Hello all. I am a long time lurker here. I first decided to pick up the mandolin in late 2011. Due to a pretty serious tragedy in my life I put it back down in December 2011 and really didn't look at it again for seven years. This last New Years Eve I was with a group of friends that play a lot of BG and Oldtime music. These are the kind of guys that bring an instrument to most parties they attend. I was the guy standing in the corner drinking entirely too much bourbon and not being able to join in. So I made a resolution to pick back up my mandolin. The long and short of the whole story is that I've owned a mandolin for over seven years but only really played it for about six weeks. I'm really awful at it--but I am a fraction less awful than I was January 1, so there is hope. And the good news is that the next time my picking friends get together I can take an instrument. The really good news is that the banjo is so dadgum loud that no one will hear all the notes I miss.
I have nothing against lurkers but I am glad you are shifting from passive to active mode on the mandolin. Welcome. I look forward to hearing more.
I had a similar experience. I bought a mandolin, and it wasn't set up. I didn't know it needed to be, and it was painful to play. It sounded awful too. I let it sit under my bed for years in a gig bag where the climate destroyed it basically. Years later I tried to pick it back up, and ended up getting a new, set up instrument. It's great that you have a group of people to play with, that will really help you along.
Welcome Charles. Sorry about the tragedy in your life. The focus and work that it takes to learn to play a mandolin will hopefully help in the long term healing process. Glad you decided to jump in here.
"...I was the guy standing in the corner drinking entirely too much bourbon..." Welcome Charles! I've been at it for 2 years now and find the mandolin to be very habit forming. Lots of great folks here.
Welcome Charles I’m a Newby too to the group,mandolin chat and mandolins!
bourbon or mandolin, mandolin or bourbon the struggle is real. :D Seriously welcome I'm going on year 5 and still strive for the fraction less awful each month approach.
So revel in being truly terrible! Have fun with it, learn, improve, and join your buddies at the next party.
