Music Theory for Mandolin

[unc924]

Hey everyone just had a quick question I am new to the mandolin, I was just wondering if anyone has any infomation on Jay buckey's Essential Music Theory for Mandolin. Thanks

[resophil]

I wouldn't sweat it too much!

Music theory remains the same no matter what instrument or voice is used to make music. Chords are formed in the same way, timing is the same, and notated much the same way. The conventions of music remain the same no matter which instrument they are applied to...

If you are like the vast majority of beginning mandolinists who has no clue about notation, then you may gravitate towards tablature, which is just another way of expressing how to play music by writing it on a page. But mandolin tab IS SPECIFIC to the mandolin.

If you want to understand the ideas and conventions of music, then a book about theory may be for you. If you want to learn tunes, then tablature may be the way to go.

This package makes much of teaching people to jam WITHOUT sheet music, however, this doesn't always happen. Some people take to jamming like a fish to water, and theory be damned! Other peole may have theory and book larnin' out the wazoo, but couldn't jam through a tune if their life depended on it...

Only you will figure out what is best for you.

[unc924]

Thank you for the reply

[Mike Bunting]

This book is very good. Music Theory for Modern Mandolin.

http://www.acutab.com/artists/ohmsen/mandotheory/musictheory.html

[Dave Hanson]

I was taught to read music by a jazz pianist friend.

Dave H

[Handy Hummingbird]

Mike Marshall's Mandolin Method has some useful information on theory, and touches upon the idiosyncrasies of some mandolin chord voicings. The Chord Book is a good place to start, but you can't go too far wrong with the Finger Busters either just for infuriating workouts.

http://jazzmando.com/mike_marshall_methods.shtml