New Guy Questions

[mdgodaat]

Hello to all. Got first mandolin today. Am looking for some beginner advice on a few things. A lil' info for you first. The mandolin is for my 6 yr. old daughter just starting out. I'm a banjo player myself and am planning on starting her on some basic two finger chords and to chop. Otherwise than that I'll be lost and teaching myself as we go.

I know there's a ton of free stuff available online like sample lessons, snippets, tab and the like.

Can anyone recommend some websites or maybe some cheaper starter videos ?

One on one lessons are not in the budget right now.

Also setup tips would be appreciated as well. This mandolin does not have a truss rod. Can this be a problem or anything to watch out for or do in particular ?

Thanks in advance.:)

[Jim]

No adustable truss rod should not be a problem. It almost certainly needs ne strings and I'd go with light. Intonation is easy just pick an open string and then a 12th fret on the same string if 12th fret is sharp move bridge away from fret board and toward tail piece opposite if flat. Unless you're a better man than I you'll need an electronic tuner to do this. Set action with thumb screws on bridge lower until it buzzes and then raise til it stops. No personal lesson recomendations but there's lots of good music tab on this site. Hope you and your daughter have a great time with your Mandolin. Oh welcome to the cafe!

[mickey.cole]

try freepicken.com

[CoMando]

try freepicken.com

should be freepickin.com

[kalenh]

mandozine.com's list of beginner songs for (http://www.mandozine.com/music/search_results.php?searchfor=&tuneselectby=C&mandolevel=2&category=&songkey=&artist=&transcriber=&sortby=T&sortorder=A&submit=) tefview (free download) (http://www.tabledit.com/tefview/)

Alltabs.com (http://www.alltabs.com/index.html)

http://www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/mandolin-tab/mandolin-tab-A.html


Just a few of my currently open Firefox tabs. :)

I would also recommend for you to snag a song or 2 that she can play with Dad. That'll be heaps better.

[journeybear]

Two finger chords are good - 0023 G, 0230 C, 2002 D will get her started in the key of G. Also, try some melodies she may already know - "Twinkle Twinkle," "The Farmer In The Dell," "She'll Be Coming 'Round The Mountain," "Oh Susannah," "Frere Jacques," "Row Row Row Your Boat," "Happy Birthday" (which will make a big splash at parties), and Christmas carols, which are often pretty simple.

Best of luck with this! :mandosmiley: