl, often tunes his mandolins into all kinds of interesting combinations, with fascinating results.