Dumb question....

[Mars]

Why does the Mandolin have the strings in pairs? Is it for Tremolo?

[f5loar]

because if it only had 4 strings someone would grab a bow and it then be a violin (or fiddle as we call them in the south).

[Jon Hall]

I always assumed it was for the increased volume.

[Peter Hackman]

Why does the Mandolin have the strings in pairs? Is it for Tremolo?
Break a string and you will know why

[JeffD]

Why does the Mandolin have the strings in pairs? Is it for Tremolo?
Break a string and you will know why
Yea, spares!

[Jim Broyles]

Volume. Some time you have time while you're changing your strings, try putting one of each pair on and play it a little with four strings. Markedly quieter.

[JEStanek]

They're easier to tune that way. Seriously... I dunno. Sure makes them sound cooler than a guitar to banjo to me. Maybe for volume, maybe for the nuances in tone that ever so slightly (ore more) out of tune pairs generate are desirable.

Jamie

[Mars]

Thanks for the answers...they all have valid points. sure makes my fingertips toughen up quicker http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[mandroid]

"why do mandolins have 8 strings? to increase the ODDS that one of them
will be in tune"
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[JeffD]

Why does the Mandolin have the strings in pairs?
So as to group together the strings that are tuned to the same note. It was pretty chaotic before they figured that one out.

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[Eugene]

Tradition. #The mandolin was developed at a time when almost all plucked, necked chordophones were strung in courses of paired strings: guitars, various lute types, various cittern types, etc. #At that time, mandolin was just part of the status quo. #There was a shift in musical aesthetic around 1800, and with it many plucked instruments shifted to single strings. #In some places, single-strung mandolins even enjoyed some popularity. #I think the courses of paired strings persisted on mandolin in-part because tremolo became a standard technique, and paired strings lend themselves to a better sense of legato in tremolo.

[NoNickel]

Why do they have pairs? Because if they didn't then they'd be Ukeleles.:p

[JeffD]

Eugene that makes way too much sense.

[Eugene]

I'm sorry, Jeff. Try this one instead: "The paired strings allow you to make thinner slices of cheese for neater sandwiches."

[bikebum]

Thinner slices of cheese? Hence, the oval hole... But then, to get the cheese slice out of the mando... trapdoor on the back?

[JeffD]

I have long suspected that thinner cheese slices was the real reason.

[nilodnam]

OK,

A new twist. Pairs of strings slightly detune and tend to oscillate in and out of phase, which is what causes the unique chime like sound of both twelve string guitars and mandolins. Nothing else gets that unique sound. Seriously, do you ever confuse a flat top guitar with a mando when you hear it on a recording.

Jim D.

[JiminRussia]

All of the above is well and good, but then how come electric mandolins only have one string per course?

[fwoompf]

All of the above is well and good, but then how come electric mandolins only have one string per course?
From what I understand, the paired strings in an electric setting are more prone to feedback. I've never played one though, is this correct?

Also, not all emandos have single strings.

[Tim Bowen]

Mandos have courses of strings in unison because, well, that's what makes them sound like mandos, absolutely no sarcasm intended. What's a four string mando, is that like the Mando Bird?

As for the feedback issue, it is absolutely a consideration in the live environment, but it depends upon how you're routing. My situations call for me to either DI to the house system, or route through my guitar rig, whatever makes the most sense for the given situation. For DI scenarios, I set bass, mids, and highs *flat* on the side panel of my Ovation, and adjust to taste... all EQ moves are reasonably incremental and musical sounding here. When running through my various guitar rigs, bass and mids are a bear - on the Ovation, I back these frequencies down as far as they'll go (which actually amounts to attenuating these frequencies), and I'll dial enough high end to make the parts sparkle as needed for the material. Otherwise, it's feedback city,

"Acoustic" (well, sort of...mic'ing, for live), "acoustic-electric", and "electric" are different beasts. If you don't "mic'" - the DI situation offers a more friendly curve on the EQ and is a far more easily tamed beast than that of 'guitar amp', regardless of said amp's headroom. At least that's been my experience in gigging mandolin in full band and acoustic-electric scenarios.

[Alex Orr]

Because if each course was one string, then that string would get lonely. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif Everybody needs somebody...or something like that http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[JeffD]

All of the above is well and good, but then how come electric mandolins only have one string per course?
Well only the four string electric mandos do. The eight string electric mandos still have eight strings.


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