Newbie with questions

[strangechick]

Well, no one died. The mandolin was part of a lot that my husband bought. He's a full time musician. I've always told him that I wanted to learn how to play the mandolin so he's giving it to me. I don't know anything about playing a stringed instrument let alone a mandolin. I'm assuming that somewhere on this forum is advice and/or instructions on tuning, care, learning how to play etc. If someone could be so kind as to point out where this info is, I'd be greatly appreciative. Also does anyone know of any teachers in the South San Francisco bay area? I used to play (French) Horn so it's not like I'm totally ignorant of musical theory.

Oh, the Mandolin says it is a Santa Rosa, mand22, tobacco sunburst, made in china. I already understand this is probably not a top of the line instrument but it's probably just fine for me for now.

BTW Hubby is a vocalist/guitarist. He does solo work and also has a band. He has visions of me learning to play well enough to do the mandolin parts for Jerry Jeff Walker's "Mr. Bojangles" and R.E.M.'s "Losing my Religion" amoung other tunes.

Thanks,

Sara

[Eric F.]

Sara, there are chords and tablature linked from the Cafe home page (not the main discussion board page). Also, Mandozine (www.mandozine.com) has a section on technique, and there is a "Theory, Techniques, Tips and Tricks" section on this board that you ought to peruse.

If you are interested in instructional material, Simon Mayor's "The Mandolin Tutor" followed by "Roland White's Approach to Bluegrass Mandolin" would be my recommendation, though you will get others that worked for other people.

Good luck and have fun!

[strangechick]

Thank you so much! I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the information I have been reading. My husband said something about mandolins being backwards of guitars. He didn't mean it pejoratively, but more like something to do with how they are played and therefore he can't be very much help to me.

Sara

[Soupy1957]

Sarah,
Between your husband, the internet and any number of self-proclaimed "experts" in here, you are SURE to get all the supplies and links you could EVER need!

[strangechick]

P.S. Are those instuctional materials books that I can find in music stores or on Amazon?

[Martin Jonas]

I second the recommendation of the Simon Mayor book. I'm in the UK, so I could get it directly from the author, but I believe Elderly (http://elderly.com/books/items/521-028.htm) stock it. I see they list the book and the CD that goes with it separately: make sure you order both. I haven't used the Roland White book, but would suspect that it's most appropriate if you want to learn specifically bluegrass.

Otherwise, there is good beginners' advice at Nigel Gatherer's website (http://www.nigelgatherer.com/), where you'll also find a vast collection of Scottish and Irish tunes arranged for mandolin.

Most importantly, you need to get your husband to realise that he CAN help you a lot to get started, as he already knows the concept of chords, strumming patterns and stuff like that. I strongly recommend you print out the diagram of two-finger chords from the Cafe homepage here (http://www.mandolincafe.com/two.html), take it to your husband and ask him to try them on the mandolin and try strumming a song that only has these chords.

Martin

[Joe F]

In terms of taking care of your mandolin, Frets.com has an excellent Mandolin Owners Manual (http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/OwnerManual/manmando.html) web page that you should take a peek at.

[Fliss]

Hi Sara, welcome! I think as Martin says, you'll find that your husband can help you more than he realises, with all kinds of things from set-up to how to hold the pick to left hand fingering technique.

What kind of music do you want to play on your mandolin, is it the same kind of music your husband's band plays?

Fliss

[otterly2k]

Sara- Welcome to mando-world!! #You will find all sorts of info here... quite possibly more than you know what to do with. #

If I was in your position, I'd start by making sure the instrument was in the best shape it can be for playing. #It should probably be cleaned up, set up, and re-strung. #By "set up", I mean that there are things to check on the mandolin to be sure that the strings are high enough, but not too high, and to make sure that it will play in tune (intonation), and that you're getting the best possible tone out of it. #If these things aren't checked, there's a chance that the instrument itself will interfere with your learning process by playing out of tune no matter what you do, making buzzing sounds when you play, or by hurting your fingers more than necessary as you learn to play. #Your husband may or may not be able to help with this... so if he says he can't help you... go find a luthier/instrument repair person in your area who can.

In terms of playing, your husband does have skills on the guitar that will transfer to mando. #How to fret a string clearly, how to use a flat pick, how to tune your instrument, etc. #But the finger positions will be totally different, and many aspects of the technique will be different. Looking for a beginning teacher is a great idea.

If you played French Horn, you probably know how to read music... so a beginner book may be a good place to start while you're looking for a teacher.

most of all...have fun!!
It's a terrific and addictive instrument... I'm sure you'll be up and running in no time!
KE

[Jim Garber]

Also does anyone know of any teachers in the South San Francisco bay area?
There are quite a few teachers in the area. I know that Nicola Swinburne (http://www.mandolinserenade.com/) teaches workshops and classes. Paul Binkley (http://www.paulbinkley.com/) is also in the area.

If you are interested in Italian music, I have heard that Caffe Trieste (http://www.caffetrieste.com/pages/music.html) in North Beach is the place to go.

Bruce Zweig (http://www.brucezweig.com/music/matteo/) has compiled and uploaded som charts and mp3s of the playing of Matteo Casserino and others at the Caffe.

Also, check out the Hot Frittatas (http://www.hotfrittatas.com/).

Of course, if you are interested in other types of mandolin music, i am sure that others will set you in the right direction.

Jim

[Soupy1957]

Sarah,
SEE! What'd I tell ya!!
-Soupy1957

[BluegrassGirl26]

If you're interested in bluegrass music try the murphy method instructional videos. They have a video for almost everything at their online store www.murphymethod.com. You learn by ear so you won't always need tablature or sheet music which is a definete plus.

[strangechick]

Thank you Eric F. and Martinjonas for the book and CD advice. I have already ordered them. And thank you Joe F. for the link to the Mandolin Owners Manual.

As far as having Hubby help me, I'm sure he knows a lot more than he thinks but he is the worst teacher because he doesn't have much patience and he has a low tolerance for music that is being played like a series of disjoined notes. I would have to keep lessons very short with him, more like quick bits of advice.

Which leads me to Jgarbers help with teachers. I needed to be clearer where I live. I am much closer to San Jose than I am to San Francisco and with gas prices as they are... I'm sure if you were from the area you'd know that the South Bay is about an hour + away from San Francisco itself. Plus I'm also on a budget. I was just laid-off from my job on Friday. I do have an interview for another job next week but I can't count on getting that one just yet even though they did call me to set up an interview 20 minutes after I faxed them my resume and cover letter. Do you or anyone else know of a reasonably-priced teacher closer to San Jose CA?

Thank you Otterly2k for the advice on set-up. Actually, I know how important this is because of my experience with (French) Horns. I once had a teacher give me a Conn 8D (not a prized 1940's Conn 8D but one from the 1990's) because she had dented it and even though it was repaired it didn't play the same. (Very bad to dent brass instruments - no matter how well repaired they will never be as good) I took it to be cleaned before I started playing it (Unless it is brand new ALWAYS get a wind instrument cleaned before using it. Someone else had been spitting into it.) Anyway, in order to clean a horn you have to re-string it (on all but the most basic of student models the levers that control the valves use a string and pulley system because it is much quieter than springs which creak and rattle) Anyhow apparently the teacher had tried to re-string it herself. Like all string, over time it stretches and had to be re-done periodically. It costs ~$80.00 to have a repair shop do it so she was probably trying to save herself some money. If you don't do it right the horn won't stay in tune over the course of a scale. When I got the horn back from the repair shop it played like butter and my teacher then promptly wanted it back. She did pay me back for the cleaning though.

Fliss,

I'm very eccectic with music. I am very partial to Folk Music, though, not the 60's coffee house version, the kind that gets called Scottish, Irish, Italian etc. Bluegrass fits into this sort of category in that it is stems from a "Folk" tradition verses an "acadamy" tradition. However, I've always wanted to learn how to play the first movement of Vivaldi's Concerto for Mandolin. I love that tune. It sounds to me like small children running around playing in a grassy yard, being totally in a state of joy that only the very young experience. Also I used to play a CD with this on it at work and one of my co-workers used to say it made him feel like buying something expensive. On occasion I've wondered if I were playing this while say selling stuff at a yard sale (like a jumble sale for those of you in the UK) whether people would pay more for the items they were buying.

Sara

[Jim Garber]

Which leads me to Jgarbers help with teachers. I needed to be clearer where I live. I am much closer to San Jose than I am to San Francisco and with gas prices as they are... I'm sure if you were from the area you'd know that the South Bay is about an hour + away from San Francisco itself. Plus I'm also on a budget. I was just laid-off from my job on Friday. I do have an interview for another job next week but I can't count on getting that one just yet even though they did call me to set up an interview 20 minutes after I faxed them my resume and cover letter. Do you or anyone else know of a reasonably-priced teacher closer to San Jose CA?
I definitely do not know CA geography but I would suggest contacting some of those folks to see who they know closer to your home. Also, a decent store near you that carries mandolins might have a decent teacher for the instrument. It would also help for the teacher to know what you want to learn on it.

BTW, Soupy1957, I am not a self-proclaimed "expert" -- I just play one on Mandolin Cafe. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Jim

[Eric F.]

It sounds to me like small children running around playing in a grassy yard, being totally in a state of joy that only the very young experience.

Great description. Now I'll have to learn that piece!

[Jim M.]

The best resource for lessons near you is probably Gryphon, in Palo Alto, for group or individual lessons. Jack Tuttle teaches mando (and other instruments there), and there are a lot of players and groups in the area that have been taught by Jack over the years. Here's their website:
Gryphon (http://www.gryphonstrings.com/lessons_rentals/index.html)

There is a Yahoo group, SFBay Mando that can probably help you. It's not that active anymore, but if you post a specific query you should get some responses. Most of the members post here at the Cafe, too, but I guess I'm the first to notice this thread, probably because a lot of them are at the Symposium in Santa Cruz.
SFBay Mando group (http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/SFBayMando/)

Symnposium (http://mandolinsymposium.com/)