Mandolin as a Stand Alone Instrument

[r.riley77]

No doubt mandolins are not the most versatile instruments. You hardly see a mandolin player performing solo (besides Thile). They just don't have the range and sustain like a guitar does. Can anyone think of any good songs where mandolin is the primary instrument? I was searching for some songs like these, but I couldn't turn up a whole lot besides Sam Bush's version of Sailing Shoes which is actually accompanied by bass. Some suggestion or ideas please. I would like to work up a few songs where mandolin is a stand alone instrument or at least in the forefront.

[catmandu2]

I'd play rags, and sing. Fiddle tunes with a lot of inflection..

[JeffD]

Just to be clear, you are talking about recordings of solo mandolin music, or music that sounds good when played by a mandolin alone?

I believe that with the addition of tremolo, double stops, and chord melody, and proper use of dynamics, many many many tunes can sound great played on mandolin alone. Just about every Christmas Carol, about 2/3 of the fiddle tunes, most of the eastern European fiddle music, just about all waltzes, most rags, a lot of the medieval repertory, some of the classical, ...

I mean a whole lot.

That you don't see a lot of solo mandolin is (I believe) more evidence of popular taste rather than limitations to the mandolin per se.

[AlanN]

Two words: Jethro Burns

Find his Tea For One recording, a marvel in solo mandolin (and corn).

[padawan]

Mr. Burns certainly provides a good example:


Here's a Sam Bush solo performance that is a little outside the box:



If you want to hear same doing Sailin' Shoes without the bass CLICK HERE

[samlyman]

I play a number of blues tunes solo using drone strings and double-stops to provide a full sound. My favorites are Crossroads Blues, One Way Out, Statesboro Blues, San Francisco Bay Blues and Deep Elem Blues. I also play a number of old-time fiddle tunes solo using the same techniques.

Happy pickin',

Sam

[mrmando]

Brian Oberlin has two solo swing records out recently. Seems that a fair amount if not all of Chris Acquavella's latest is unaccompanied. Then there's everything recorded by Evan Marshall.

[Jim Garber]

As JeffD mentioned, classical.

Carlo Aonzo (music starts around 00:37):


Ralf Leenen:


Avi Avital playinga folk tune solo:


...and... of course, Evan Marshall:

[JeffD]

In summary, I would say that it is more likely that any given piece of music could sound great on solo mandolin than the reverse.

[Mike Bunting]

No doubt mandolins are not the most versatile instruments. You hardly see a mandolin player performing solo (besides Thile). They just don't have the range and sustain like a guitar does. Can anyone think of any good songs where mandolin is the primary instrument? I was searching for some songs like these, but I couldn't turn up a whole lot besides Sam Bush's version of Sailing Shoes which is actually accompanied by bass. Some suggestion or ideas please. I would like to work up a few songs where mandolin is a stand alone instrument or at least in the forefront.

Try Mike Compton, "Rotten Taters" to be precise. Available from the man hisself.
http://mikecompton.net/music.php

[allenhopkins]

And, of course, there are always octave mandolin, mandocello, even mandola if you want to sound more "guitary."

[Mike Bunting]

Not to mention Mike Compton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpaYmZNE-Qo

[catmandu2]

If folks can listen to Braxton's "For Alto"...

[Petrus]

Hamilton de Holanda, solo on 10 string bandolim.

[jaycat]

And then, there's the oft-posted video of Ry Cooder playing Goin' To Brownsville.

[Justus True Waldron]

Jesse Cobb's new album is all solo mandolin...

[rockies]

Let's not forget the great Radim Zenkl and his superb solo mandolin performances with the multiple sounds from his fingerpicking style.
Dave

[Bluetickhound]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YU0...e_gdata_player

I'm almist positive that this lovely and talented lady is shouting down from heaven "HEY!!! What about THIS??!??"...

[John Flynn]

The Battle of Evermore by Led Zeppelin. There are other instruments on the studio version, but the mandolin is clearly the main instrument to the extent it would have worked with mandolin as the only instrument.

[Wayne Shelton]

The list is probably limited only by the skill of the player, as Sam Bush often demonstrates...ie. "Brilliancy"

[Jeff Richards]

Jim Richter has many fine examples on Youtube. He has a tremendous range of material, with something for just about everyone. This is one of my favorites:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUWb...e_gdata_player

Hope this helps.

Jeff

[foldedpath]

The list is probably limited only by the skill of the player, as Sam Bush often demonstrates...ie. "Brilliancy"

It's great to celebrate how many genres of music our little instrument can fit into. As a list of players, I'd add Tim O'Brien, who I've seen in live performance, and who can capture a room spellbound with just a mandolin and his voice.

I think it's also important to recognize and honor the limitations of our instrument. There aren't many, but I don't think I'll ever be convinced that a mandolin is an appropriate instrument for playing an Irish/Scottish traditional slow air. I mean the kind of tune with no set meter, intended for deep expression with the human voice, or a sustaining instrument like fiddle, flute, whistle, box, or pipes. The mandolin is suitable as a solo instrument almost everywhere, but not for this. The only way we have to extend a note for a long duration is tremolo, and it just doesn't work here (IMO).

P.S. there was a thread on playing slow airs in the Celtic section of the forum not too long ago, where this was discussed. I just disagree with those who say this works.

[M.Marmot]

P.S. there was a thread on playing slow airs in the Celtic section of the forum not too long ago, where this was discussed. I just disagree with those who say this works.

There was indeed - as far as i remember, most folks actually agreed that mandolin is not overly suitable for playing slow airs... at least not as a solo instrument at any rate.

Then again, when i listen to Mike Compton playing 'Evening Prayer Blues' -



I do think that there maybe hope yet.

[almeriastrings]

The new 'Solitude' CD by Jesse Cobb is excellent and features mostly solo mandolin. Enjoying listening to that in my car... shows what can be done.

[M.Marmot]

Songs driven by the mandolin?

A popular number from my childhood -



And one from a few years ago -



I think though that if you put some time and imagination into playing then most songs will work on mandolin.

For most of my time playing i generally arranged songs that had little to no mandolin in the original - some worked better than others... the fun is to be had in the trying.