hi, ive been playing the mandolin for a month now and im still loving it even though at times it can be a struggle! that said could some one please tell me when chords should be used and if anyone knows any neat ways of learning chords?
thanks
STU87 :mandosmiley:
fred d
Sep-03-2009, 2:31pm
:) Most I know use chords as back up
Phil Goodson
Sep-03-2009, 10:27pm
Hi Stu.
Generally chords are used to accompany, either a singer or another instrument playing a melody.
There are also times when a melody is played using chords in conjunction with many of the notes.
Chord sheet Link (http://www.mandozine.com/resources/Practice-Sheets.pdf)
Hope that helps.
farmerjones
Sep-04-2009, 9:08am
i printed this out and threw it in my loner mandolin case.
http://www.mandolincafe.com/two.html
Matt DeBlass
Sep-04-2009, 9:44am
those two-finger chords are super-handy, not only are they easy, they let you use a lot of open strings for a big, full sound (excellent for folk-rock or Celtic stuff)!
Learning the chords also helps with playing solo melodies, too. For example, say I'm playing a slower tune, and as I hit a high G on my E-string, I think, "hey, if I put my finger on the second fret of the A-string, I've got part of my G chord...it'll sound cool if I strum both strings"
thus one finds a door to double-stop harmony (and, of course, if you're good enough you can use those double-stops and partial chords on fast tunes too, but I'm pretty much a beginner myself)