Mandolin Players

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Comment by Jack McGregor 1 day ago

The Blarney Pilgrim, Danny Boy, My Darlin's Asleep, Fisher's Hornpipe, and St. Anne's Reel just to name a few. Since I'm a Scot, I haven't too much use for the day me-self. (just a funnin now)

Comment by John Gundrum 1 day ago

I posted this over on the Celtic group but thought this would be a good place to ask as well.

I'm contemplating putting together a set of songs for St. Patrick's day. I'm not all that familiar with which songs would be best. Can some of you please throw out some set list suggestions that would go over well around St. Patrick's day.
Thanks.

Comment by Edward Sparks on December 31, 2009 at 12:00pm

Happy New Year to you all!!!
Looking forward to much more conversation here in 2010! Edward

Comment by Tarheel Blue on December 31, 2009 at 10:17am

Good to hear from both John and Tony. After a little research and reading comments on here, I ordered Butch Baldassari's 2 DVD set from Homespun for beginning Mandolin. I'll let you all know how it works for me:) Have a Happy and safe New Year.

Geoff (aka Tarheel)

Comment by Tony on December 21, 2009 at 9:05pm

John, the name "Anthony" through me for a loop, until I went to see the post with the books you have. I remembered you then. I have actually bought a coulple of the books you listed and am finding them interesting. Thank for telling me about them!

Comment by Tony on December 21, 2009 at 9:01pm

Hi John and Tarheel! I am gad to see you here. I have felt like I was the only beginner...jeje! There are plenty of folks here who are willing to share their experiences. I have found it very useful!

Tony

Comment by John Gundrum on December 21, 2009 at 7:31pm

Welcome, Tarheel.

I'm too a fairly beginner mando player coming from playing guitar for 25+ years. I've had a mando since 2006 but have been off and one with it. I recently purchase a few holiday music books for mandolin and used them for several public performances which turned out well.

Playing chords can be challenging sometimes because of the string spacing. I found an E7 in the open position to be particularly challenging (fretted from low to high as 1 - 0 - 2 - 0).

One thing I'm trying to do that was taught to me when I went to a mando class in 2006 was that the thumb is not positioned the same as you would with a guitar. If I remember correctly (and if someone can please clarify) the thumb is placed horizontally to the neck vs vertically as done for guitar. I do chords seem easier to press down when the thumb is positioned like this. But old habits are hard to break and I've not done the best to keep my thumb in that horizontal position.

In a previous post here on December 7, 2009 at 6:56pm I listed some of the books I have been using. There's a little bit of everything, books for reference, method and just plain songs. I found them to be helpful.

Take a look further down the page here.

John

Comment by Tarheel Blue on December 21, 2009 at 6:05pm

Hi everyone,
Been playing guitar for a couple of years, always loved the mando. Just received an early Christmas present from my wife last month and am already loving every minute. Still struggling with the basic chords, but acutally was able to transcribe Chris Thile's "How Great Thou Art" (won't say how long it took me) and am inspired to keep on learning . Anyway, looking forward to chatting w/ all you good folks on here.

Comment by Tony on December 8, 2009 at 1:01pm

Hi Mary,

Thanks SO much for your information. I have some DvDs from Fred Sokolow for guitar, blues, etc., and I think I have the guitar version of the Fretboard Roadmaps. I have heard the term double stops, but wasn't sure what it really meant. I have practiced my scales the way you describe while practicing on my diatonic accordion, guitar, and trumpet when I used to play it in high school. I have seen Butch's name numerous times as I roam the internet looking for information. I will take a look at the Homespun site you provided. You do have valuable experience, and I am grateful you shared it with me!

Thanks,
Tony

Comment by Mary Stoughton on December 8, 2009 at 10:20am

Hi Tony,
You already play the guitar so your experience will be different than mine. I come from a background of piano lessons when I was a young girl.

I started out with instruction, because I didnt want to start off learning bad habits. I had fun and leaned to play by ear some of the old standards. It was double fun when John would chop chords in the background.

I am not taking instruction now, I am working through a theory book and video series. I have come to believe that it is crucial to learn how your instrument communicates before you can begin to have a conversation with it. One book I recommend is the Fretboard Roadmaps Mandolin, the essential patterns that all the pros know and use. I can locate the notes on my frets now and understand how to find a major scale. Next they take you through the D and A Major Scales by showing you the chord and the basic exercise for the scale. What I have a lot of fun with (what a friend tells me fiddle players use as scale practice are the scales )where you play the first 4 notes and go back one as you add one and so on. Here is were I am building my speed and confidence.

I thought I had died and gone to heaven when they introduced me to double stops (two harmonizing notes played simultaneously). They are so pretty! I don't understand yet why there are 5 for the A chord and 6 double stops for the first position D chord, but I know the light bulb will go on eventually...they have a great diagram that shows how to find the double stops on your own.

Each chapter gives you new songs to work on, but I am moving through learning the scales and just nodding at the songs for now.

In addition to my theory book, I am enjoying the teaching style of Butch Baldassari. I didn't realize what a patient teacher he was until my friend asked me to watch his Anyone Can Play Mandolin by Mel Bay. Oh gag me. (Sorry you Mel Bay lovers...;-) The instructor is constantly hitting the wrong notes...he seems sloppy to me. Butch Baldassari's lessons are produced by Homespun Tapes You cannot go wrong with anything they have to offer. I also have instruction DVDs for my hammered dulcimer and they are top notch.

I recently started a DVD series to play the harmonica. And the instructor, J.P Allen echos what I was finding on my own. Learning the basics first will go a long way in playing songs and jamming with other musicians. He doesnt teach you scales, the harmonica is different, he starts you off with basic patterns that will enable you to jam with friends and doesnt recommend even learning a song for the first 10 lessons.

I loved playing those standards, but where was I going to go from there? I had no confidence to jam with anybody because I didn't now my instrument.

So there you have my valuable experience. lol
Mary

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