Newbie Needs Help!

[Rosalie]

I want to learn how to play the mandolin. I've been doing some homework online, but don't have any "real" people to go to for advice - so I came to the interwebs!!

First question:

I am a lefty and I have been in some music stores and have been told all sorts of things. The consensus seems to be I should try to play like a righty as this will make learning easier. To any lefties out there, did you switch? Did you learn left handed? Reasons?

Second question:

I have musical experience -- but on the bari saxophone, the bass clarinet and the baritone. I can read music but the thought of playing a stringed instrument is scary! What beginner materials would you suggest for a newbie mandolin player that can read music?

Third question:

What mandolin do you suggest? I like the sound of Italian folk music and the more traditional European stuff. While I enjoy listening to bluegrass I don't think I'd really like to play it exclusively. I like the look of the Eastman 504 and since my lefty/righty issue is at hand, I think an A style would be best. I can't afford anything too fancy, I just need simple that will get the job done for starters. Thoughts?

Sorry this is so long, but any help would be greatly appreciated!!

[Charlieshafer]

As a relative newcomer to the mandolin, I'll offer up what I found helpful. Our backgrounds are probably similar; through college and a number of years after, I studied jazz on sax and flute. About 15 years ago, took up the button box (B/C for people who care) then about 4 years ago went on to mandolin for two reasons; my wife and daughters are all violinists, so they could help with fingering, and I love the clarity of a well-played mandolin, either classical or bluegrass. So, here goes:

1: I'm not left-handed, so have no clue.
2: I REALLY like the two Mike Marshall mandolin DVD's from Homespun. They helped tremendously for positioning, technique, etc. Well worth it. I also played around with a number of the simple beginner mandolin books from Mel Bay, and others, and they all had something to offer. What you really need is just learning the scales and positions, after that it's all just practice, and as you read music, the world is truly your oyster. So, it's just like you were a kid, and your teacher was on you to practice scales, scales and more scales.

3: There are a lot of nice ones, but my only experience with relatively inexpensive ones are the "A" style Eastmans. I played a few, and while all sounded nice, one sounded a little nicer, so I went with that. I spent about $650, and while I've added a few more mandolins, that one still sounds great. Like any instrument, spend below a certain threshold, it's not as much fun to play, as they don't sound quite as nice. I'm sure others out there will have manufacturer favorites as well, so check out some of the site sponsors to get an idea of cost and what you're wanting to spend. You'll hear a lot that you get more bang from your buck with an "A" style as opposed to an "F", and from what I've experienced, which is pretty limited, obviously, I agree.

Good luck, it's a blast of an instrument, and you'll find you're much more socially accepted when you walk in with a mandolin than a sax. Trust me on that one.

[swampstomper]

I believe that an A style must also be left/right, the instrument is made with a bass and treble side in terms of carving and bracing... but I am not sure about that, can a luthier tell us?

[dulcillini]

Rosalie: I was in the same boat 2 years ago at the tender age of 60. I come from a mountain dulcimer background and also piano lessons at least 30 years ago. I know just enough music theory to be dangerous.

You will absolutely love the mandolin. My first mandolin was a little Weber Aspen that I picked up on a close out situation. It was a great mandolin with a nice sound that rewarded me right away. The one you mention in your note would be great I am sure. I suggest you go to a good acoustic music store and have someone there who knows how to play simply play the instrument for you to hear. You will know what you like. I have found the integrity of the mandolin community to be very high and you can depend on them to guide you.

Be prepared, as you learn, you will want to upgrade within a year or so. I had no trouble trading in my Aspen in for a Weber Yellowstone A. Your ear becomes sharper and you develop a taste of your own--that is a good thing. Mandolins are like mountain dulcimers--there are no two alike in the universe. That is another good thing.

It sounds like you did your homework. Just jump in somewhere and get going. The suggestion above about the Mike Marshall lesson set is absolutely correct. I wish I had started with that--but I did not. I am doing Ok however, but I think I would have progressed farther if I had paid my dues with that system. I have consistently heard that it is a very good lesson scheme. If I decide to try to move up to the next level of playing skill, I will probably get that set and go back and re-learn some things as I move up.

Learning curve: After 2 years, I would judge myself a late beginner, early intermediate player. I do not play much bluegrass, but more Celtic, old time, and hymns. I am making solid progress in my humble opinion. If your goal is to be a serious bluegrass player, it will probably take longer in the learning curve. Also, that genre is pretty demanding (in my personal opinion) on the instrument and requires a much more expensive instrument to achieve that combination of percussive sound and melody range that is desired.

Again, my humble opinion, but learning any musical instrument is simply work and focus. Some people have a gift (I do not) and learn more intuitively, but most of us slug it out one lesson at a time. I love the process.

Hope this helps you in some small way.

Mike

[Steelee]

Hi Rosalie,

Welcome. I took up the mandolin at age 57. My prior experience was also bari (and Alto) sax in the Jr. High Band.

The ability to read music and keep time will help you. I was also worried about learning a stringed instrument after such a long music playing layoff. It turned out to not be a problem at all. I started with a cheap plywood mandolin because of my fear that I would not be able to learn to play.

I am now in my third year of playing and learning. I have upgraded my instrument twice. I love it.

The others have done a fine job of mentioning the learning books and cd's. The only thing I can add is to buy an electronic tuner and use it often. You will sound better while learning.

Most of all - have fun.

Regards,

Lee Oliver

[Gerard Dick]

OK I am a lefty and I play "righty". When I started playing guitar I was unaware that there were other options. When I started mandolin I already had enough of a system that I stayed with it. Anyway most leftys are somewhat ambidextrous. It is after all a right handed world. my problem playing "off handed" is that it is a real chore to get the right hand picking properly. My tremolo stinks. I tried playing lefty on some mandolins in the store and decided that going back to square one was not my bag. You on the other hand are starting from scratch. Go ahead and get a lefty. It will feel right. As far as lessons go, a full length mirror beside the TV will turn everything around so it looks the same as the instructions. You can also use a mirror to rewrite tablature into left handed mode. FYI tablature or tab is a form of notation that indicates where the fingers go as opposed to standard notation that tells what the notes are. Dive in you will love it.

[mandroid]

F soundhole types have asymmetric treble and bass tone bars , angled slightly different from each other..

the oval hole type like early 20's 'A's have a symmetric transverse brace , inside.

it runs across the soundboard just in between the sound hole and the bridge,

and those made in that style can be 're handed' by a different bridge upper portion,

and a nut slotted for the strings being on opposite sides of the neck.

[instrumentality]

Hello and welcome!

Lots of people will say that you can't really go wrong with the Eastman model you mention; I'd say the same, though with limited knowledge; I don't own one, but have played many in stores. Make sure you get a good setup!

Now for left-handed: I am left handed, but I play right handed, basically because when I started playing the fiddle I didn't really know that you could play left handed. I was coming from 20 years of piano, and I actually use my right hand to use scissors, and a mouse, and a lot of other things, so it didn't seem particularly hard to me to play instruments right handed as well. I wonder now if I should have tried to play left-handed when I was first starting out on the fiddle - I wonder if it would improve my bowing, and now with the mandolin, my picking. But similar to a previous poster, I don't really think I want to "start over" in that regard - I tried playing another person's left handed fiddle at camp last summer, and I literally couldn't do it. Since you're just starting, my advice would be to go to a music shop, or call The Mandolin Store (a cafe sponsor) and ask them what they think - they usually have a few left-handed models.

One thing about left-handed instruments: they're not as common, so you'll likely have a much smaller selection to choose from, or be in the realm of ordering/waiting for custom instruments. Which may be entirely worth it - I think I'm too far down my right-handed path to know. :-)

Good luck! It's tons of fun.

[Rosalie]

I just want to thank everyone so far for all the great advice! I'm making a list of notes from your replies and gearing up to go out and visit some local music stores within the upcoming weeks. I think the lefty/righty issue will be easier to resolve once I have a mandolin in my hands. :-)

[journeybear]

Thanks for the vote of confidence, but ... we're not real people!



Here's a left-handed Michael Kelly. Not necessarily recommending it, just saying they're out there. I don't know for sure, but since fewer of them are made, they might cost a bit more.

I've known a few southpaws who play guitar right-handed. Then there's Kate McDonnell, who is left-handed and plays left-handed, but didn't switch the strings around. She picked it up as a kid, and taught herself, so she plays the bass strings with her fingers (not unlike an electric bass player) and the melody with her thumb. Sure, it looks odd, but she's a heckuva good player, and you would never know to listen to her that there was anything different.

[Fretbear]

Yes, the decision as to whether you are going to play left or right handed will definitely need to be made before you buy. Playing conventionally is going to leave many more avenues open to you than playing left will, such as trying out or buying almost all the mandolins in the world that you might be interested in. If you find that you do need to go left, any oval-holed A-style mandolin can be pretty easily set up with a converted bridge and nut and played like that. Instruments with F-holes, even A styles, have asymmetrical tone bars, bass to treble, but you may be able to get away with playing them upside-down like that. Some F-holed mandolins have fairly symmetrical X-bracing which would work as well. Any scroll is going to be on the wrong side unless the instrument is specifically built to be played left handed.

[Patrick Hull]

Your question intrigues me. I can tell you that there are some fine left-handed mandolin players. Audie Ratliff comes to mind. He is a great player and builder. He plays leftie, but I've seen him turn one over and play it right-handed also. I suppose you just need to try it out both ways and see what feels best, but my thought is that no one would suggest that a righty do that...so wouldnt it make sense to go with the way the thing is built to be played? That might be somewhat limiting in choice of instruments, but really I'm sure you can find a quality left handed instrument. I wouldn' t let that potential slight problem detrermine the course I took. JMHO. Good luck

[Folkmusician.com]

I have been converting quite a few lower priced A-styles to left handed. To my ear, these come out sounding better than the right handed version. I am sure this is due to the new (higher quality) nut and bridge. It does not seem to hurt the tone or response at all. If there is a loss converting these, it is more than offset with the upgrades. Maybe at the high-end where the mandolins have a great deal of graduation and tuning on the braces, but at the lower price points, I can't imagine anyone will hear a difference.

[Jill McAuley]

NFI here, but a cafe member has just listed his Eastman 504 in the classifieds here for a very good price!

Cheers,
Jill

[Mattg]

Just go "Jimi" and play the F upside down.

[Capt. E]

Eastman mandolins are a good start, but I like the Kentucky instruments better, especially the KM-505. It is solid wood, well made A style, less expensive than the Eastman equivalent and (I think) it sounds better.
I also started mandolin at age 57. It was my first string instrument and I love it. I truely wish I had found it 20-30 years ago.
I like the beginning and intermediate books by Greg Horne published by Alfred. Very nice over-view of all types of mandolin music, emphasis on old-time, bluegrass and blues.

[Mike Scott]

Thanks for the vote of confidence, but ... we're not real people!



Here's a left-handed Michael Kelly. Not necessarily recommending it, just saying they're out there. I don't know for sure, but since fewer of them are made, they might cost a bit more.

I've known a few southpaws who play guitar right-handed. Then there's Kate McDonnell, who is left-handed and plays left-handed, but didn't switch the strings around. She picked it up as a kid, and taught herself, so she plays the bass strings with her fingers (not unlike an electric bass player) and the melody with her thumb. Sure, it looks odd, but she's a heckuva good player, and you would never know to listen to her that there was anything different.

Elizabeth Cotten played the same way-and she was great. Rick Ruskin is left handed and plays righty (guitar also). He is a very very good finger picker. I look at it this way-you have to use both hands anyway, so what difference does it really make. BTW I have an Eastman 504 - great tone and easy to play with the right set up.

Hope that helps.

[Mandobart]

Rosalie - Like the other sinister posts, I too am left-handed but play dexter. Same with fiddle and guitar. We are a minority, and in mando-world a double minority. So it's easier when someone is showing you a song, technique, new chord etc. if you both play the same way. Some things I can kind of do righty (throw, catch) some things I can only do lefty (write, brush my teeth) and some things only righty (musical inst., fish, drive a stickshift). I recommend learn right-handed. Welcome!