Mandola - I've taken the plunge

[Fliss]

Having had a hankering to try a tenor mandola, I took the plunge recently, by trading an old dreadnought guitar for this Vintage mandola. It's a modest but likeable beginner instrument and gives me the opportunity to try it out without actually spending any money! I've made a start at playing a few tunes on it, but am struggling to find any instructional material. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Any on-line lessons, for example, or any good books or DVDs you can recommend?

Fliss

[Daniel Nestlerode]

Good for you!
Mandola (or Tenor Mandola) will expand your horizons by forcing you to learn to transpose on the fly and strengthening your left hand. ;)

Technique is the same as mandolin for the most part, except that the longer scale length may force you to switch positions through a single octave scale depending on the size of your hands.

Not much instructional material out there, so you'll probably have to extrapolate from mandolin or Octave Mandolin.

Daniel

[Jim Garber]

Fliss... just to clarify since the terms are different on different sides of the pond. I can't quite tell from the photo but how is this mandola tuned? I thought that the tenor mandola would be 1 octave below mandolin whereas the alto mandola is CGDA (like a viola).

[hank]

What is the scale length? I was thinking the same thing, it looks long like an octave mandolin.

[Eddie Sheehy]

Yep, if it's 20" or greater it's an Octave Mandolin. Tune it GGDDAAEE and use mandolin fingering for melody... invent your own double-stop chords for backing and neglect not counterpoint... Check out Tim O'Brien's Bouzouki tutor and Zan Mc'Leod's bouzouki tutor.
If indeed it s a sub 19" scale length, use mandolin fingering but every key is one string down from a mandolin.. fCGDAe.. to put it in perspective. I use a capo on 2 and play D chords and scales for G etc....

[Daniel Nestlerode]

My understanding of the terminology in the British Isles is that a mandola here (US) is a tenor mandola there, despite the fact that a mandola is an alto instrument. An octave mandolin here is a mandola there.

It's impossible to determine the scale length from the picture, so I hope the OP chimes in soon. But my Weber has a 17" scale and seems to have about the same neck length to body size ratio.

Daniel

[Fliss]

It's CGDA and a scale length of around 17 inches. Sorry for the confusion, I realise there's a difference in terminology and thought referring to it as a tenor mandola (rather than mandola) would make it clear it's not an octave mandolin. Anyway, a slightly oversized mandolin :)

Here's a pic of it with my Davidson flat top mandolin for scale:

Fliss

[Martin Jonas]

Fliss,

Looks good -- congratulations. Is this a flattop or an archtop? Solid top?

I have to say that the use of the brand name "Vintage" for new imported instruments in the UK irritates me somewhat -- it causes confusion when reading sales listings...

Martin

[Rich Rickman]

Can anyone point me in the right direction? Any on-line lessons, for example, or any good books or DVDs you can recommend?

Fliss

Congratulations! I have a '88 Flatiron 'bouzouki' that I tune GDAD. I use a capo a lot of the time playing Irish/Scottish tunes & songs. I've found it to be much easier to use the numbering system when chording, and thinking in terms of modes when playing melodic lines. For what it is worth I also think in terms of chord positions, so I might play Arthur McBride in 'B', capo on 4th fret, using 'G-position' or capo on 9th fret 'D-position.' No matter where I am on the neck, or what 'chord position' I use, in my mind the chords are going to be I, ii, iii, IV, etc., and follow the melody. So, I don't ever really feel like I'm transposing on the fly.

I don't know if this will work for you. As I read it I can see how it may seem a bit idiosynchratic. I've played bass for many years, so using the numbering system and thinking in terms of numbered scales and modes feels natural to me.

Good luck!

Rich

[JeffD]

I play my mandola three ways.

One is as is, consciously trying to transpose in my head and / or come in with harmonies to the fiddle line -

Play as is, only the top three strings and playing like a mandolin.

Capo 2 and down a string, putting me an octave below the fiddle line.

Its a lot of fun.

[Fliss]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions folks. I will definitely follow up on some of them and see where they lead me. I think I'm going to need to work on my theory a little in order to work this out, but that's a good thing which I need to do anyway!

Martin, it's a flat top, laminate I think. I agree with your comments on the brand name - very confusing.

Fliss

[BlueMt.]

I bought Nile's Mandola Sampler many years ago and found it a nice intro to mandola. I see it's still available and inexpensive. http://elderly.com/books/items/46-9.htm