What I do, playing Mandolin learned songs on Tenor Guitar

[Mike Herlihy]

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

[mikeyes]

Mike,

Check out Eddy Davis' youtube site (http://www.youtube.com/user/mrgreenmeat#g/u)for instruction. You will find that you don't have to have full chords to accompany yourself and that there are some tenor guitar/banjo things that you can't do on a mandolin.

[SGraham]

Mike,
I just picked up a Blueridge 40 T and have been doing the same thing you described. Boy am I having fun on this thing. Have you tried Clinch Mt. Backstep using D chordshapes?

Lots of new territory to explore, and a pinky that's getting stronger day by day. I'll be taking mine (the guitar--and both my pinkies too) to the first annual Glendora Bluegrass Festival in Glendora, CA this Saturday. I hope to try it out in a bluegrass setting.

[Mike Herlihy]

Mike,

Check out Eddy Davis' youtube site (http://www.youtube.com/user/mrgreenmeat#g/u)for instruction. You will find that you don't have to have full chords to accompany yourself and that there are some tenor guitar/banjo things that you can't do on a mandolin.

Cool thanks, for the heads up. This is why "Mandolin Cafe" is a great site!

[Bernie Daniel]

....To sum up, yes you can play songs learned on Mandolin on Tenor Guitar, it just takes some work and some stategies

Good post interesting thoughts. I have been having fun with mandola, tenor guitar and tenor banjo and agree with most of your post. I find the mandola a great transition between the mandolin and the tenor guitar --because you can work out the key change issues on the that and then worry about chords and what fingers control what string separately.