View Full Version : Mando n00b here.....
JackStraw_1969
Jun-10-2004, 1:09pm
Just thought I'd stop in and say hi. Been playing acoustic Guitar 15+ years and just ordered my 1st mando today.
I'll have a new-to-me Mid-MO M1 in my greazy paws early next week and can't wait.
Any suggestions on the best way for a guitar picker to make the transition to Mando would be much appreciated.
Damnation Gulch
Jun-10-2004, 1:53pm
I'm new as well and am mainly a guitarist myself. Best advice I have (I've only been playing three years) is to jump in with both feet and be as creative as possible. I never learned anyones tunes or anything but bought a book of chords and scales. I pretty much started writing on the thing the day I got it... good luck.
JackStraw_1969
Jun-11-2004, 9:12am
Thanks for the reply Damnation.......I guess nobody else likes n00bs..... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
mandough
Jun-11-2004, 9:29am
It's a pretty simple transition. Since you're a guitar player, your finger strength and hand strength should be fine.
The scales on the mandolin are a bit different, so that might take a bit of getting used to. Chording is also different, so you'll have to learn those.
Pick speed and rythm are quite fast in Bluegrass music, so you might want to listen for the mandolin parts and familiarize.
As in guitar, there are certain phrases that can be used over and over within this genre of music.
I was in the same boat as you about a year ago. Bought my own mandolin after playing around with one for a while.
It's a fun instrument and very addictive. I find that I play my mandolin more than my guitars now.
I bought a couple of DVDs (Sam Bush, and Chris Thile) just to get used to seeing how others played. It helped alot as far as technique. Hope this helps a little.:)
Greenmando
Jun-11-2004, 10:09am
My wife picked up one of my mandos and she is giving it a try, she plays the bass, guitar and drums. She said it was pretty nice to have such a small scale to work with.
The mid mo is a great choice to start with.
mandonewbie
Jun-11-2004, 10:10am
See My Name.....Just had one a couple of weeks, and I can't put it down...it's pretty easy to move over from guitar....just got to learn all the chords and scales...but, you can get C,D,G down and start playing 80% of all bluegrass songs,...it is addictive.
JackStraw_1969
Jun-11-2004, 12:57pm
Thanks for the encouragement guys! I'll be sure to post an update when I recieve the Mando.......why oh why didn't I pay for over-night shipping!?! ;)
Damnation Gulch
Jun-11-2004, 1:33pm
Jack, I feel your pain and then some. The Rogue is sold and I have NO idea what I'm going to buy. Seems what I want is around $2,000 (I want a Weber Bitterroot with the dark finish) and I've got just under $800. It may be a while or I'll fold and settle...
Also, not sure who's black mando this is but it sure is sweet...
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/uploads/post-13-44890-BRWcolumbus04.jpg
London Al
Jun-11-2004, 3:55pm
Hi Jack Straw, and welcome to the fold.What I'm gonna say here may sound a bit off the wall but I'd like to share the idea with folks. When I took up the mandolin after years of playing guitars, I used it as an opportunity to learn to sight read music. I'd never been able to do this on guitar. So for the first few months the only sounds I made on the instrument were notes I read from sheet music. It took a lot of discipline not to zoom around the neck trying to play guitar licks. I started of with scales,nursery rhimes and simple waltzes, .The end result though was I learned how to sight read. As far as my music goes, that was the smartest thing I ever did.
I'm not suggesting this is the right path for yourself, just recalling how when I was in a similar position ,I took it as an opportunity to learn to sight read music.
Good luck with your first mandolin which ever way you go!
Al
recklessmando
Jun-11-2004, 4:17pm
Damn....,
The mando in your photo is a BRW. You can check 'em out at brw-instruments.com or read more than you ever wanted to know in the thread that just won't die "Thinking about a BRW".
Damnation Gulch
Jun-11-2004, 6:12pm
Yeah, thats where I ripped the pic from. I'm scared to read all of that...LOL! I read the first and last page http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
8ch(pl)
Jun-11-2004, 7:34pm
Well, you picked a good instrument to start on. I had junk mandolins for about the first 6 years. Love my Mid Missouri.
JackStraw_1969
Jun-13-2004, 2:59pm
Hi Jack Straw, and welcome to the fold.What I'm gonna say here may sound a bit off the wall but I'd like to share the idea with folks. When I took up the mandolin after years of playing guitars, I used it as an opportunity to learn to sight read music. I'd never been able to do this on guitar. So for the first few months the only sounds I made on the instrument were notes I read from sheet music. It took a lot of discipline not to zoom around the neck trying to play guitar licks. I started of with scales,nursery rhimes and simple waltzes, .The end result though was I learned how to sight read. As far as my music goes, that was the smartest thing I ever did.
I'm not suggesting this is the right path for yourself, just recalling how when I was in a similar position ,I took it as an opportunity to learn to sight read music.
Good luck with your first mandolin which ever way you go!
Al
Thanks for the in-put everybody.......I can't wait to get my hands on my mando.......Al, that is a GREAT idea. I used to read music when I played Brass, but never did learn with the Guitar......I may have to do this!
Thaks again too all and keep the ideas coming!
JackStraw_1969
Jun-14-2004, 1:52pm
Update....the mando shipped today! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif I was kinda hoping it wold have shipped last week......especially when you concider they charged my card on Thursday.......oh well. Atleast I should have it by the weekend..... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Tennessee Jed
Jun-14-2004, 2:57pm
Welcome Jack - I got my first mandolin about 10 months ago. I have no formal musical training other than a few guitar lessons many years ago and hadn't played any instrument other than the harmonica for over 30 yrs. I'm basically self taught with the help of this message board and other websites. I listen to CD's of artists of various musical types (including Bill Monroe,Doc Watson,Tony Rice,the Grateful Dead,the Byrds, Hot Tuna, Jimmie Rodgers, Woody Guthrie, old blues artists), pick songs that appeal to me and fit my style, and try to teach myself how to play these tunes. I usually start with the melody and then improvise from there. I estimate that I practice about 10 hours or more a week. I still have a lot to learn but I'm having fun, staying out of trouble and driving my wife crazy.
JackStraw_1969
Jun-14-2004, 3:05pm
Welcome Jack - I got my first mandolin about 10 months ago. I have no formal musical training other than a few guitar lessons many years ago and hadn't played any instrument other than the harmonica for over 30 yrs. I'm basically self taught with the help of this message board and other websites. I listen to CD's of artists of various musical types (including Bill Monroe,Doc Watson,Tony Rice,the Grateful Dead,the Byrds, Hot Tuna, Jimmie Rodgers, Woody Guthrie, old blues artists), pick songs that appeal to me and fit my style, and try to teach myself how to play these tunes. I usually start with the melody and then improvise from there. I estimate that I practice about 10 hours or more a week. I still have a lot to learn but I'm having fun, staying out of trouble and driving my wife crazy.
Sounds like we have alot of the same tastes Jed......thanks for the welcoms and I'll let you know how I progress....
John Flynn
Jun-14-2004, 5:08pm
Welcome to mando-world. I played guitar for 20 years before taking up the mando 12 years ago. One thing I found helpful was to try to transfer the stuff I could do on the guitar to the mando before I started plowing new ground with the new instrument. So I learned most of the chords, scales, riffs and tunes I played on the guitar on the mando. It really built up my confidence quickly and it gave me an appreciation for the "logic" of the layout of the mando fretboard versus the guitar.
Tennessee Jed
Jun-14-2004, 6:25pm
With these screen names I thought we might have something in common.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Since we're all real nice people here, many of us are reverting back to our real life names. Fer me; you can drop the 957, it's an anachronism (whatever that means... maybe there was another Lee when I signed on; I forget)
JackStraw_1969
Jun-15-2004, 7:32am
Welcome to mando-world. I played guitar for 20 years before taking up the mando 12 years ago. One thing I found helpful was to try to transfer the stuff I could do on the guitar to the mando before I started plowing new ground with the new instrument. So I learned most of the chords, scales, riffs and tunes I played on the guitar on the mando. It really built up my confidence quickly and it gave me an appreciation for the "logic" of the layout of the mando fretboard versus the guitar.
Thanks jflynnstl! Great advice.......just 24 more hours! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
FYI- I'm a couple hours north of you......ever hit any festivals around the area?
JackStraw_1969
Jun-15-2004, 7:35am
Since we're all real nice people here, many of us are reverting back to our real life names. Fer me; you can drop the 957, it's an anachronism (whatever that means... maybe there was another Lee when I signed on; I forget)
We all may be real nice people, but all it takes is one bad apple.....
London Al
Jun-15-2004, 2:32pm
Hi again Jackstraw,
Yeah were all really nice people here! Anybody else noticed that jflynnstl and myself are advising completely different approaches for you to take?
Rock on Johnny!
Al
JackStraw_1969
Jun-15-2004, 2:34pm
Yea, I noticed......I'm prolly going to go the latter route.....picking tunes I know and working them up as I'm just not dicipled enough for the sight reading......but I'll give it a whirl......that's why I'm pickig up Mando.....something NEW! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
It'll be here with UPS tomorrow! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
JackStraw_1969
Jun-16-2004, 2:25pm
Well it arrived! All I can say is WOW! I am SO glad I didn't buy one of the cheapies at the local music store. This is allready light-years ahead of those in sound and feel.
I won't be posting much tonight......I have scales/chords to learn! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif