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Thread: How do you like your mandolin served?

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    Registered User Oggy's Avatar
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    Default How do you like your mandolin served?

    I must admit, I prefer listening to mandolin played in small ensembles. To my ears, a lot of the qualities of the instrument are lost in larger groups (talking mostly live performances and jams).

    Marshall/Thile, Compton/Long, Grier/Thile, Scott/O'Brien are examples of duos I really like. Trios can be really cool too... Andy Statmans band (mandolin/bass/drums), or maybe Compton playing with Hartford (sometimes only bass/mandolin/banjo).

    Don't get me wrong, I love mandolin in larger ensembles too... but honestly, in bluegrass I often find the fiddle more interesting.

    So, am I alone in this?

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    but that's just me Bertram Henze's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you like your mandolin served?

    In my arms, please, with a beer
    That provided, other side dishes are not important.
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    Cafe Linux Mommy danb's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you like your mandolin served?

    Small venues with a bit of microphone to augment the acoustics, dim lights, quiet appreciative crowd, and good friends to socialize with when the players are done
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    Registered User Matt Hutchinson's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you like your mandolin served?

    Interesting question.

    I've just left a long-time band I play with (in part) because of my answer to this. We started as a 6-piece (guitar, drums, accordion, bass, fiddle and mandolin) - I could just about cope with the drums (if he played quietly) but we've now added brass and I just find that 90% of whatever I play is irrelevant as it'll get lost. It's not the entire reason I left the band though but is something that I've struggled with for a while. I love the music and the people but I don't have a lot of time to play these days so would prefer something quieter when I do.

    I've really enjoyed playing with just one or two others before (any mix of guitar, fiddle, accordion, dobro etc) - not just for volume reasons but because I love the way you can interact in small ensembles.

    I also love Marshall/Thile and have a wonderful live recording of Chris with Michael Daves. I like the Skaggs/Rice recordings for the same reason. Also...no mandolin content but I love the British folk band Lau for the same reasons, when they all click you can hear what everyone is doing yet they sound huge. Brilliant

    Matt

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    Default Re: How do you like your mandolin served?

    For listening enjoyment, practically any size of group or situation. I saw Chris Thile and How To Grow a Band at a venue with concrete floors and a long wait and stood through the show... the music was great fun and quite enjoyable, the venue left much to be desired.

    For myself, I like playing at home or occasionally in a church or outside.

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    Default Re: How do you like your mandolin served?

    I like solo mandolin (classical or otherwise) and for non-classical I mostly prefer small groups with other instruments, such as trad. bluegrass bands or something like the Grisman groups. I'm not a fan of mandolin quartets (or guitar quartets, for that matter). Having heard live most of the prominent string quartets of our time I personally find the mandolin quartets and guitar quartets lacking when playing traditional classical repertoire. They do better with specialized arrangements IMO, but more of those miss than hit for me.
    Mostly it has to do with the level of playing--a great mandolin player is usually going to make it work regardless of setting.
    Small venues with a respectful crowd, good sound system and good sound man make it all work for me.

  7. #7

    Default Re: How do you like your mandolin served?

    Quote Originally Posted by danb View Post
    Small venues with a bit of microphone to augment the acoustics, dim lights, quiet appreciative crowd, and good friends to socialize with when the players are done
    Nice. The only thing I would add to that is a quality adult beverage.

  8. #8
    Ursus Mandolinus Fretbear's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you like your mandolin served?

    I only like to play in smaller intimate settings, and particularly not with keyboards.
    I used to be pretty hardcore about strings only, but along with the indispensable acoustic guitar, a sensitive percussionist or good flute player can blend very nicely with the mandolin. More important even than the instruments is that the musicians actually listen to each other and play with taste.
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    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you like your mandolin served?

    I have been doing a fair amount of manolin duets, two mandolins - one on melody and the other on rythmic chord backup, both on melody, trading off melody, melody and strong second part, all kinds of options.

    The best scenario is where the mandolins have slightly different voices, where they blend well together without losing their individual flavor.

    Its a really nice sound.
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    Registered User grassrootphilosopher's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you like your mandolin served?

    For the public IŽd like the mandolin played in a bluegrass band in an arena that takes in 20.000 people that is sold out with an aditional 10.000 people at the door wishing to get inside in a tour that is completely sold out with a total audience of about 1 bilion people that all try to start to play bluegrass.

    For me, an intimate setting be it a house concert, small club, concert hall with exquisite acoustics, be it a full bluegrass band, a quartet, trio, duo, solo of most any kind of instrumental combination (think baroque music etc.)
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    Registered User Jim MacDaniel's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you like your mandolin served?

    I really enjoy it paired with a single acoustic guitar -- although like Bertram, I also like it paired with a pint.
    Last edited by Jim MacDaniel; Jan-28-2010 at 10:56am.
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    Default Re: How do you like your mandolin served?

    Here I'venever heardmore than 1 mandolin except on a CD would not even know ware to go other than utube i would guess not that po[ular in the states
    fred davis

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    Registered User Earl Gamage's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you like your mandolin served?

    I agree with you Oggy. It can be frustrating sometimes when the mandolin gets lost in too big or too loud a group.

    As you said, I still like mandolin in larger groups and I hope it does not get lost in there.

  14. #14
    Purveyor of Sunshine sgarrity's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you like your mandolin served?

    I prefer to listen to the mandolin where there are dim lights, thick smoke, and loud, loud music!

  15. #15
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you like your mandolin served?

    Quote Originally Posted by sgarrity View Post
    I prefer to listen to the mandolin where there are dim lights, thick smoke, and loud, loud music!
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    But getting back to the subject: I love mandolin in a variety of contexts, but I have to be able to hear it –- and I prefer to have it audible not only when it's taking a solo, but when it's chording along or playing harmonies or whatever. Too many times it seems to disappear in the "mix" and only come out when the mandolinist steps up to the mic or the other instruments drop 'way down to accommodate it. Band members should be able to balance their instruments without just relying on a sound tech to tweak mic volumes up and down.
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    Default Re: How do you like your mandolin served?

    Quote Originally Posted by danb View Post
    Small venues with a bit of microphone to augment the acoustics, dim lights, quiet appreciative crowd, and good friends to socialize with when the players are done
    Good description Dan.

    This describes the Wednesday night church praise and worship ensemble I split time between violin and mandolin with.

    I use the mandolin primarily to play short phrases to compliment vocals and/or to take a instrumental break between verses. These are not your old time hymns, but complex harmonies with lots of improvisational potential. I love it.

  17. #17
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    Default Re: How do you like your mandolin served?

    I like mandolin best in the mix with other instruments. A guitar and mandolin sound great together IMO; also good with a fiddle, larger mandolin family instrument such as zouk, and maybe even an accordion thrown into the mix - and voice too

    Fliss

  18. #18
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you like your mandolin served?

    With Generous amounts of Beer for the Player.

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    Default Re: How do you like your mandolin served?

    On the other hand, a few weeks back I was able to hear Paul Glasse, Cindy Cashdollar and Redd Volkaert backed by a good bassist. The bass was the only non-solid-body instrument in the bunch.
    That was a thoroughly enjoyable set of music, though far from the acoustic or "miked acoustic" ideal.

    It all starts with the player(s).

  20. #20
    mandolinist, Mixt Company D C Blood's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you like your mandolin served?

    While I play in a fairly standard bluegrass band (two guitars, b@nj0, bass), and have for going on fifty years now...my favorite thing to do is sit with another mandolinist or two and play twins and trios with them.
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    Registered User Matt Bowe's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you like your mandolin served?

    "...my favorite thing to do is sit with another mandolinist or two and play twins and trios with them."

    Amen.
    MJB

  22. #22
    Registered User Jonas's Avatar
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    Default Re: How do you like your mandolin served?

    I always like acoustic music best in an intimate setting. As far as the ensemble goes, I like the mandolin in all sorts. Traditional bluegrass groups, duos, trios, solo... Solo mandolin might get a little boring after a while, it depends who's playing of course.

    I certainly don't dislike the mandolin in a larger setting than two or three. It really makes sense to me to have a mandolin in a bluegrass band!

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