Playing Chords on an Oval Hole?

[jesserules]

Roland White:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpKhWePGNPc

[fatt-dad]

Buchanan Brothers too:



f-d

[soliver]

Seems to me there are about as many ways to play chords on an oval hole mandolin as there are to play chords on a round (or oval)hole guitar.

Am I missing something?

I full understand that it is the same instrument with the same tuning etc... I am looking for techniques for chording that others find work well with their Oval holes Mandolin...

If you reread my original post:

I'm not asking for charts or chord diagrams, but for technique.

I typically play the 4 fingered chop chords on my Eastman, but am finding less success with my Flatiron. I have gotten some helpful suggestions that I plan to implement.

[soliver]

Buchanan Brothers too:



f-d

Alls I can say is that song is AWESOME... gonna have to learn that one.

[jesserules]

Buchanan Brothers too:



f-d

Very nice!

The Roland White clip was to provide a visual example of one possible approach to bluegrass chording on an oval hole mando.

[Mandoplumb]

Appears to me Roland is chopping chords. May be adding a bass strings occasionally but at that time he may have done that if he had an F hole. This nothing but chop and noted so there is no tone just a slap is a product of recent years,that ani't no part of nothing IMHO. Most earlier bluegrass mandolins were played more like Roland is doling in this video. Yes a Loar would cut thru better but I remember playing what you had until you could afford better, or a least different.

[Stevo75]

I have found more and more that two and three finger chords can sound better than four finger chords. Even in bluegrass on a typical arch-top f-hole mandolin. Plus they're easier to play. Although sometimes you do need that four finger chop chord if you want to have "that sound." Anyway, that's what I would look into if I were you. Work on playing two and three finger chords. Also look for chords with open strings. For example, when you need and F#m, you can play it as a minor 7 by playing 6400 (I think that's right, I don't have my mandolin in front of me). I have an oval-hole pancake-style mandolin and these types of chords sound great.

[CES]

To the OP: Carved top oval holes, esp. those with elevated fretboards and 15 frets to the body can chop pretty nicely, but flattops, like our Flatiron 1Ns, don't give you that thump. I play bluegrass and chop chords on mine occasionally at home, but have better weapons for that approach in a jam setting. Taking the 1N to a large BG jam is like taking a knife to a gun fight, IMO (been there).

I love my 1N, but agree with you that it doesn't excel in a BG setting requiring chopping rhythm. Learning double stops, arpeggiated backup, and more use of ringing open chords and drones all work very well on the 1N. It's a different, but very cool, animal.

[soliver]

Thanks CES, that’s really what I was thinking... I’m taking both to the Jam tonight so I can try them back to back... I’m having a little better time chopping the flatty lately but we will see.

I have been playing along in a worship setting and have found that side by side with a guitar, the 1N has been great esp with this genre of music. So I may reserve the 1N for that setting.

[CES]

Yessir, I've used my 1N in that setting to good effect as well. I play my Silverangel more, but really like having the oval tone option when I want it...

[JeffD]

I was re-reading the beginning of this thread and caught something I had missed. Or perhaps I just misunderstand.

Soliver are you referring to a flat top instrument?

When comparing f holes and oval holes it is normally assumed we are comparing two arch top mandolins, where the difference in sound and projection can be mostly attributed to the shape of the sound hole. The different sound of a flat top is mostly because the top has no arch. It vibrates a bit differently.


My rule of thumb is to listen to the music and if it is not bluegrass, don't chop.

That said if I was going to play bluegrass I would likely not take my flat top anyway. (Not that it can't do it, but it doesn't have that creamy Gibsonny warm bluegrass sound. It has a sparkly bell like sing song sound. It would stick out.)

[soliver]

Yea Jeff, I am referring to my Flatiron 1N... I played it at the Jam last night and it did ok... I went double fisted so I had the Eastman as well which has really been shining at the jam lately, so it got played more. But still the flatty did ok.

[JH Murray]

Andy Statman for decades played bluegrass on a Gibson Oval hole. His bluegrass album "Andy's Ramble" is one of my favourites. Sorry but I couldn't find any video of that 1998 album.

Roland White has a great video where he describes playing 3 finger chop chords, which I have used on my oval hole.

[JeffD]

OK well I have played a 1N before and I loved it. I owned a 3MW mandola at one time as well. And they sound great and can be quite loud.

Very excellent mandolin. Not, IMO, a grasser, though you can get away with it. A great jam mandolin because it can be heard and also in my experience can blend well with who ever else shows up.

The advantage of a good flatty is that there are no preconceived bluegrass expectations. You can play any strumming pattern you want, and any chord configurations you want and just have a ball.

[soliver]

Thanks Jeff, I think what I’m figuring out with it is that with chords, it sounds better to strum as you would a guitar, or to cross pick.

Thanks Jim, I think I’ve seen that video before, but I’m gathering for the most part that chopping the flat top just may not be in the cards.

[Pete Braccio]

Just to get back to the original question, I like lots of open, partial chords on flat tops. This will allow you to take advantage of their tendency to have long, ringing sustain.

You don’t even have to play full chords. Hint at them. Try these:

A: 2200, 9700
C: 5000, 0530
D: 2000, 7000, 7400
G: 002x, 0500