View Full Version : Advice wanted for my own mandolin lessons
I've just started to teach myself to play the mandolin on my old banjolin. Until I got some books form the library, I was playing a few scales (and trying some tremolo with them too) and also playing a few tunes which I got from a site recommended by Jamie (JEStanek) on Mandolin Cafe. I printed some with both TAB and music notation and am now only playing ones without TAB.
After looking at a few beginner mandolin library books I am using How To Play Mandolin by Jack Tottle. This is in addition to the two octave A and D scales and the few tunes that I work on each day. Fortunately, I feel there is some improvement.
Does anyone have any further advice for someone like me to learn to play mandolin?
God bless - PTL
mandroid
Jan-08-2010, 11:47am
Scat-sing ,hum, etc.what you want to play, the melody, then make sounds with your instrument like that.
the playing by ear word brought down from the mountain ... wisdom of the elders.
.. first carry the tune in your head.
SincereCorgi
Jan-08-2010, 11:56am
You might look through this mandolin method by Bickford. It's free, online:
http://ia341013.us.archive.org/1/items/bickfordmandolin01bick/bickfordmandolin01bick.pdf
You'll have to adjust his posture tips to suit your banjolin, I'd imagine, but the rest is all pretty solid and provides a good steady escalation of difficulty. Have fun and don't get frustrated- the first year of any instrument is the hardest.
pickloser
Jan-13-2010, 6:41am
I didn't know Bickford was available on-line. I've worked thru that book. I think it has a lot to offer. On page 24 is an "exercise for locating notes." If you read the preceding pages and work on that exercise until it can be played well, you will never have problems reading notation or playing from notation in first position again. I've faxed that exercise to at least a half dozen people. Now I can just send the link. Thanks a bunch, Corgi!
Patrick Market
Jan-13-2010, 7:14am
For learning individual tunes, I used Mel Bay's You Can Teach Yourself Fiddle. That's right fiddle.
chordbanger
Jan-13-2010, 9:57am
Practice every day, and do not practice mistakes. If you make a mistake, circle it, or highlight it on the music, and go over it until you get it right. If you have the luxury of having a guitar player to back you, treat them like gold, because good guitar players are hard to find.
JeffD
Jan-13-2010, 10:10am
Try and play some of the constant barrage of tune clips, theme songs, commercials, and popular tunes to which we are all exposed. Just by ear. Once a day or so try and figure out something new. Even if you never play that piece again. Even if you can't figure it out. Just try something every day.
Sleepy
Jan-13-2010, 2:12pm
Practice, practice, practice and play along with your CD's, preferably some BIG MON
Earlyman67
Jan-13-2010, 5:36pm
Scat-sing ,hum, etc.what you want to play, the melody, then make sounds with your instrument like that.
the playing by ear word brought down from the mountain ... wisdom of the elders.
.. first carry the tune in your head.
I think this will help:disbelief: