If Mandolin Did Not Exist........

[Andrew Reckhart]

If mandolin did not exist....................

What instrument would you have chosen to play primarily?

What do you think WSM would have played?

[Scotti Adams]

Guitar..and do

[Lee]

Theremin
Or I woulda kept up with the violin.

[John Flynn]

Excellent discussion question!

I started on the guitar and would have probably stayed with it if it were not for the mando, but I was getting pretty bored with it. Since I have taken up the mando, I have also taught myself harmonica, so if I couldn't play mando anymore, I would probably go full tilt for the mouth harp.

According to the story Mike Compton told at his workshop, Bill Monroe did not want to play the mandolin at first. He wanted to play the fiddle, but by the time he came along in his family the fiddle was already spoken for. Ironically, he was "relegated" to the mandolin!

[bjc]

I'm with Scotti...I'd probably be more into guitar...been playing guitar much longer anyway

[saznpins]

I'd still play violin http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif Once I picked up a mando I never went back http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[Andrew Reckhart]

I've played guitar for my entire life, well 22 out of 31 years of it anyhow. I've only been playing mandolin for 2 and a half years. If I didn't have the mandolin, I'd probably play Dobro. I've actually been considering starting up this winter. I like the unique!

[Andrew Reckhart]

maybe even B@#$O!

[Eugene]

Guitar..and do
...and ditto. Does 6-course mandolino count? How about renaissance mandore?

[Yellowmandolin]

I'd play some fiddle. I used to play the viola, but just bought a fiddle to tool around on.

[John Rosett]

i love playing guitar, and now i'm learning lap steel and dobro. i love it! we used to say that the right note was only a half step away, now it's only a quarter tone away.
bill always said that he took up the mandolin because his brothers had already chosen guitar and fiddle.
john

[John Zimm]

I'd probably remember how to play the guitar if it weren't for the mandolin. What is it about the mandolin making a whole class of ex-guitar players?

-John.

[Jaws]

Trumpet http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
Its what I started on, until braces got in the way. I've since lost the braces, but the mandolin has stayed with me

[Jeroen]

Whatever Bill Monroe would have played. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Big Joe]

I've played guitar for 40 years. I still play guitar. I would put a little more time in the banjo as second instrument. Now mandolin is first, guitar second, banjo 26th. Oh, there is nothing between 2 and 26. Just shows how bad a banjo player I am http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif .

[Dru Lee Parsec]

Well, I certainly do already play guitar (Classical, Jazz, Fingerstyle) and have played for over 30 years. For several years I was a serious student of The Chapman Stick (http://www.stick.com) and I'd even say that I was among the top 50 or so players in the world (not hard to do when there are only 5000 or so players total and most of the top Stick teachers are here in Southern California).

But I just got tired of dealing with all the cords and amps and such. And the whole "two handed independence" thing that The Stick requires was just getting overwhelming from a technique point of view. Now, I find that one of the things I like about mandolin is that it's so small and easy to carry around. I can get a big sound out of a tiny instrument.

The Stick is an incredibly fun instrument to play. But just as I got tired of playing electric guitar because of all the pedals, cords, amps etc I tired of playing The Stick.

Acoustic Guitar has been my main love for may years. But I've gone through times where I didn't play for months at a time. I'm finding that studying some real high end fingerstyle stuff (mostly from Fingerstyle Guitar magazine) has re-awakened the instrument for me.

[gdae85]

banjo

[JenWantstaJam]

It seems almost pointless now to even bother saying so, but if it wasn't for mandolin, I too, would just be playing guitar... Maybe bodhran would have came next

[mrbook]

I also play guitar, banjo, and dobro. Lately, I've played more banjo than mandolin - our band can't find another banjo player we would let on stage with us, and I keep asking other mandolin players to sit in. They are all great for making music, and while I would rather play mandolin, I usually play whatever the band needs. I would love to play fiddle, but if my bowing arm hasn't learned anything in 30 years, I may give up if I don't learn anything in the next 30.

[JGWoods]

If the mandolin didn't exist LLoyd Loar would have perfected the banjo...
the perfect banjo- an oxymoron.

best,
jgwoods

[Plectrum]

I've played guitar for 40 years and will continue. There's always something new to learn. I've been listening to Tone Poems to get a feel for some mandolin playing 'cause I'm new to it. I keep focusing in on Tony Rice's great guitar playing and want to learn how to play like that, to the best of my abilities anyhow, and try to learn the mandolin too. So much music, so little time.

[mad dawg]

Piano

[dwc]

I started on trumpet, but I've always loved reeds, probably tenor sax.

[mandopete]

Clarinet.

I'm pretty sure that Big Mon would have opted for the accordian.

[ShaneJ]

The radio.....no, seriously, the guitar.

[siren_20]

The choice is so obvious...mandola!

[Magnus Geijer]

Nyckelharpa, obviously. I think it would do wonders in a bluegrass setting.

[Jonathan Reinhardt]

Hey, did anybody welcome Jen?
Welcome, Jen.

Bagpipes.

rasa

[pickinpox]

I think I would fiddle around with a violin.

The hammered dulcimer would be a cool instrument to try. #Seems to work suprisingly well for bluegrass. Check out the sound clips on this site. #Roland White is the mandolin picker on her current CD. #Highly recommended.

Amber Burks' website (http://amberburks.com)

[JeffS]

Bagpipes. That sounds odd but for me the mandolin was an impulse buy for me and shorly before I acted on the impulse I had had been toying with the idea of taking up bagpipes. Thank God I chose the mandolin.

[EasyEd]

Hey All,

I'm with Mando Johnny. Harp - by far - probably accordian after that.
Played Clarinet as a kid - hated it - that licorice stick just never did fit in with Folsom Prison Blues, Abilene, Big Iron, Detroit City, King of the Road an all them other country songs I just loved (still do). I never got the Big Band fever that my dad had.

Take Care! -Ed-

[doanepoole]

Like other folks have mentioned, I'd play guitar, and do. Sad to say, generally speaking, there is little money in bluegrass, old time, or Celtic music in my area.

[springer_spaniel]

Cello !

Always loved that sound, but it would be hard to travel with.

[jasona]

Nothing. That's what I was playing before I got hooked on the mando.

(springer_spaniel: the cello is the tone of my dreams!)

[Arto]

An oud.

[Spencer]

I'd still be trying to play a fiddle in tune, thank goodness for frets!

Spencer

[Lee]

Vibrato ain't easy either.

[merv]

Probably nothing . Played cornet until copd ruined my lungs .

[angrymandolinist]

Melodica! I love it. Travels better than a mando anyway. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[David in IL]

I'd go back to guitar, forward to lute.

Bagpipes!What a cool instrument when played correctly!If you've ever heard a novice piper play "Amazing Grace" you would understand why I said it was cool when played correctly.Ouch!

[mandodebbie]

Ukulele. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif Hey, Ive heard Ode to Joy played on one. It was quite pleasant. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif

[rmcintos]

bigjohn and jen welcome aboard!

Definitely the flute. Ian Anderson, Larry Nugent, Tom Dorley, those guys can....wow.

[mad dawg]

If Mandolin Did Not Exist...

...I would be spending all of my time at work at the Pianocafe or some such discussion board. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Mandolinespieler]

Cajun 10 button Accordion... its easier to not sound so bad because they are set for just one key.

[mandroid]

The Perfect 5ths logic of a fretted instrument in the pitch of a violin would insure that it would be invented, or perhaps imported from one of the parralell universes.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[mrmando]

To paraphrase Voltaire, if the mandolin did not exist it would be necessary to invent it.