Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 71

Thread: If Mandolin Did Not Exist........

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Greenville, PA
    Posts
    230

    Default

    If mandolin did not exist....................

    What instrument would you have chosen to play primarily?

    What do you think WSM would have played?




  2. #2

  3. #3
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Bucks Co., PA
    Posts
    2,745

    Default

    Theremin
    Or I woulda kept up with the violin.



    Wye Knot

  4. #4
    Registered User John Flynn's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Richmond, VA
    Posts
    8,076

    Default

    Excellent discussion question!

    I started on the guitar and would have probably stayed with it if it were not for the mando, but I was getting pretty bored with it. Since I have taken up the mando, I have also taught myself harmonica, so if I couldn't play mando anymore, I would probably go full tilt for the mouth harp.

    According to the story Mike Compton told at his workshop, Bill Monroe did not want to play the mandolin at first. He wanted to play the fiddle, but by the time he came along in his family the fiddle was already spoken for. Ironically, he was "relegated" to the mandolin!

  5. #5
    Registered User bjc's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    SoNo Chesapeake, Va
    Posts
    1,252

    Default

    I'm with Scotti...I'd probably be more into guitar...been playing guitar much longer anyway
    PeacE
    Brian

  6. #6
    Registered User saznpins's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Central New Jersey
    Posts
    84

    Default

    I'd still play violin Once I picked up a mando I never went back
    ___________________________________________
    Montana Flatiron Performer F
    Stoneman travel mandolin

  7. #7
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Greenville, PA
    Posts
    230

    Default

    I've played guitar for my entire life, well 22 out of 31 years of it anyhow. I've only been playing mandolin for 2 and a half years. If I didn't have the mandolin, I'd probably play Dobro. I've actually been considering starting up this winter. I like the unique!

  8. #8
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Greenville, PA
    Posts
    230

    Default

    maybe even B@#$O!

  9. #9

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by (Scotti Adams @ Oct. 04 2004, 13:39)
    Guitar..and do
    ...and ditto. Does 6-course mandolino count? How about renaissance mandore?

  10. #10
    Registered User Yellowmandolin's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Columbus, OH
    Posts
    524

    Default

    I'd play some fiddle. I used to play the viola, but just bought a fiddle to tool around on.
    Play, play, play!

    Jacob Hawkins

  11. #11
    Registered User John Rosett's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Missoula, MT
    Posts
    2,092

    Default

    i love playing guitar, and now i'm learning lap steel and dobro. i love it! we used to say that the right note was only a half step away, now it's only a quarter tone away.
    bill always said that he took up the mandolin because his brothers had already chosen guitar and fiddle.
    john
    "it's not in bad taste, if it's funny" - john waters

  12. #12
    Professional History Nerd John Zimm's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    Waunakee, WI
    Posts
    713

    Default

    I'd probably remember how to play the guitar if it weren't for the mandolin. What is it about the mandolin making a whole class of ex-guitar players?

    -John.
    Ah! must --
    Designer Infinite --
    Ah! must thou char the wood 'ere thou canst limn with it ?
    --Francis Thompson

  13. #13

    Default

    Trumpet
    Its what I started on, until braces got in the way. I've since lost the braces, but the mandolin has stayed with me
    When in doubt, shoot the Wizard

  14. #14
    Registered User Jeroen's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    NL
    Posts
    210

    Default

    Whatever Bill Monroe would have played.

  15. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Jeroen For This Useful Post:


  16. #15
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Nashville
    Posts
    4,966

    Default

    I've played guitar for 40 years. I still play guitar. I would put a little more time in the banjo as second instrument. Now mandolin is first, guitar second, banjo 26th. Oh, there is nothing between 2 and 26. Just shows how bad a banjo player I am .
    Have a Great Day!
    Joe Vest

  17. #16

    Default

    Well, I certainly do already play guitar (Classical, Jazz, Fingerstyle) and have played for over 30 years. For several years I was a serious student of The Chapman Stick and I'd even say that I was among the top 50 or so players in the world (not hard to do when there are only 5000 or so players total and most of the top Stick teachers are here in Southern California).

    But I just got tired of dealing with all the cords and amps and such. And the whole "two handed independence" thing that The Stick requires was just getting overwhelming from a technique point of view. Now, I find that one of the things I like about mandolin is that it's so small and easy to carry around. I can get a big sound out of a tiny instrument.

    The Stick is an incredibly fun instrument to play. But just as I got tired of playing electric guitar because of all the pedals, cords, amps etc I tired of playing The Stick.

    Acoustic Guitar has been my main love for may years. But I've gone through times where I didn't play for months at a time. I'm finding that studying some real high end fingerstyle stuff (mostly from Fingerstyle Guitar magazine) has re-awakened the instrument for me.

  18. #17
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    Aventura, FL
    Posts
    94

    Default

    banjo
    Chris

  19. #18
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Nova Scotia
    Posts
    32

    Default

    It seems almost pointless now to even bother saying so, but if it wasn't for mandolin, I too, would just be playing guitar... Maybe bodhran would have came next

  20. #19
    Bill Healy mrbook's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    Schenectady, NY
    Posts
    695

    Default

    I also play guitar, banjo, and dobro. Lately, I've played more banjo than mandolin - our band can't find another banjo player we would let on stage with us, and I keep asking other mandolin players to sit in. They are all great for making music, and while I would rather play mandolin, I usually play whatever the band needs. I would love to play fiddle, but if my bowing arm hasn't learned anything in 30 years, I may give up if I don't learn anything in the next 30.

  21. #20
    I'll take it! JGWoods's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Chelmsford MA
    Posts
    1,408

    Default

    If the mandolin didn't exist LLoyd Loar would have perfected the banjo...
    the perfect banjo- an oxymoron.

    best,
    jgwoods
    Be yourself, everyone else is taken.
    Favorite Mandolin of the week: 2013 Collings MF Gloss top.

  22. #21
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Iowa
    Posts
    24

    Default

    I've played guitar for 40 years and will continue. There's always something new to learn. I've been listening to Tone Poems to get a feel for some mandolin playing 'cause I'm new to it. I keep focusing in on Tony Rice's great guitar playing and want to learn how to play like that, to the best of my abilities anyhow, and try to learn the mandolin too. So much music, so little time.

  23. #22
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Oakland, California
    Posts
    1,251

    Default

    Piano
    Estne volumen in toga, an solum tibi libet me videre?

  24. #23
    Registered User dwc's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2004
    Location
    Charleston, SC
    Posts
    389

    Default

    I started on trumpet, but I've always loved reeds, probably tenor sax.
    Northfield Artist Series F5 (2 bar, Adirondack)

  25. #24
    Registered Mandolin User mandopete's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Location
    Clearview, WA
    Posts
    7,219

    Default

    Clarinet.

    I'm pretty sure that Big Mon would have opted for the accordian.
    2015 Chevy Silverado
    2 bottles of Knob Creek bourbon
    1953 modified Kay string bass named "Bambi"

  26. #25

    Default

    The radio.....no, seriously, the guitar.

Similar Threads

  1. Does a snakehead mandola exist?
    By Chip Booth in forum Looking for Information About Mandolins
    Replies: 6
    Last: Jan-01-2007, 7:30pm
  2. Does a ten-string mandolin/mandola exist?
    By Kid Charlemagne in forum General Mandolin Discussions
    Replies: 31
    Last: Feb-07-2006, 8:04am
  3. Good Mandolin <$1000...does it exist?
    By Eddie from Wilmore in forum Looking for Information About Mandolins
    Replies: 20
    Last: Jan-04-2006, 11:58am
  4. What if Bluegrass didn't exist?
    By abram in forum General Mandolin Discussions
    Replies: 8
    Last: Oct-05-2004, 9:33am
  5. How Many Loars Exist?
    By Brookside in forum Looking for Information About Mandolins
    Replies: 21
    Last: Mar-03-2004, 9:04am

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •