The Mike Compton Interview

[NewsFetcher]

The Mike Compton Interview
http://www.mandolincafe.com/news/publish/mandolins_001165.shtml

The Mandolin Cafe's message board members engage bluegrass and old-time master Mike Compton for an extended interview.

NOTE: You may use your board membership to comment on news articles published by the Mandolin Cafe. Your comments will appear here and also will be appended to the end of the news article for public viewing. Standard board membership posting guidelines apply. Note that the addition of images, videos, links and other coding is turned OFF for this area.

[Nelson Peddycoart]

As usual, Mr. Compton is accessible, inciteful and modest. If you don't know his work, you are doing yourself a HUGE disservice.

Nelson

[Denny Gies]

What a nice interview. I did a workshop with Mike and he is every bit as nice and warm as you have reflected in the interview. Thanks for the great work.

[farmerjones]

i hate to gush, but how great is this? It's fourty below outside, but i can sit with a cup of coffee and read this great Mike Compton interview.

IT DON'T GET NO BETTER! ! ! ! !

[sachmo63]

Wonderful interview, there are many great ideas and inspiring moments in the piece.

Mike is so honest and forthright, what a braeth of fresh air.

Love ya Mike.

s

[Dave B]

terrific interview! very interesting reading. much to think about. Big thanks to David McCarty and of course, to Mike Compton. Nice.

Dave B.

[HogTime]

A few years back I spent a week at California Coast Music Camp, where Mike was one of the instructors. He's a real down home, good old country boy.

He was teaching advanced mando, which turned out to be too much for me. So, I switched to flatpick guitar class with Wayne Henderson (another good old country boy). Quite a "second choice". :)

[San Rafael]

Good interview. Some really good instruction, too, right there for the taking. Thanks Mr. C.

[Dan Hoover]

Another great interview guy's..thank you Mr.Compton...for your time,insight and instruction..what a treat...Great job.

[diptanshu]

that was a great birthday present :) thanks

[Mike Bromley]

Great resource, Scott.

I'll be busy learning "Jimmy fell of the Wagon".....

[GRW3]

I'm really enjoying this interview series and this has been my favorite so far. Probably because Mike describes approaches he uses intentionally to which I aspire. I also liked the instrument discussion as I took the message to be to 'get a mandolin to which you like to listen' as opposed to others expectations.

[re simmers]

Great interview.

Bob

[Rick Schmidlin]

Very informative, and cafe was well represent with great answers to questions.

[Big Joe]

A number of years ago while I was working for the big G, I asked Mike about becoming and edorsee of ours. He just looked at me a bit askew and said, "I've already got a good mandolin. Why would I want another one?" I was both a bit suprised by his comment and also quite amused. I appreciate his love for 'enough'. I worked with a number of artists that were what we referred to as "instrument whores". I will NEVER name names, but Mike's honesty was certainly refreshing and compelling.

[kudzugypsy]

i got to see mike a few months ago up close, when our bands were booked together - i had always heard about his great right hand technique, but it was really eye opening to see how smooth it really was - there are so few people playing the mandolin that way and its refreshing.

[David Rambo]

Thanks Scott. I really appreciate the work you put into this.

[Marcus CA]

This series is becoming an absolute treasure! I was expecting 10's, but these are 15's. The amount of time and thought that the musicians are giving to their answers is unbelievably generous.

[Erik Gran]

Quite a coincidence, the same day I registered to go to Mike Comptons class at Sore Fingers Week, this interview came up, and made my expectations even greater!

[Gerry Hastie]

Mr Compton's insights into a philosophy of and how to think whilst playing the mandolin are invaluable. "Rythym meldody" can't say I have really heard that phrase to describe something so fundamental! This is great stuff and a testament to the quality of the cafe that people like Mike are willing to share their thoughts via this forum. Well done as always to Mr Tichenor!

[Cullowheekid]

Great interview. Thanks for taking the time to answer the questions Mike. Your music has always inspired me. I'm going to go back and read it again. Eric

[Glassweb]

A number of years ago while I was working for the big G, I asked Mike about becoming and edorsee of ours. He just looked at me a bit askew and said, "I've already got a good mandolin. Why would I want another one?" I was both a bit suprised by his comment and also quite amused. I appreciate his love for 'enough'. I worked with a number of artists that were what we referred to as "instrument whores". I will NEVER name names, but Mike's honesty was certainly refreshing and compelling.

i think Mike would rather be thought of as a "music pimp"...

[hank]

Thank you Mike for taking the time to share your unique take on mandolining. Your experience and ability to share some of your insight is a valuable resource to the mandolin community. As always my hat is off to Scott for his efforts to make the Cafe' a place musicians can find new ideas and inspiration.

[mtucker]

fabulous! true talent. love the addies though. *insert smilie face*

[Michael Gowell]

Agree about the added performance clips...greatly enriching, repeatable for all of us now a bit smarter for having read this.

[M.Marmot]

Thanks to everyone concerned with bringing this interview to fruition.

I had not been too aware of Mr. Compton's work before this interview but prompted by the tone of his answers to the questions i decided to invest some resources into discovering more about his music.

I have to say its been well worth the effort, i have been drawn to his sound. I really do appreciate when somone can play a fistful of notes pretty quick and clean, and i get that with the mandolins limitations sometimes thats what is needed to fill the space, but its not what captures and holds my attention, nor where i want to go with my own playing. I much prefer the open soundings Mr. Compton gets from the mandolin, for me, his approach allows the mandolin to open and express almost as if it is being bowed but without sacraficing the percussive dynamic that also comes with the mandolin also being a rhythmic instrument.

Listening to Mr. Compton's recordings have given me a lot to think about with regards my own playing not only that but its also been the prompt for yet another personal re-appraisal of Mr. Monroe's playing... its amazing how much i have ignored Mr. Monroe's recordings through sheer wilfull stubborness and closed ears.

Now, if i can only concoct some sort of convoluted scheme to get see Mr. Compton play in nearby Vienne as part of the Sugarcanes that'd really top my summer.

[Mandolin Cafe]

Observing the anniversary of this interview today. Still a great read, questions from our forum members.

[Mandolin Cafe]

Another anniversary for this feature interview with our favorite old-time and Monroe style mandolin player!

[Mandolin Cafe]

Observing another anniversary of this fine interview.