Moments of Inspiration...

[Keith Erickson]

A couple of days ago, I was at my fiances house and was picking away at the Mandolin.

That evening I figured out, "Sweet Home Alabama", "Freebird" & "That's the Way" off of Led Zepplin 3.

I didn't even have the CD's with me. It was all pulled from my brain. I don't know why but I've never had moments like this with the guitar.

Why is this???

Not to complain, just curious.

Thanks, http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[John Flynn]

That happens to me also and while sometimes tunes jump out at me on the guitar also, it is not nearly as frequent. I don't know why that is for sure, but here are my guesses: First, the mando fretboard is laid out so neatly and logically the way it is tuned, much more logically than the guitar. Learning tunes is all about recognizing intervals. The intervals I hear in my head seem to be easier to visualize and/or feel on the mando fretboard than the guitar fretboard. I don't play the piano, but even so I find it easier to figure out tunes on the keyboard than on the guitar.

Second, I find it easier to hear a melody in the range of octaves that are covered by the first position on the mandolin. The first position on the guitar just seems too low for me in reconcilling the tune I have in my head with what I can make happen on the fretboard. When I am figuring out a tune on the guitar, which I rarely do now that I am a "mando convert" I find it helps to move up the neck to find the notes an octave or two higher.

[duuuude]

Usually that stuff kicks in for me after playing for a couple hours, tunes just come into the head and move right to the fretboard. Funny thing, memory, can't remember my aniversary yet can pick out a tune I heard a few times 25-30 years ago.
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[Moose]

"...Memory is stronger than time" -*(from a Merle Haggard song) http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif

[Keith Erickson]

Funny thing, memory, can't remember my aniversary yet can pick out a tune I heard a few times 25-30 years ago.


My fiancé has everything written in on a calander. No Chance of that.


First, the mando fretboard is laid out so neatly and logically the way it is tuned, much more logically than the guitar.

I totally agree. Not to knock the guitar, however it seems like between the strings between G & B lose the fret. The Mandolin is straight up. I know that Mike has sent me some stuff that I'm going to take my time on. I'm also begining to see that one can be fluent in any key on the mandolin. Something that seems to be a challenge on the guitar.

So let the jam sessions begin http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

[ira]

they happen rarely, but am so thankful when the 'light turns on"

[John Flynn]

I think there is an emotional component also. The last time I had a big "aha" moment with learning tunes was right before Christmas. I had a resolution to learn some Christmas tunes on the mando and in October and November I had learned a few, but they did not come any easier than tunes usually do. But then about a week before Christmas, I was starting to get some time off and was really getting into the spirit. I sat down one day and nailed three additional Christmas tunes just off the top of my head, bang, bang, bang. I don't think I have ever gotten three tunes that fast and they weren't necessarily easy ones, either, and in the case of one, I wound up learning it in two different keys just goofing around! I performed these new tunes in church over the holidays and played them as well as if I have been playing them for years. It doesn't happen that way often, but when it does, it is a pure joy.

[Keith Erickson]

But then about a week before Christmas, I was starting to get some time off and was really getting into the spirit.

Johnny,

The exact same thing happened to me. I need to play "What Child is This" ( same song as Greensleeves ). However I only knew the guitar parts that started in Am. The key started off in Em and I needed to get moving as quick as possible and I learned it in about 3-5 minutes with another 15 minutes to refine my sound.

When it came time to play the solo, it sounded so sweet.

The Christmas before 2003, I played this on my 12-String Guitar with a Capo 7 to mimic the mandolin sound, keep the key in Em and to play with the Am finger picking.

You could have said, I've now downsized in more ways than one http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

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