Old question from a new member, good basics book?

[Brandon Sumner]

hi, Just starting out with the Mandolin and looking for recommendations on a good basics book to start. I read TAB and notation and have several years experience playing classical, fingerstyle and flatpicking guitar. (arthritis in my right thumb has put a damper on this, hence the Mandolin with pick!) I want to focus on Celtic and Blues music with the Mandolin but need to build a good foundation first of course. Planning on lessons @ Swallow Hill but that will not be until Next spring.
Thanks!

[Robert Billings]

May I recommend "The American Mandolin Method" by Brian Wicklund and Ben Winship. There are two volumes. I've finished the first and am now on the second. You learn fiddle tunes and the songs are in musical notation and tab.
I remember a Cafe interview with John McGann wherein he said a very good foundation is to learn lots of tunes. That is what these books teach.
Check these books out - and the John McGann interview too! Best of luck!

[Handy Hummingbird]

Simon Mayor's books on Mastering the Mandolin are great, as they also touch on some of the idiosyncrasies of mandolin technique whilst also teaching tunes.

[Scriptor]

I can tell you what was very beneficial to me when starting out on mandolin ... I was motivated to learn the fiddle tunes my grandfather used to play ... learning as many of these as I could sure was a good foundation ... if you already have a grasp of tabs, you could get a book full of those fiddle tunes and have a lot of fun ... my first book was "The Mandolin Picker's Fake Book" by Dave Brody ... I'm sure there are many others but I still reach for this book and run through those old fiddle tunes quite frequently ... one thing though, there are so many regional variations of the fiddle tunes ... the ones in any book might not be the version you find most appealing ... so, for some of the tunes, I used the book for reference but wound up playing the versions I remember from my grandfather ... have fun ...

[Gsouth]

Has anyone tried Mandolin for dummies?
The author has a few videos on youtube, I dont have any experience with a mandolin (Im playing a violin with a pick at the moment) but some of his videos are very informative, such as the picking theories.
Again, as I said, I dont have any experience, but I found it very interesting and helpfull, so I was wondering if the book would be similar.

[Bill S]

Has anyone tried Mandolin for dummies?
The author has a few videos on youtube, I dont have any experience with a mandolin (Im playing a violin with a pick at the moment) but some of his videos are very informative, such as the picking theories.
Again, as I said, I dont have any experience, but I found it very interesting and helpfull, so I was wondering if the book would be similar.
Cannot think of a better place to start, or to improve.

[bmac]

In my opnion there are two excellent learning aids focusing on blues mandolin. One being Steve James video on teaching yourself blues mandolin. Lots of videos of Steve playing different tunes and techniques on blues friendly mandolins of verios types. .... You should do fine on both or either of these with your background.

The second is a book by Rich DelGrosso called Mandolin Blues, From Memphis to Mazwell Street. This has a small disk with examples from the notation within the book so you will hear examples of the written notion within the book. Both of these are fine learning publications for the mando player with a little experience... Your background will make them easy learning....

See other and more detailed description of learning material on the Blues Mandolin social group site on Mandolin Cafe social group listing. Join the social group and you will find lots of information, photos and player videos. Even some historical stuff.... The group sometimes goes quiet for a while but you can enliven it with questions and your thoughts on various blues topics.

Google "Rich DelGrosso" and you will find lots of videos of his blues playing.... He is certainly one of the best mando blues players and one of the best teachers.

[Pasha Alden]

Hi Gsouth

Found Mandolin for Dummies useful I have a copy of the book and have even downloaded the audio files.
Agreed. The pickin and rhythm methodologies are very useful.

Regards

Vanilla

[Brandon Sumner]

As an update to this, I got the method series by Greg Horne and Wayne Fugate, also ordered Mandolin for dummies, even thought I have musical background, seems like a lot of info in this book. RE: the Method book, I already seem to have a slight issue with it, in that he describes making an "A" chord by using your index finger on the second fret, G string, middle finger, second fret, , D string , Ring finger, forth fret, A string and so on, Even though a guitar player for years, I find this fingering almost impossible to place, whereas my chord chart and other info I find online states to use the index finger on both the G and D strings, MUCH easier to do, I wonder why he does not show this? Any thoughts on this out there???

[fatt-dad]

Learn the crazy chop chord!

You may like the tabulature/music format of "tabedit" files. Www.mandozine.com has hundreds of files for free download. You have to download the free "tabeditviewer" seperately. Then the files will open for viewing on your monitor. The computer will also play the tune so you can get it in your ear a bit.

Enjoy the journey!

f-d

[Dave Martin]

I have been so positively impressed with "Getting Into Jazz Mandolin" that I had to pipe in from lurkdom. The exercises are musical and really get your fingers moving.

Not "basic," per se, but if you already play guitar and hold a pick, why not drink from a firehose?

[Pasha Alden]

Regarding the chord pattern given by the method book: It may be the choice as some find the process of holding down two courses with one finger challenging in the beginning. A guitar player, possibly with strong hands, you may find holding more than one string / course down much easier? Once one gets the hang of that it does feel easier than cramming many fingers, sometimes bigger fingers into small spaces.

Best of luck and happy playing

Vanilla

[Brandon Sumner]

Attn. Vanilla:
you very well may be right there. I do not have large hands, quite the opposite actually although my hands are very strong, I have worked as a mechanic all my life.
Thanks for the good wishes, The same for you!
Brandon

[OU1]

Afternoon,

Sounds like you have some good experience prior to the mandolin....first let me say welcome to the mandolin, it is a great instrument and you will be a fan in a short time....

I saw you were interested in blues music on the mandolin. A good blues book that I think would work for you is Mandolin Blues written buy Rich Delgrosso....a ton of good stuff in there and comes with a CD, which helps you understand what you are looking at sounds like what you are trying to play.....I think you will like it.

Enjoy! Happy Thanksgiving!

Scott

[Pasha Alden]

At Vstrings: glad about the strong hands. Also glad you do not have the challenge of too big hands. I am merely guessing at the reason for the chord pattern given. The point that someone made about the mandolin being a wonderful instrument is true. One of the joys is the logic of it. Also the different voicings for chords. I find I chose a chord pattern also depending on my go-to chord.

[DataNick]

Re: the chord fingering, try the barre positionings for major/minor chords on the mandolin, and the 4-finger "chop" chords that Fat-dad referenced above...

[Brandon Sumner]

Att. Vanilla,
It is a wonderful instrument, I am finding myself, like I have read from others, at the point of wanting to sell all my guitars and focus on this fine instrument! I love the voicing and that I can just grab it and play, and i find myself always wanting to do so! What a joy at this stage in life!

[Pasha Alden]

At Vstrings: You are right! What a joy and happy playing mandolin friend! Playing at our work Christmas party tomorrow just a sing along for the folks! So here's to music!

[JeffD]

OK, if you are really focused on Celtic and blues, I don't see a need for more than a passing acquaintance with the four finger chop chord. Of course if bluegrass is a goal than by all means chop chords are essential. Outside of bluegrass, nope.

Marilynn Mair's Complete Mandolinist is a real good method book to check out.

[Brandon Sumner]

Att. Vanilla! Super, hope you have a wonderful time, I bet you knock them out!
Att JeffD , I agree with you Except, I made the same mistake with Guitar, never really learned chords as I focused mostly on classical and Celtic and I felt hindered by not knowing chords at times, trying to get a more rounded experience with Mandolin, But, yes, I do indeed enjoy flatpicking and seem to have some talent for it, thanks for the book recommendation.

[Pasha Alden]

Firstly, Happy Thanks Giving to all my music friends in the US.


At Vstrings: Thank you! Just returned from the Christmas dinner, it was fun. If all the mobile phone cameras worked as they should their should be a photo or two.
I did a number or two, more as background, but it was fun, at our table people sat and enjoyed the music.


Best to you all!

[Brandon Sumner]

Vanilla; Very nice! I bet you were the hit of the day. I look forward to seeing pictures and hope your day is great I am taking 2 of my three guitars in for consignment, the third is on the classifieds here. Wish me luck!

[Steve L]

I really like the Simon Mayer books very much. The Mandolin for Dummies book, in my opinion, would be an awkward thing to try to place open on a table or music stand and actually work from.

[Pasha Alden]

At Vstrings: best of luck with those guitars on consignment. I hope you get good prices and perhaps can purchase a mandolin, or which ever? Some of my next musical purchases are: a capo, some picks for finger style playing and a good microphone.

[Pasha Alden]

Having Mandolin for dummies read to me anyhow, I must say that does not bother me. So I just work with what is read to me and then the audio files. I am of course unfamiliar with Simon Mayor books.