What is Sierra playing in this video?

[Timmando]

Is that a mandola? An octave mandolin? Is it tuned like a mandolin? Great song!
Anyone know of a mandolin tab for this song?

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[ebeja]

Anyone know of a mandolin tab for this song?


It´s Darley´s Reel and the TAB is on this page:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/tab/searchdb.cgi

[Mandolin Mick]

That's her octave mandolin.

[Timmando]

Thanks guys! She has a capo on the first fret...the guitar is capoed on the third, so I take it they are playing in the key of Bb. Do you think she is in GDAE tuning capoed up one fret?

[George R. Lane]

That's her octave mandolin.

Correction, that is her 'Weber' octave.

[mandopete]

I think it's Daley's Reel.

<sorry>

[Timmando]

Thats Ok mandopete...I asked for it!

[keebler]

I have seen another video of her playing that same octave with a capo on the 1st fret same way(Weber site). I did wonder why.. anyone know?

Does the fiddle have a capo too?!?! :D

[Nick Triesch]

Wow! One of the best young players in the world using a capo! I guess this finally puts and end to that silly argument.

[greg_tsam]

Wow! One of the best young players in the world using a capo! I guess this finally puts and end to that silly argument.

As my 5 year old son often says...Whatever!

[Justus True Waldron]

Wow! One of the best young players in the world using a capo! I guess this finally puts and end to that silly argument.

Yup! I guess this proves she's NOT one of the best young players in the world! :p Kidding....

[mandotim1955]

Octave players with small hands often tune down a half step (or even a full step) and use a capo. It makes for smaller stretches, effectively producing a short-scale octave mandolin. it doesn't affect tone much, and makes the instrument a lot easier to play.
Tim

[Timmando]

On her octave mando, even with a capo, it looks like it would be impossible to get the 4 finger chop G chord. Anyone here play or has tried to play an octave mandolin in a bluegrass band? Did you have to forget about the 4 finger chop chords?

[Justus True Waldron]

Over the summer I got to pick and jam with an octave mandolin that apparently used to belong to the late John Mcgann. It had an awesome sound and was super fun to play, but being oval hole and all that I wouldn't really call it a "bluegrass" mandolin. We mostly played fiddle tune stuff and yes, even though I can physically make the stretch the standard chop chords were pretty tough to get quickly and cleanly. Open ringing chords tended to sound better anyways, so that's what I did.

After playing more guitar for the past couple months I tried a few octaves at Mandolin Brothers recently, including a couple Weber f-hole models. I could stretch a bit easier by then and reach chords better, and even fake a sort of "chop" sound out of it, but it still didn't seem like the right thing to be doing. My guess is if I ever buy one I could get used to it, but still think big open ringing chords and cross picked stuff sounds the coolest on it.

[Cheryl Watson]

Yes, you just forget about the chop chords and use alternate chords. In fact, I've never seen anyone chop much on an octave but suppose it could be done by someone with large hands and long fingers.

[keebler]

Octave players with small hands often tune down a half step (or even a full step) and use a capo. It makes for smaller stretches, effectively producing a short-scale octave mandolin. it doesn't affect tone much, and makes the instrument a lot easier to play.
Tim

That is exactly what I was wondering... I play 'tenor guitar' and 'chop' chords are impossible, although I don't play strictly bluegrass.

[Nick Triesch]

Greg, I make these jokes about using the pinky and using a capo when I see a super pro using them because there are so many folks on this site who just think using them is either cheating or a crutch when in reality it just does not matter proven by Miss Hull and Adam Steffey. I just want the thousands of new young players to read my posts so that they will see that it is just fine to hold your pick, mando, use a capo or drag your pinky anyway you want and not get hung up with silly rules. Whatever works.

[Mike Bunting]

Greg, I make these jokes about using the pinky and using a capo when I see a super pro using them because there are so many folks on this site who just think using them is either cheating or a crutch when in reality it just does not matter proven by Miss Hull and Adam Steffey. I just want the thousands of new young players to read my posts so that they will see that it is just fine to hold your pick, mando, use a capo or drag your pinky anyway you want and not get hung up with silly rules. Whatever works.
Blindly following your anti-rule dictum is as silly as blindly following the silly rules.

[greg_tsam]

Whatever works.

Sounds good to me.