Good sources for music when learning

I've been learning the mandolin on and off for several years (I get busy, then find myself drawn back to it). I come to it after having spent many years playing the guitar (classical, jazz, and rock). I've found the mandolin particularly intriguing.

The sources I'm using at present are the David Grisman book/CDs, which I find helpful, although trying to play along with his samples at full speed is enormously frustrating; I'm not that fast. I've also enjoyed using a Mel Bay book of fiddle tunes.

Any other good suggestions to build reportoire and technique?

What kind of music do you want to play on the mandolin? I would listen to lots and lots of that. What ever instruments.

I started out, myself, with fiddle tunes, and back in the day there wasn't much recorded mandolin, so I listened to a lot (no, a lot a lot) of fiddle music.

If its bluegrass, listen to tons and tons of bluegrass. Ricky Skaggs might be a starting place.

If you are listening to Grisman because that is the style you are after, you can't do better. But if you are listening to Grisman because that is the recorded mandolin music you have found, then seek out the kind of music you want to play.

You can use a program like Audacity to change the tempo of your recordings. It has a filter that allows you to slow the recording down but not change the pitch.

I'll go along with Jeff's advice. The one thing i'll add,is don't be afraid of 'trying to pick fast'. I'm self taught,didn't know of another player within a 100 miles of me & had (still haven't) no tuition books. I did buy the tuition DVD by Chris Thile,the only one they had in the store,simply for the info.on it ie. - how to hold the pick,wrist action etc.. I did as Jeff suggests & listened to all the Bluegrass Mandolin stuff i'd got on recordings & worked a few of them out by ear. I also ripped them onto my PC as 'pick along' tunes.Those tunes & I'net Radio stations,have been my sole source of music to pick along to.You just have to try to play it fast to keep up.Believe me,it will come. As in all things,it's practice,practice ........,
Ivan

youtube - best jukebox-cum-sing-n'-play-along device ever invented

Very true Bill - You can watch what the players do as well. YouTube is a heck of a good learning aid,
Ivan

Thanks all! As far as my tastes in music: they go all over the place. Ultimately, I am interested in developing sufficient skill with the instrument to be able to play as many genres as possible. I've found a good bit of the technique applied in Grisman & other's instructions to be generally applicable, so they've been very useful. I'm also admittedly hooked on the challenge to learn and improve. I'm enjoying the progression of continuous learning.

When getting a sense for the sheet music, I've found pretty examples of almost everything on YouTube as Bill's suggested. Its pretty incredible what you can find there!

As far as types of music: jazz, rock, bluegrass are all of interest.

One crutch I definitely need to get over is being too lazy to memorize the music. Having studied classical guitar for years (and having a similar bent), I'd get lazy. I can read well enough to generally follow the tunes, but am finding that I'm very definitely better off if I memorize them. That way, I'm focused on playing rather than playing and reading the music.

Hello again Mike,

All of the above is wonderful and right on.

I don't think I am the only one but I find the computer program, "Band In A Box" to be very useful. If I am studying a complex choro, or want to improvise over specific changes in a particular jazz style the program is great. Playing with people is infinitely better in all ways, but when there's no one around and it's late at night...or if I am thinking I am ready for prime time and want to test my readiness, no one needs to hear my, "whoops, I guess I need to go over that phrase a few hundred more times!"

Check it out,

Billy Packard
billypackardmandolin.com

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by billkilpatrick

youtube - best jukebox-cum-sing-n'-play-along device ever invented

---

+1 on youtube... my main beef with that are the countless videos of headless players. Bill, however, is not one of those and I always enjoy his videos. Check out his channel linked above.

thanks jim - 10'er's in the post - although now i record headless - getting in close to the mic in my mac precludes a peek at my puss.

Guess I spoke too soon... you have lost your head, Bill!! I also noticed that you are playing your Superton with a Roman style pick?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mike Rodbell

Thanks all! As far as my tastes in music: they go all over the place. Ultimately, I am interested in developing sufficient skill with the instrument to be able to play as many genres as possible. .

---

Well the perfect book for that, in my thinking, is Marilynn Mair's "The Complete Mandolinist". The stuff you learn in that book is foundational for every serious style of music you may pursue. I go back to it time after time for a tune up.

jim - sometime i use a risha - oud plectrum

i have a copy of "the complete mandolinist" as well - i think it's true to it's title ... one of these days i WILL! get past page 30

Jeff, Bill,

Thanks very much for the pointer to the book, "the complete mandolinist" I've just ordered a copy. That looks like the type of guidance I was hoping to find.

That book in particular really repays effort. Where it gets harder for me always seems to coincide with where I need the most work.