Poll - what musical style do you primarily play on mandolin?

[JeffD]

Other - I let the all the guitarists pick the tunes, and find a way to make the mandolin part work with what they sing and play. Mostly folk/rock & jam band music these days. Very few of my musical acquaintances show much interest in instrumental music, which I would like to explore more.

I know that world well. Seems there are two musical universes here where I live, one like you describe dominated by guitars and songs, and the other, where I regularly am, dominated by fiddles and tunes and where guitars are the backup/rhythm and accompaniment.

I really wish there was more overlap between the two universes. Because the enthusiasm is high and the folks are grand in both places. I guess the entry requirements (what you got to know to feel comfortable participating) are high in both camps, and switching from one to the other is not real easy, not at first anyway.

[CeeCee_C]

I like to play the following kinds of music.

1.what people have been calling "new acoustic music" (Mike Marshall, Chris Thile, John Reischman, Sarah Jarosz, etc.); much of which I'd consider a form of jazz played on traditional acoustic instruments.

2. Baroque (We should all go for baroque )

3. Playing rock that has a mandolin part (Led Zep, for example)

4. Adapting music not written with the mandolin in mind (Little Feat, Pink Floyd, Cake, Milk Carton Kids, Leon Russell, Joe Cocker, AC/DC, B-52s, Hendrix, many others)

5. Fiddle tunes - so I have *SOMETHING* to contribute at jams and music circles.

[Explorer]

Now I've jotted down "The Distance" as something to look at when k have time....

[Maczart]

Primarily: Baroque (Bach, Vivaldi, Handel)
Secondary: Everything thing else

[Coffee Guy]

Folk-Country, old time, bluegrass

[Teak]

Swing, in which I include tunes that smack of Dixieland and Jazz (easy stuff, not Parker or Coltrane).

[CeeCee_C]

I admit to having recently played Divinyls' "I Touch Myself" just for the horrified looks on the faces of the dozen or so listeners.

It was priceless.

[CeeCee_C]

Swing, in which I include tunes that smack of Dixieland and Jazz (easy stuff, not Parker or Coltrane).

Teak -

Like "St. James Infirmary" and tunes by Scott Joplin?

[T.D.Nydn]

I usually play A.D.D. driven jazz/bluegrass/neo-classical "concertos"....

[WW52]

I mostly have pursued playing fiddle tunes from various traditions -- Old Time & new Old Time, trad. Irish, French Canadian, and misc. other tunes from Europe & British Isles, contemporary folk, some older country & western music. I'm fond of waltzes. Played for contradances for over two decades. Most recently I have been enjoying playing melodic and harmony improvisation with a vocalist and guitar player. I'll play anything that appeals to me.

[Tom Wright]

What I play at home is everything except bluegrass, I guess, but mainly pop and jazz, with some Brazilian stuff for my chops, and keeping my touch careful with some non-mandolin classical meaning stuff written for violin, viola, or cello. The work I have done on solo arrangements has helped me to be a better band member, either by easily showing someone a part, or by doubling it, or by filling in parts. The work I have done in my band has improved my strumming and touch in general, lighter attack and better tone.

I now have two public musical activities, a trio doing "Americana" and I am joining an English country Dance club to play those airs and dances. (It's actually a paying gig, yay!) The trio plays old country, old rock and roll, a few swing songs, and some blues like Jimmy Reed or Scatman Crothers, and even some Keb Mo'.

[catmandu2]

And BTW, I have nothing against bluegrass obviously - I occasionally play/gig in BG ensemb. (bass) - and/ nor mandolins, for that matter - I occasionally play a mandola, and after all it [mando] totally got me into playing tenor/plectrum b. - which has stayed with me. And I played a lot of old-timey 5-string and stuff .. so, not looking to give the impression that I think anything is sup/inf, etc. Obviously it's all good!

[FLATROCK HILL]

When it's my turn: Traditional Bluegrass.

When it's someone else's turn: A watered down mix of Bluegrass, Country-Western and Wagon-Wheel.

[Jack Roberts]

In order of how frequently I play a particular style:
1. Baroque (every day-my go to style for relaxation)
2. Traditional Fiddle Tunes (Ryan's Mammoth, O'Neill's, etc.-at least once a day)
3. BG-Gospel and hymns (we have a band and perform at least once a month.)

[Timbofood]

I have never played wagon wheel!
Sorry Zed, not a fan of hayseed Dixie but, whatever floats

[Perry Babasin]

Songs I write, songs I like...

[Charles E.]

Old Time string band music.

[JeffD]

I kind of included French Canadian fiddle tunes in the contradance northern old-time genre, though a distinction can be made. Same with Finnish and Swedish fiddle music, which I like exploring, but comes up a bit within the contradance fiddle jams.

[BJ O'Day]

RSITM - Rather Slow Irish Traditional Music. I love the tunes but I can't play anywhere near session speed.

BJ

[JeffD]

I have never played wagon wheel!
Sorry Zed, not a fan of hayseed Dixie but, whatever floats

Its unavoidable. It's like the folkie Stairway to Heaven. Hard to find a jam where someone isn't itching to play it.

Not my favorite, but you know other folks join me on Ashokan Farewell, which elicits the same kind of "oh gawd not again".

[CeeCee_C]

Now I've jotted down "The Distance" as something to look at when k have time....

[Tempotantrum]

When it's my turn: Traditional Bluegrass.

When it's someone else's turn: A watered down mix of Bluegrass, Country-Western and Wagon-Wheel.

+1 So Funny and so true!

[DavidKOS]

Thanks to all of you for your responses!

Although certain styles are so far more popular than others, I' pleased that I made the style choices too narrow.

Heck I'd have never thought of putting Andean music on the list, but I bet a lot of charango music of the Altiplana would be playable on mandolin, and I think there is a small mandolin tradition there too.

And that's just one.

Please keep the responses coming.

[MysTiK PiKn]

Broad spectrum folk. especially whatever comes.
Newgrass, olde tyme, reggae, americana, with interests in other areas, such as professional noodling (seriously).

Lately it's dobro; but I don't know anything on that yet, except stumble and fall, and listen to Jerry Douglas (Alison Krauss) and Jami Lynn's dobro guy (americana). Somebody teach me dobro!!!!

I'm fed up w commercial garbage, same old blues, and rapcrap - tell the masses to wake up and open up and quit being puppets of the idiotic record co's and their headbang marketing

- I guess that's independent; I like independence.

[journeybear]

I have never played wagon wheel!

To your corner! And don't come out until you can play "Wagon Wheel!"