Are You Suddenly A Mandolin Player?

  1. Frank Johnson
    Frank Johnson
    I'm don't consider myself a mandolin picker, having just started in January of '09, but can play a couple of tunes. I consider a "real" mandolin player as someone who can jump in on a tune he/she doesn't know, follow, keep up, and even throw in a break at the right time. Now (just because I have played a tune or two here and there) some people (who don't play) think I'm some kind of an expert picker! I know better, but still can't help but smile like a possum eating **** when they say that.

    Has anyone else had this experience?
  2. rgray
    rgray
    You play the mandolin - you are a mandolin player. This is just simple English grammar and word usage. You don't have to apologize for your skill level because your definition of "real" is just that, "your definition". If people want to think you're an expert picker, let them. If they ask you, then honestly tell them what you think of your skill level. Above all, enjoy playing at whatever level you are at. If you want, aspire to play better someday and work toward that end, but don't let your ambition interfere with your playing enjoyment today.
  3. Christian Flanagan
    Christian Flanagan
    I do have to tell people, "I'm learning to play" the mandolin. A friend of mine keeps trying to get me to come and play at an assisted living center. I don't have like 15 minutes of tunes I could play for them. Although, the idea has merit.

    Most of the inhabitants, unfortunately, don't possess sufficient awareness to know that I'm playing badly. They'd be entertained to a degree, and I'd gain some experience playing before a small crowd. So, my goal is to be able to play a 30-minute set of tunes semi-flawlessly enough to get through it.

    Small achievable goals.
  4. un5trung
    un5trung
    It's a matter of semantics, yes? I'm at the "can play a few tunes" stage myself, but no one would mistake me for an expert picker ;-)

    Assuming I keep this up, and I'm assuming I will, I'll get to the point where I can jump into a tune. At what point between now and then will people recognize me as either a mandolin player or an expert picker? I'm not sure that it's relevant.

    My Facebook avatar is currently a picture of me picking a mandolin, and that alone is enough -- music unheard, mind you -- for some people to consider me a mandolin player. That being the case, peoples definitions of me as a musician begin to lose meaning . . .
  5. kalenh
    kalenh
    I think the biggest issue and OP correct me if I'm wrong here. Is that with assumptions often come expectations. And those expectations can be...well the word daunting is not quite accurate enough to describe the feeling you get when someone suggests "You to play at their wedding cause they heard Chris Thile and he's pretty good but you play pretty good too riiiight?"

    I have this issue where I work. I'm a network engineer. So that means I'm pretty good with computers. I've been asked nicely to do things that are...well...way outside my ability set. And when I had to tell people this, they often get indignant and act as if it's me choosing not to help them.


    My advice is be up front with these people. Yes I play a few tunes on the mandolin, but as a student still learning the basics of my instrument and building confidence in my abilities I wouldn't call myself a "Pretty Good Player". Would you like to here my rendition of Drunken Sailor?
  6. Daci
    Daci
    On the hammer dulcimer,I can jump in on anything and can keep up,even on modern rock and roll,which I never play...Since I'm still learning the mandolin..Not so much. I do tell people I play the mandolin,I'm not as good as I am on the hd,however.
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