Mike Herlihy
Oct-09-2010, 3:20pm
Most of this may seem obvious to everyone. I've been playing a Gold Tone TG10 (tuned to GDAE) for several months. I've tried to play most of the songs I learned on Mandolin on Tenor Guitar. Definitely helps develop Pinky strength to play Mandolin songs on Tenor Guitar. Some of the songs don't work (like Voodoo Child), some do (like Brownsville Blues). What I usually do:
1. Most 1st position songs can be played since by using your Pinky to play the Ring finger's notes and by shifting to 2nd/3rd position for the Pinky notes on Mandolin
3. Use only 3-string chords (Trying to play an A chord on all 4 strings is a real stretch for me)
4. Transpose if possible those songs played in closed fingerings to open fingerings, that can't be played (i.e., I can sorta play Voodoo Child in 1st position)
There are some songs that sound better on Tenor Guitar (i.e., Can't Find My Way Home) then Mandolin.
To sum up, yes you can play songs learned on Mandolin on Tenor Guitar, it just takes some work and some stategies
1. Most 1st position songs can be played since by using your Pinky to play the Ring finger's notes and by shifting to 2nd/3rd position for the Pinky notes on Mandolin
3. Use only 3-string chords (Trying to play an A chord on all 4 strings is a real stretch for me)
4. Transpose if possible those songs played in closed fingerings to open fingerings, that can't be played (i.e., I can sorta play Voodoo Child in 1st position)
There are some songs that sound better on Tenor Guitar (i.e., Can't Find My Way Home) then Mandolin.
To sum up, yes you can play songs learned on Mandolin on Tenor Guitar, it just takes some work and some stategies