Sounding "pitchy"

[Mateus]

Hail to all,

So recently I've embarked on an adventure to learn some Portuguese Fado. Now usually this is played using a 5 paired stringed instrument know as a Guitarra Portuguesa and a Viola or your standard guitar. Now the mandolin and GP do have similarities and so thats the instrument that I am trying to emulate on the Mando but I find myself sounding "pitchy", and by that I mean that I'm playing the right notes(learning from music sheets actually) but not quite getting a close enough sound.

What would you guys and gals recommend to try and rectify this? A change in key? Or are both instruments much to different?

[farmerjones]

There's only three parts to music: melody, harmony(if you're playing chords) and rhythm.
If you're not sharp or flat, are you in the groove?
I don't understand "pitchy." Is your intonation accurate?
Sound file?

[UsuallyPickin]

A key change may do the trick. It is certainly worth a try. I looked up the tuning on the internet and an instrument tuned like that .... it is possible that the overtones generated by a mandolin are impacting your efforts. They certainly will be different than a Guitarra Portuguesa. Luck R/

[EdHanrahan]

Is your intonation accurate?

Sounds like the right question to me. If changing key helps ease the problem, then probably some areas of the fretboard are more "in-tune" than others. A setup should correct the more likely culprits: incorrect bridge position or too-high nut slots.

Are you playing along with another instrument? That one might need adjustment as well (or instead). A minor issue when playing solo might not be obvious, but two instruments' minor issues could add up to some obvious disharmony.

[Mateus]

Thankd guys. Ill give it another listen and see if it is an intonation issue.

[Bruce Clausen]

Playing on a mandola with very low-tension strings would probably get you closer to both the pitch and the sound of the Fado guitar. (Top string at A and very loose.)