General question

[koopakid]

I have been playing the fiddle for 14 years. I just recently found out that mandolins and fiddles have the same tunning. I was wondering if the learning curve of the mandolin would be less because of my fiddle skills?

[Narayan Kersak]

that's what I hear. I also hear it's easier to go from fiddle to mando rather than mando to fiddle.

[MikeEdgerton]

It should be. The scales are the same.

[Lee]

Yes, but it won't be easy, especially the right hand.

[otterly2k]

Koopakid -
Yes... the learning curve would be less than if you picked up a totally different kind of instrument or a stringed instrument with a different tuning (like guitar). You will find that the left hand fingerings will be transferable to the mandolin. It will feel different b/c of the double courses, and requires more pressure than fingering a fiddle.

Obviously, the right hand picking technique (and the coordination of the two hands) will be new for you, but I think it is relatively simple compared to bowing. Also-- plucked and bowed instruments have very different sounds, so it will take some getting used to.

But all in all... yes, having a fiddle background will give you a headstart with mandolin. And if you can read music for fiddle, that will tranfer directly to mando.

[JeffD]

I play both, but I went the hard way and started on mandolin. I have only been playing fiddle for a handful of years.

The answer is yes but there will still be a learning curve. Mandolin is easier because the frets enable good intonation over a range of finger placements. Its just more foregiving.

Besides differences in right hand technique there are some real differences in philosophy, from what I can tell playing with a lot of fiddlers:

Fiddle players generally stay in first position unless they need some notes up the neck on the e string. Advanced fiddlers might hang out in third or higher positions a bit and play on the e and a string up there. But fiddlers stay closer to the open strings and first position when they can.

On the mandolin you can leap up the neck and free fall into position. Using the dots or fret markers, you can land where you want, and the frets give you perfect intonation. I have only seen really expert amazing fiddlers do this without error, most have to either walk their way up or quickly correct after landing.

Mandolin players do a lot more playing entirely free of open strings. Lots of playing across the neck, in second or third position, as opposed to up and down the neck, which seems to be common on the fiddle.

Mandolin players have the chords too, which enables all kinds of alternatives to playing striclty melody. Chord thinking also helps a lot with double stops and open string harmonies - something that I would think is harder to learn on the fiddle, which is perdominantly not a chord instrument.

I hope this helps.

Playing mandolin will help you playing the fiddle, and versvica - anything that lets you see the finger board in new ways is a good thing.

[Chip Booth]

I've taught fiddler players to play mando and they have all taken to it very quickly.

Chip

[JGWoods]

It's kind of funny- playing the mandolin like a fiddler is a good thing. Playing a mandolin like a guitar player, not so good.
Playing any other instrument will color your style on mandolin. Trombone players think in harmony and counterpoint, piccolo players think up all those fairy dust phrases to embellish tunes, Tuba players will have good chop chords.
Of course I'm generalizing, but it's all good. Playing fiddle style with double stops and slides and rhythmic drive will really put you in a good place quickly