I “lost faith” in the mandolin...

[Jesse Kinman]

Years ago I went through a phase in my mandolin playing where I began to not be impressed with the sound of a mandolin(not even Ricky Skaggs or Ronnie McCoury playing one), and it lost a lot “attractiveness” for me. I still played with my family in the nursing home and at church, but it was more or less out of duty. I got to where I didn’t think the mandolin had a very important role in a bluegrass group, and I came pretty close to just quitting the mandolin for good. I guess I was discouraged.
I think I was in love with the sound of the banjo at the time, as well as the Fiddle, even though I never started playing either, just wished I could.

Needless to say, I’m back at really enjoying the sound of a mandolin, and the importance of it in a bluegrass setting, as well as all other bluegrass instruments! I can listen to all of them together and enjoy how they all interact with each other, instead of dreading when the mandolin break comes up.

Has anyone else had a similar experience, or gone through that phase in the past?

[Denny Gies]

Welcome back. Some folks just have to learn the hard way. I never lost the fascination with the mandolin, just get frustrated 'cause I can't play like Dawg or Sam.

[Steve Ostrander]

In my twenties I was into guitar. In my thirties it was all about the bass. In my fifties I took up mandolin and put the bass down for ten years. Now I'm back to playing both mandolin and bass--but not at the same time. It happens....

[BrianWilliam]

Some days my ears aren't pleased. But "tomorrow" is a better day.

And although I'm a bit obsessed with fiddle double stops, it's not enough to make me "lose faith" in the mandolin

[Timbofood]

It’s happened to me before, I left the mandolin, music altogether really, for a while. Then one day, I felt like I simply had to get beck to it! Some days are better than others, somedays just last for months!

[mandotool]

see these 2 and call me in the morning..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9c7T3Dwprk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL_86UuWK2M

[William Smith]

Wow that's almost sacrilegious talk. But yes sometimes it all can be discouraging but to be a better player one must persevere and on ward mando-soldier!

[Jesse Kinman]

Wow that's almost sacrilegious talk. But yes sometimes it all can be discouraging but to be a better player one must persevere and on ward mando-soldier!

I know >_< it’s embarrassing to say that, but I’m past that phase now, thank God!

[Tobin]

I think I was in love with the sound of the banjo at the time, as well as the Fiddle, even though I never started playing either, just wished I could.

Has anyone else had a similar experience, or gone through that phase in the past?

We all go through phases, in a manner of speaking, through the years. I started playing mandolin many years ago, then quit entirely for a few years (family matters took priority). When I came back to it, I hit it with a new passion. But then as my musical tastes changed and I gravitated away from bluegrass and more towards old-time fiddle tunes, I fell in love with fiddle and banjo. I started playing both, and they sort of took over. I still play the mandolin occasionally, but at this point I wouldn't consider it my main instrument. Nor would I consider bluegrass my primary musical motivator. I seem to have difficulty finding time to play anything these days, but when I do, I pick up the banjo or fiddle first.

I still love the sound of a mandolin, and there are times when only a mandolin will do. There will be a point where I'll drift back to it as my main instrument, I'm sure. I know myself well enough to know that I need the variety. I guess my point is that you don't need to feel guilty for drifting away from the mandolin at times, nor do you need to feel pressured to stick to it religiously. Feel free to explore other types of music, or other instruments, or other roles for the mandolin if bluegrass isn't doing it for you. Part of the journey is constant exploration and reevaluation of what drives your passion.

[Jill McAuley]

I spent several years (when I first joined the Cafe) obsessed with the mandolin, but then put it down for about 4 years due to life and other music commitments (playing drums in two bands) filling my time. Picked it up again 2 years ago, though no longer consider it my main instrument as tenor banjo has taken that mantle. Funnily enough though, now that I'm not totally obsessed with mandolin I feel like I'll stay the course with it this time round.

[John Rosett]

I stopped playing mandolin for a couple of years due to arthritis pain, and the frustration of stiff fingers not doing what I wanted them to. I have to admit that I felt a little sour towards the instrument for a while. My dog needed an operation, and I sold my mandolin(There's a country song in there). After a while, I decided that it was silly to throw away 30 years of work, and decided to have another shot at it, and now I'm having a great time playing in a Gypsy swing band.

[Zach Wilson]

I stop playing obsessively every summer when backpacking and hiking take over my free time.

I say it like this... my finger calluses' go to my feet

Then it gets cold and awfully wet here in Washington St. and I pick the Mandolin back up.

I need to find a good sounding, durable, lightweight mandolin for backpacking with.

[F-2 Dave]

I stopped just this morning when I had to go outside and get some work done. I'll probably get back to it sometime this evening.

[Soupy1957]

We all go thru musical phases, to be sure! I have too!!

MY particular frustration was the over-perfection of the playing (Sam Bush comes to mind). There seems to be a tendency to be too good, too fast. I wasn't hearing anyone laying out the sound, mistakes and all. Part of the attraction, is the simplicity, the ease, the raw front-porch sound. Made me walk away from the mandolin (partly) because of that.

[catmandu2]

Indeed. Mandolin was like a gateway for me: For starters it got me back on the fiddle (and was instructive for me to begin life as a fiddler (( through acquisition of a double-case inspired when I saw Sam B break one out in Boulder in the late 20th C., but I digress)) ). The mandolin was like the last normal 'American' instrument (along with banjos, fiddle, bass, guitar, etc - North American folk forms, etc) I learned and deployed (save for long previous life of Spanish guitar) before I went completely off into wherever. Currently I'm immersing in TCM (Chinese) and guzheng (which is amazing study like cross between banjo, harp and pedal steel )

So yes mandolin I blame you.

[Soupy1957]

Because of the similar tuning, and position of the notes, from Fiddle to Mandolin, I actually entertained the thought of learning the Fiddle. The only thing that stopped me was, I didn't like the "bow." Don't know why........just had a funny feeling about poking that stick around.........(lol).

[catmandu2]

On that.. shifting around on instruments, musics... it's an exhilarating process: aside from just the heusristic, oaradigm shift, math, melody and all that, but the rhythmic impetus, feel in adopting new approaches - a bit like learning the new dance (if I were alive in the 50s..), learning to use body in new ways. I love it.

I was intending to remark on this, but I guess I forgot what..

*Oh yes, the fiddle. So, choppin/plucking/pounding's great, but the most fun I've had is swinging with a stick (AND it doesn't hurt my hands/TMG and all that..) ... I think it assuages the athlete in me but, there are all kinds of ways https://youtu.be/XVGERPBdy0U

[Soupy1957]

................................. aside from just the heusristic, oaradigm shift..............

Ok, time out! Maybe I'm just tired...........almost done my 2nd shift job for the night, at the end of a long week............but what the heck is "heusristic," and "oaradigm?" I'm too tired to look them up! (lol)

[catmandu2]

Groove

And, don't bother to look up oaradigm

Btw that's not me that's barry guy. Who swings a good stick.

[Soupy1957]

In my tired stupor, near the end of my shift......I made the mistake of clicking on THIS video link in catmandu's Posting:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWixiKYWv1A

Freaked me out to see a bunch of naked folks blowing bubbles in some river somewhere!! Took me back to Woodstock!!

[catmandu2]

Samba-maxixe!

[Bertram Henze]

REM used to have a song for that phase (with mandolin!)

[RFMando]

I see it as music is an open door, when it calls you "listen" and play....but sometimes you just need to live a little and step away...doing so will surely make your music playing better!

[Bertram Henze]

BTW, everybody knows what an oaradigm shift is...



...you get one oar a dime

[dhergert]

Banjo was and is my main instrument and when I perform, it's most often with that. I did play mandolin in the mid-70s, but put it down during a band change and didn't really come back to it for a few decades. But now when I'm at home playing music in my little private corner, it's with my mandolin. Mandolin is my go to instrument now, sort of an escape, but it's also where I work out new material, or review a song, or sometimes just put myself to sleep. I do perform with it occasionally and enjoy it when I do, but it has a more special place for me in my private life.

At least in my social circle, I find that there is less playing space competition with the mandolin than with the banjo. Most of the jams I see have too many banjos -- which if people don't know how to moderate their volume, is usually accomplished with just 2 or more of them. In contrast, it seems a jam can have a good number of mandolins before they get obnoxious... Just observations based on my experience.

There's also a difference in the online social environment. Maybe because there is less of that kind of competition, or maybe because of a more vast history and the variety of acceptable applications for mandolin, there seems to be much less tension in the online mandolin community. Or maybe it's just this forum the way it's administered. Whatever that difference is, I really like that.