First tune learned?

[mando5280]

I have not played an instrument for 16 years. After several years of wanting to re-learn (even considering a Chapman Stick) I bought a mandolin. I am eagerly awaiting my class starting next week and bought a couple books to wet my appetite. I started woundering...

What was everyone's first tune on the mando? (Some of you may have to really think way back about this one)

[Jerry Byers]

She be comin' around the mountain.

I know, don't laugh.

[cbarry]

Ashokan Farewell
Slow, easy to learn, very pretty.

Chuck

[J. Mark Lane]

Blackberry Blossom

[DryBones]

Wayfaring Stranger, another slow and easy

[Lane Pryce]

My first tune was Liberty. Lp

[Jim Broyles]

Arkansas Traveler

[Celtic Saguaro]

White Cockade, a very easy fiddle tune.

[Mark Walker]

Home Sweet Home and then Dixie Hoedown. (How's that for a contrast?) http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wow.gif

[JEStanek]

Jessie James in the Key of G.

Jamie

[kestrel]

A Soldier's Joy

[Keith Erickson]

In 1986 "Battle of Evermore"
In 2004 "Canyon Sonata from the All the Pretty Horses Soundtrack (after 19 years absence from the mandolin)
...and just recently during my first official mandolin lesson, Flatt & Scruggs version of "You are My Flower".

[Lee Callicutt]

"Greensleeves"

Lee http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[John Flynn]

Bile 'Em Cabbage Down

[fishdawg40]

Old Joe Clark

[Dena Haselwander]

Angel Band.


Dena

[otterly2k]

Over the Waterfall

[FlawLaw]

Black in Black








Seriously...Sally Goodin.

[brunello97]

The theme from "Bonanza."

But "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" came soon after.

Honest.

Mick

[lawdawg]

Amazing Grace & Wildwood Flower - simultaneously

[jim simpson]

"Blackberry Blossom" - J. Mark Lane

I am impressed, that tune always seemed difficult to me, it seems so simple yet...
My first was "8th of January". A mandolin player in our band (1975) taught it to myself and another member. I didn't start actually playing mandolin till many years later but I could play this one song on the mando.

[markishandsome]

Blue Moon of Kentucky, the song that made me want to pick up the mandolin

[gnelson651]

Old Joe Clark and Cripple Creek, the same day.... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

These were tunes I played on the banjo (which I gave up completely after starting the mandolin) # http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Wadefox]

Sandy Boys

I don't remember it now, bt it would probably come back to me if I thought about it long enough.

[Avi Ziv]

South Wind

and I still like it

Avi

[fatt-dad]

Bile 'Em Cabbage Down
I'm with Johnny on this. He's just learned a few more over the years - ha.

f-d

[dang]

I'm not quite sure which was first, but I've narrowed it down to either "Lester had a Coconut" (like the SCI version) or "Sailing Shoes" (as played by sam bush, though I should have learned the much slower little feat version)

I'm still not sure if I can do sailin' shoes any justice!

[Lawrence Molloy]

the humours of glendart jig, still practice/play it now.

[a12]

Woody's Rag

[Dan Cole]

Ditto; Woody's Rag

Probably from the same book with the little plastic record.

[SternART]

Grisman's Opus 38

[Jonas]

Jerusalem Ridge from the High Lonesome soundtrack.

[Hondo]

Either Inna gadda da vida or Yankee Doodle. I can't remember which.:laugh:

[cooper4205]

"i am a pilgrim"

[gr_store_feet]

I started with Woody's Rag, aussi. then Wildwood Flower.

[Joe F]

Soldier's Joy -- a simplified, quarter-note version.

[Daniel1975]

Over the Waterfall or Cluck Old Hen. I can't really remember, but I still enjoy playing both of them http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Jim Rowland]

"Faded Love". I was just noodling in total ignorance,and there it was under my fingers. Wonderful thing about mandolin tuning.
Jim

[gschmidt]

Soldier's Joy

[Mikey G]

Blue Moon of Kentucky, and then Precious Memories (in the key of Jesus).

[Strange1]

Tennessee Waltz and then Orange Blossom Special. I know, 2 fiddle tunes but that is who I learned from.

Jack

[ggddaaee]

Arkansas Traveler.

Alan

[Jim Yates]

My Gal, from the first Jim Queskin album - Unblushing Brassiness. I still like to play it.

[mando5280]

Ashokan Farewell
Slow, easy to learn, very pretty.

Chuck
I am learning Cripple Creek and need to get it up to speed.

This gives me a handful of other tunes to look into. Keep 'em coming.

In the meantime, I will give Ashokan Farewell a try--thanks chuck.

[ApK]

She be comin' around the mountain.

I know, don't laugh.
My three old son's favorite song!

[bjc]

This will sound strange, but to work out chords when I first pick her up I learned "Freebird" and "Peaceful,Easy Feeling."

[mandohubris]

Soldier's joy and Eric Satie's 3 Gynopedies. I wanted to learn to read notation and thought they would be simple but pretty melodies to learn. I'm trying to figure out a guitar accompaniment with the geetar tuned to DGDGBE.

Pride goeth before the fall!

I'm new at the Mandolin as well. Isn't it alot of fun? I'm hoping to be able to afford lessons soon. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[red7flag]

Olde Joe >>> Soldier's Joy
Tony

[Tom C]

Smoke on the Water #- Kidding


<span style='color:gold'><span style='font-size:19pt;line-height:100%'>Golden Slippers</span></span>

[Tim Saxton]

Arkansas Traveler and Soldiers Joy.

[tnpathfinder]

Hush little Baby...when we where expecting our now 2 year old son. Thanks Dix Bruce :-) I CAN teach myself mandolin!!!!

[fishdawg40]

(in the key of Jesus).
And what key may that be in (very funny)?

Also, I just remembered my first tune was, I think, uh, Rawhide. #Yep, that's the one....

[Cedartop]

The Girl I Left Behind Me.

[George R. Lane]

It was either 'Stairway to Heaven' or 'Liberty'. The easier of the two.

[jackofall]

Chief O'Neill's (hornpipe), and then Swallow's Tail (jig). I was inspired to learn both those tunes after seeing and hearing the playing of Barney McKenna of The Dubliners. I have to thank Barney for pretty much my whole interest in mando and tenor banjo - oh, and fiddle player John Sheahan who duets with Barney on the Dubs' mandolin tunes.

[Gerry Tenney]

Woody's Rag. When I teach it is the first tune I show a beginner.

Gerry Tenney

[Hal Loflin]

John Henry then Old Joe Clark

[Joe Mangio]

Amazing Grace

[musical mama]

My first two were "Shenendoah" and "Amazing Grace".

[mandocrucian]

"The Irish Washerwoman" #- on guitar, and then about a year later, the first tune I learned on mandolin.

It was also the first tune I ever played publicly on a stage. #The first vocal tune played/sung onstage was an obscure Quicksilver Messenger Service b-side called "Bears" (which can be found on Anthology and Sons Of Mercury).

The first tune I taught to my younger brother Erik ages ago (on mandolin, his initial instrument) was The Beatles' (Geprge Harrison) "Piggies", followed by "Arab Bounce"

Niles H

[halfamind]

Ziggy Stardust... seriously...

my band's been playing it for years, with one of our guitarists on Mando, but since I've picked it up, he's insisted I handle all Mando duties, while he takes over on bass (my primary instrument).

[halfamind]

I was just noodling in total ignorance,and there it was under my fingers. Wonderful thing about mandolin tuning.
the very thing I love most about this instrument.

[Leftyman]

'Hector the Hero'courtesy of a Nigel Gatherer tab.
'Erins shore' (Corrs version minus the full orchestra),and 'Ashokan Farewell'

[twaaang]

I'm expecting blank stares over this one: "The Walloping Windowblind" in D.

This was something I had just worked out a neat banjo arrangement (hush, now!) on, so I had it in mind and it just sort of fell in place with a lot of double-stops. I still noodle on it some on the mando. Last week when I had the banjo out for the first time in ages I couldn't remember what the licks were that I'd been so pleased with at the time. -- Paul

[B. T. Walker]

"Wilhelmus von Nassouwe" -- the national anthem of The Netherlands -- no kidding. Interesting song, arguably the oldest national anthem out there.

[Chris "Bucket" Thomas]

Red Haired Boy

[jasona]

The Cuckoos Nest. In retrospect learning a slip jig first was a mistake.

[williebruce]

Wildwood Flower

[8STRINGR]

I chopped chord progressions on songs for a while before pickin'... my first mandolin lead was on "Back Away, Little Heart" by The Bluegrass Cardinals. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[reely989]

My first was Grisman's Opus 38. Not smart I know, but I had been playing guitar about two years. I'm really peculiar about learning stuff. It was in an old Fret's magazinge and I worked on it till about 2 in the morning.

Caleb

[JimRichter]

The first three were the one's that I learned 25 years ago when I first started playing:

On guitar: Yellow Submarine

On banjo: Cripple Creek

On mandolin: Woody's Rag--the very first tune in the Jack Tottle Bluegrass Mandolin book

When I took up mandolin again (seriously this time) about 4 years back, my first tune was Sam Bush's Sapporo.

Jim

[Joe Dodson]

On guitar, a simple etude by Fernando Sor. It's a safe bet it was called Etude No. 1.

On mandolin, "Woody's Rag" from Oak's Bluegrass Mandlin book - the same one mentioned in the prior post. Learned it yesterday afternoon. I also learned my second mando tune, "Woody's Rag II." http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif