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glauber
Nov-17-2004, 1:36pm
Hello, i'm starting on mandolin (i'm mostly a flute player, picking up the mando as my second instrument). Right now for me, it's just about equally easy (or equally hard) to use open strings or not, when playing Irish music. Do i understand correctly that most people who play Irish/Celtic prefer to use the open strings for the D, A, E notes?

I'm trying to stay away from using open strings, thinking that learning it like this will help me later if i need to transpose tunes. But is this heresy? Does anybody care?
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

250sc
Nov-17-2004, 2:54pm
Your logic is correct that you will be able to transpose easier if you learn the closed fingerings but don't get too cumpulsive about it. Get comfortable both ways. There are times when you can use a ringing open note while you change positions up the neck.

glauber
Nov-17-2004, 3:12pm
Get comfortable both ways. There are times when you can use a ringing open note while you change positions up the neck.
Good point, thanks!

g

dwc
Nov-17-2004, 7:48pm
I think learning both ways is the right approach. The one thing I would add is that some people, particularly those who come from a guitar tradition, argue that if you use open fingerings, use all open positions, and if you use closed fingerings, use all closed positions. I don't think this should be dogmatic, but it can sound a bit funny if one where to vassilate between the two without rhyme or reason. This is probably pretty obvious, but I thought I might through it out anyway.

jmcgann
Nov-19-2004, 8:18pm
Most trad players (mando, fiddle, banjo) would use open strings most of the time, with the fingered notes for sonic effect or particular ornaments...