Mandola Playing

[red7flag]

Most likely I will be getting my Lebeda AM4 mandola at the end of this month at IBMA from Jeff Cowherd. I know it is tuned a fifth lower. #This will have a 17 inch scale. #My major question is how do you best approach chording? #Something similar to the "cheater" chords in guitar where you leave a note out? #And if so, do you leave out the first string note, chopping on the bottom three? #Any other suggestions or recommendations would be appreciated. #I am not looking for books or videos, but just some hands on advice. #Thank you in advance.
Tony

[swampstomper]

Are you sure about that scale length? I thought mandola was 15 7/8" Gibson standard (also followed by Rigel), although I realise there are variations (17" Trinity College, Weber; 20 1/4" Sobell). I am also getting a Lebeda AM5 built for me right now, and I was under the impression it is 15 7/8" (403.2 mm) or at most 16" (406.4 mm).

What I plan to do re: chording is use only 3-finger Jethro chords with closer voicings. I plan to use the 4th finger in some stretches where I now use the 3rd and abandon the longest stretches.

[red7flag]

Thank you for the clarification. The 17" figure was what was in my mind. When I was looking into buying mandolas, I looked at a number of brands.
Tony

[barry]

......"And if so, do you leave out the first string note, chopping on the bottom three? #Any other suggestions or recommendations would be appreciated.".......

I would recommend open chords and more of the barre chords for changing positions. #Use the barred version of an open "G" (on mandolin)...(that would be "C" on mandola) for the root on the 4th string. Use a barred form of an open "D" (mandolin) ("G" mandola) for chords with the root on the 3rd string. #Easy to modify for minors,7ths, minor 7ths and other assorted tensions off of these shapes and they sound rich and full. #Chop chords do not work well. #

As you can see, I've been wrestling with this myself recently. #Also, going from mandolin to mandola requires a bit of a different touch with the right hand. #You want to go through the string with the pick a little differently than mando. #Stroke seems to be a hybrid Mandolin/Guitar touch to take full advantage of the tone a mandola has to offer. #Just my experience YMMV.

[swampstomper]

Yes, I use those barre chords on the mandolin a lot (learned how easy they are to modify from the Mike Marshall chord book, but others e.g. Niles also show this). The position is really comfortable and the strongest finger is doing most of the hard work (barreing).

[Daniel Nestlerode]

Once you get to play your mandola I think you'll find that it is not a substitute for a mandolin; you don't chop on a 'dola. You fill and blend on a 'dola. You play chord inversions mandolins can't get to. You run parallel lines and hamony lines. In a duet with a guitar players, you can trade runs (when the guitar plays up the neck you play down and vice versa, trading octaves).

The 'dola is fair support for vocals too in a solo situation.

I like the open sound of my 'dola, so I play a lot of 2 finger chords: C, G, F, & Bb. But when I need to move up the neck, I use the aforementioned barre chords (basically C, F, & G 2 frets in front of my index finger).

[Off topic BTW: Elderly has a used Alder #1 'dola for sale. These little guys are a steal when you find 'em!]

best,
Daniel

[Ted Eschliman]

If "jazzy" is your thing, here are some fun Dola progressions from www.JazzDola.com:
'ii V7 I' Stock Chords for Mandola (http://jazzmando.com/Dola_%20ii_V7_I.pdf)

[August Watters]

Are you sure about that scale length? I thought mandola was 15 7/8" Gibson standard

I think among new builders the longer scale length, not the Gibson scale length, is more common. I wouldn't assume the Lebeda is going to be Gibson scale!

My Capek 'dola is 17-inch scale, which I find very playable.

[Shana Aisenberg]

I use a lot of moveable open inversion triads. Example in key of D on the lower three strings; D 224x, G 245x, A 122x. You can play these in any key, and move them around up the neck or on the upper three strings for multiple variations on a chord progression. I also like using double stops, just two notes of a chord.

Seth

[red7flag]

I want to thank you all. I have a lot a great stuff to work on, when I get the Dola.
Tony

[Dave Voyles]

The Lebeda is definitely a 17" scale. I sold mine because that reach was too much for me but he makes great instruments.

[swampstomper]

I just went to Prague this past weekend to A/B a MA4 and MA5 that Jiri Lebeda had built for me to pick from. I went with the MA5 but both were nice. Anyway, I measured the scale length and Mandobear is right ... it is 17" more or less. Actually, can someone tell me where to measure? With the compensated bridge I don't know which string to use. Also where to start on the nut -- at the end where it starts vibrating or in the middle? I get more like a 16 3/4" (425 mm) where I measured; 17" is 431.8 mm.

On a related note, to which scale length are the D'Addario mandola strings calibrated? I see the tensions listed on their spec. chart but of course that depends on string length.