PDA

View Full Version : Could be an help to learn...mandolin ?



mandolman
Oct-14-2004, 9:10am
I ask myself this question http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

I never play mandolin or fiddle. Just play whistle/ irish flute....and learn myself octave mandolin.

but to be better, im asking if it will be good to learn playing mandolin or not necessary ?

Any advices ?

thanks

mandolman
Oct-15-2004, 2:39am
Can we compare mandolin/ octave mandolin like the play tin whistle/ low whistle

Dolamon
Oct-15-2004, 5:36am
Compare ... hmmh, well yes to the point that a low whistle (like an octave mandolin) has extremely long stretches between the fingering holes. But the big difference ... the whistles are basically diatonic (Tuned to play in one or perhaps three keys), the Mandolin family instrument is Chromatic (playable in all keys). To learn - probably it's better to learn technique and chording and basic method from a mandolin - even a cheap one and then apply what you've learned to the big cousin.

The regular mandolin can do a LOT of things which are not physically possible on an Octave. Both are fun and satisfying to play. Just enjoy ...

Bob DeVellis
Oct-15-2004, 7:09am
Often, but not always, mandolin and octave mandolin are approached pretty differently, with the octave serving more of a rhythm role and relying on chords or intervals. The mandolin may be used more for melody. If you use both instruments for the same balance of melody and rhythm, I would think there would definitely be a positive transfer of skill from one to the other. At the opposite extreme, if you use them for distinctly different musical purposes, the transfer would be considerably smaller. I suspect most people who play octave mandolin have some degree of interest in standard mandolin, as well. Why not do both?

Jacob
Oct-15-2004, 7:53am
For tin whistle, the holes are covered by the fingertips.
A better approach to the low whistle is the modified piper's grip (http://www.chiffandfipple.com/pipers.html) where the pads of the fingers are used.
The greater scale length of octave mandolin makes traditional mandolin fingering difficult or impossible, depending on the size of the player's hands.
This is a comparison of traditional mandolin fingering and one practical approach to fingering for octave mandolin, tenor guitar and tenor banjo.

otterly2k
Oct-15-2004, 11:43am
yes, and please note in the diagram above that the pinky (finger #4) gets QUITE a work out!