Absolute beginner

[samfan]

I just moved to Missouri from California, so I'm not familiar with this place, or I would find a teacher. I got a mandolin as a surprise about two weeks ago from a close friend, signed by my heroes. I am a complete beginner at mandolin. I've played some simple chords on guitar before, but that's about it.

I've purchased Dix Bruce's "You Can Teach Yourself Mandolin" with the accompanying DVD (for some reason, the only option was book and DVD from Amazon). I'm not sure what to think about it. I've gotten to "He's Got the Whole World in his Hands" and I can play that, though, ha.

Sam Bush has mentioned in the past that you need to first learn your chords and chops, yet most of the videos I've seen that he's in are mostly note picking rather than chords. I admit what he does sounds interesting, as does what I've seen from Butch Baldasari, but I feel both of them go too fast for me on the video. And Sam even tries to slow it down a bit.

What should I start with? Chords? Scales? Combination of both?

You can see a picture of the mandolin (a Rogue starter mandolin, F-style -

here (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=15;t=31965) .

Sam and I joke that I will be the next Sam Bush, but I really need to get started and I'm not sure how. I've been through MandolinCafe and MandoZine, but it's kind of like being lost in a new place, not knowing which direction to turn. If anyone can be of assistance or offer advice for an absolute beginner, I'd appreciate it!

Thanks!

[groveland]

I offer the link below as a quick tutorial on how to build mandolin chords. Once you get that under your belt, you'll be a walking chord generator. IMHO.

[harwilli55]

Have fun, explore the sounds you can get, hear a familar melody in your head and try to find it on the keyboard, learn two finger chords and find some easy well known tunes that use them so you can sing, hum, belt, snarl along as you teach your muscle memory to strum, stroke, plunk and plink the strings.

As you start having fun, that will lead to serious exploration how to do all those other things. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Harlan

[woodwiz]

Where are you in MO? I live in the KC area, and there's all kinds of music happening here, some good teachers, too.

[samfan]

Where are you in MO? I live in the KC area, and there's all kinds of music happening here, some good teachers, too.
St. Louis area. And like I said, brand new to here.

[samfan]

I offer the link below as a quick tutorial on how to build mandolin chords. Once you get that under your belt, you'll be a walking chord generator. IMHO.
What is this 'jazz chord' in comparison to a bluegrass/newgrass style. That's why I'd more prefer to be playing in - i.e. my screenname named after Sam Bush.

[samfan]

Have fun, explore the sounds you can get, hear a familar melody in your head and try to find it on the keyboard, learn two finger chords and find some easy well known tunes that use them so you can sing, hum, belt, snarl along as you teach your muscle memory to strum, stroke, plunk and plink the strings.

As you start having fun, that will lead to serious exploration how to do all those other things. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Harlan
What 'simple' songs would those be? I'm having trouble finding something. I'm not particularly interested in the folk tunes in the You Can Teach Yourself book (Kumbaya is one of them, I mean come on!) lol

[groveland]

What is this 'jazz chord' in comparison to a bluegrass/newgrass style. That's why I'd more prefer to be playing in - i.e. my screenname named after Sam Bush.

I read another thread here recently where the poster informed a newbie that there are only two chords in bluegrass - You just move them around. I don't know if I agree, but that's for another discussion.

What we're calling 'jazz chords' is just all those dozens of chords beyond the triads. If in the future you decide you need the information, you know where to find it. #Also at jazzmando.com and http://www.johnmcgann.com, and right here at the Cafe.

[Don Christy]

Samfan,
Welcome to the cafe.

I'm in st. louis. I highly recommend contacting the Folk School. They have group classes for absolute beginners as well as more advanced classes in bluegrass and old time. You can reach the folk school at: http://www.folk-school.com/ or by phone at 314-727-3355. They are a really nice bunch of folks.
Don

[stixx3969]

Samfan,
Howdy! Keith from Mid-Missouri. If you are in the St. Louie area, look up Jerry Rosa or google Rosa Strings Works. He makes custom mandolins a may teach as well. He's a nice guy and he is in your area. If he can't help you he will undoubtedly put you in contact with someone who will
Good Luck and welcome to Missouri!

Here's his link
http://rswband.mystarband.net

[250sc]

Samfan,

Congratulation on your new instrument and new location.

I agree with harwilli55's post.

You asked about learning chords before learning melodies and for what it's worth I'd have to suggest doing both but concentrate on the melody. Playing the melody will, in time, teach you scales but when you play music with others all the scales in the world won't work as well as the melody. You will probably be playing some of the material you're learning for the rest of your life but how you play it in 5, 10, 20 years will be different than how you play it when you first start. Once you have really locked the melody into your mind you will start changing it a little just to keep your sanity and keep your playing fresh.

You should know the chords too so you understand how the melody works with the notes in the chords but if your like most people you'll probably have problems making your hand do "chop" chords so you'll have to find different voicings for your chords. (harwilli55 suggested 2 note chords) Again, you will probably change the way you play rythm as you progress but you have to start somewhere. I would concentrate on understanding how most songs in western music are based on the I, IV, V chord changes. (I,IV,V= chords based on the 1st, 4th and 5th note of the major scale)

You should also download the free version of Tabledit and start downloading songs from Mandozine.com. There is material there for beginners up through advanced and you can use Tabledit to slow them down to a speed that is reasonable for you at your level.

Most importantly, take your time and have fun with it. Don't cripple yourself by trying to ignore the pain in your hands and fingers that will undoubtedly come from having to build calluses and making your fingers move in ways the're not accustom to. Remember, this is something that you can do for the rest of your life and still have more to learn. Enjoy the journey.

Good luck.

[JGWoods]

Chords are harder on the fingers than single noting where you get to just pause on the note for a moment then lift off and get some relief from the pressure on your fingertip, so, maybe learn the 2 finger chords, try the chop chords, and then go to playing simple melodies...
and
poof, you're SamBush

[dls59]

Try Music Folk (www.musicfolk.com) in Webster Groves. #They have lessons and seem to be reasonable (something like $15 per half hour). #I'm considering taking them there, as well. #I'm also a beginner. #Music Folk also has tons of mandolin gear.

Also, Fazio's Frets and Friends in Manchester gives mandolin lessons. Another great store.

[Celtic Saguaro]

The more interested in playing with others you are the sooner you should learn chords. If you just want to hear yourself play, you can put off learning chords for awhile. They aren't that hard to learn on the mandolin.

[dj coffey]

You should also download the free version of Tabledit and start downloading songs from Mandozine.com. There is material there for beginners up through advanced and you can use Tabledit to slow them down to a speed that is reasonable for you at your level.
As a fellow beginner (got my mando in early January) I'd have to concur about Tabledit and the songs (Tabledit format) from Mandozine!!! They have a really broad selection of the basics and it's really helpful to have a means to hear them "played."

People here go on about the Aonzo scalees, but I think Jazzmando's FFcP scales may actually be more useful in helping one learn the fretboard and giving a highly flexible approach to scales, arpeggio's based on thirds and fourths no matter where you are on the fretboard and what finger you're using!