Oh Mighty Dawg Where Art Thou?

[Glassweb]

It seems like just about everybody and his brother (and sister) are giving mandolin lessons these days... hell, even I'm teaching here in little 'ole Bellingham. But I have a question to throw into this educational stew and it is this - O Dawg, where art thou?

If anyone has something really special to offer in the way of mandolin knowledge for me it would have to be David. Besides being a living legend and a mandolin maestro he is also one of the most musically knowledgeable people I've ever been around. Sure he has an audio course and yes, he has published books of his music, but try and find a video course with The Dawg... as far as I know none exist. And how about the current trend that has everyone plunking down their hard earned dollars... the online schools and individual sessions on Skype. Not a Dawg to be found! It's hard to believe that David wouldn't have EVERYONE wanting to study with him... lord knows I would. The only thing I can figure is that he has no real interest. David could do his own Mandolin Symposium if he wanted but alas, I guess he's settled into a comfortable groove at this stage of life. More power to him...

Still, I would love to see at the very least a comprehensive video course available... either on DVD or downloadable off the internet. Whatever happens I just figured there was one big name missing from all the instructional hoopla going on and that, for me, would have to be David Grisman. Anybody else out there share my sentiments?

[mandolin breeze]

Hey Mr. Dawg . . . if you're watching . . . sign me up!

But more than anything else, we love you and thank you for everything your beautiful God Given talent has meant to us all. And I'm quite sure that you've "taught" us more already than we even realize.

When do we start?

[Gail Hester]

Glassweb, if you would have been here last night you could have asked him yourself. Call me.

[Mark Wilson]

The Dawg abides.. and his students transcribe

[Don Grieser]

The Dawg abides..

The Dawg would tie the whole instructional thing together, man.

[Glassweb]

Bill Monroe, Bobby Osborne, Jesse McReynolds, Wake Frankfield, Buck White... David has mastered the styles of all these mandolin greats... not to mention his own formidable style. Anyone who took David's classes at The Mandolin Symposium know what a fantastic teacher he is...

[CWRoyds]

If I were Dawg, one of the greatest musicians our there, who lives a life recording with the world's most incredible musicians and touring to packed houses across the country and the world, I don't think I would consider teaching for one second.

The truth is that teaching isn't for everybody.
Most who do it are doing it to earn a living, or at least pad out the shortfalls in income.
Some do truly love teaching, and that is awesome.
Personally I can't stand teaching.
Tried for a year and ditched.
Hated it.

I bet that most musicians would probably not teach if they could earn enough to live on from touring and record sales.
Unfortunately it is difficult to earn a steady comfortable income from playing/recording music.
It is especially hard if you have a family.
Thus many teach.

I take Skype lessons from a great mandolinist.
I love taking lessons from him, but the thing that makes me the most happy is when he is unable to teach because he is on tour, or he is in the studio doing a project.

My true wish for him is that he be so busy playing live and recording that he just doesn't have a moment to give a lesson.
That would make me so happy.
Sure I dont get to have a lesson sometimes, but he gets to have a life doing only what he loves.
To me that is more important.

[Mark Gunter]

I'm really getting a lot from his audio lessons from Homespun. 6 CD's (or the digital equivalent in downloads) and a 55 page book of transcriptions. https://www.homespun.com/shop/produc...ches-mandolin/

[themandocello]

I love teaching, started in high school, 1976

[Mandolin Cafe]

I'm really getting a lot from his audio lessons from Homespun. 6 CD's (or the digital equivalent in downloads) and a 55 page book of transcriptions. https://www.homespun.com/shop/produc...ches-mandolin/

Also available from Mandolin Cafe On Demand.

[colorado_al]

I'm really getting a lot from his audio lessons from Homespun. 6 CD's (or the digital equivalent in downloads) and a 55 page book of transcriptions. https://www.homespun.com/shop/produc...ches-mandolin/

This is a great set. Also comes with backing tracks played by the Dawg, Mike Marshall, Rob Wasserman. There used to be a single disc and book set of just the backing tracks. I think it's called Dawg Tracks, also by homespun.

[Don Julin]

In my opinion there are a few things that set Dawg apart from all of the others. His tunes are of course great and nobody is going to say a bad word about his tone or his ability to improvise in a variety of musical styles. What is overlooked by many mandolin players trying to get into Dawg music is the rhythmic element. I am referring to the rhythmic element to his chordal playing but also the rhythmic element to his melody playing. Dawg's music obviously incorporates bits of bluegrass and jazz, but the other grooves such as samba, bossa nova, and funk are what sets him apart. Maybe that is why his music resonates with so many baby boomers. We all grew up hearing these rhythms on the radio when we heard songs like Girl From Ipanema, Black Magic Woman, Papa's Got A Brand New Bag, and all of the other great popular music of the last 50 years or so. When I was writing Mandolin For Dummies, I suggested a chapter on Dawg music. Once I got the OK, I had to determine what I wanted to cover. He already had the Homespun set of lessons out so simply teaching a song or two didn't seem like my best choice. Through a few phone interviews with the man himself, I decided to focus on a few rhythm patterns that he uses to create those classic Dawg music grooves. Most readers on the Cafe already have a good idea of a bluegrass chop rhythm and many can play a good Django style swing rhythm. Not as many mandolin players can play latin grooves or funk on the mandolin, so I included these rhythm patterns.

In the last few years David has put out three spiral bound songbooks (Roots, Bluegrass, Jazz) that have many more of his tunes. I highly recommend this books, but simply learning the notes will not get you "that" sound. I suggest learning rhythm figures from a variety of musical styles that don't usually include a mandolin. Transcribe latin percussion rhythms, funky drum set or hi-hat patterns, learn to mute with your left hand as your right hand keeps driving the tempo to create an open and closed hi-hat effect. Get a metronome and wear the darn thing out! Try to figure out how to fit a mandolin into music that you like regardless of whether the original version had a mandolin in it or not. On a fairly obscure album Dawg and Andy Statman play an improvised funky groove called "Two White Boys Watching James Brown At The Apollo". So maybe to sound more like Dawg we should listen to James Brown. Just a thought, now where did I leave my coffee cup.

[Mark Gunter]

Also available from Mandolin Cafe On Demand.

Scott, the amount of information you've built into this site is phenomenal. I admit I haven't chased all the links here, and had never visited the Mandolin Cafe On Demand purpleplatform section - it's a fantastic gateway to tons of lessons on a wide variety of instruments including mandolin, and looks like a great way to support the cafe. I also have to admit that I shop for sales when possible from the publishers themselves, but in the future I'll make that section my first stop in seeking a lot of study material. Thanks for pointing us there!

[Mandolin Cafe]

Oh, it's fine. Most people don't even know that exists and that it benefits the Cafe. Not our job to tell people where to shop, but it's an incredible resource if you dig in and see what's there, and the proceeds are just a small part of what fuels this place. I see people asking questions all the time where to find stuff when it's right here under their nose. And now, I'll get my nose out and stay out of the conversation.

Lots of good wisdom by Senior Mandolin for Dummies above. Another observation I've made, and I think the Dawg would concur, is that the reason a lot of people attempted to sound like the Dawg and didn't is because they didn't take the time to study the music of Bill Monroe. The entire Dawg genre is an interesting mix of several styles, and the early bluegrass influence is an important part of it.

[Marcus CA]

Start with the scales and voicings of a Dm7 chord, and then ...

For me, the magic in Dawg music lies not just in what notes are played --- the left hand --- but in how they are played --- the right hand. The guy has SOOO many ways to play a note, and he draws on an assortment of them in any given tune. It's in the rhythm, the attack (which can range from wisp to hurricane), and the tone. I'm not sure how you teach that besides, "Here, kid. Try playing that measure this way."

[mandroid]

He does post Recordings from his Acoustic Disc recording Company , for sale as downloads or CD's..

in, the Classifieds.


Just Business..

[Mark Gunter]

He does post Recordings from his Acoustic Disc recording Company , for sale as downloads or CD's..

in, the Classifieds.


Just Business..

Not sure I'm getting the connection here . . . I know about the oasis . . . does he post mandolin lesson recordings? The six CD set referred to in this thread are not Dawg music discs, they are Dawg conversations about playing the mandolin, with tunes and licks transcribed.

[Ryk Loske]

The best thing we can do is go back and read Sir Don of Julin's post every time we read the new stuff on this thread. It's one excellent teacher's perspective on the superb teachings of another master.
"It's all in the right hand." Thanks Don.

Ryk