Bought & I Don’t Even Play

[Gina Willis]

Playing on a couch is comfy, but check the instructors’ sites mentioned above and you’ll see it’s something to avoid — especially as a beginner, because it can lead to lots of poor posture issues that only get harder to correct later. Ok if you still prefer the couch, but I think you’ll build a more solid foundation by playing strapped to stabilise and elevate the neck, and do it either in a plain straight chair (without arms) or standing up.

[JEStanek]

Enjoy the new instrument. I hope learning and playing bring you a great deal of pleasure. Welcome to the Mandolin Cafe.

Jamie

[CBFrench]

It came in yesterday and it's been probably 30 years since I picked one up and boy what a neck shock coming from playing an acoustic with an 1 3/4 inch nut, this is gonna take some getting use to. First impression opening the case, the wood really looked good, pulled it out and began to tune it and I thought I was going to have to get some pliers to turn the first g sting tuner, it is so so hard to turn, the turns get easier going from g to d etc...is this usual or do I need to be thinking about replacing tuners.

I could see right off that I need a strap immediately, there is/was no way of supporting this mandolin to keep the neck elevated to a comfortable fretting position. I know making one is an option but I'd rather buy one with an inch or two width. I looked around and boy they are proud of the straps I found. I'm not looking to make a big fashion statement just one that'll serve it purpose on the couch, any suggestions and I don't know which length but needs to be adjustable to fit my needs.

I haven't a clue as to say I really like everything about the mandolin or not as I've played nothing to compare it to. Compared to my acoustic I can see that fretting is a lot more difficult. I played around on the mandolin all afternoon and my left hand was starting to hurt pretty good and especially with the so-called Monroe chords which were quite a stretch and hard to play cleanly. I practice on my acoustic very often hours on end and never have any pain in my fretting hand.

Altho I have made pretty good progress in only a day. Been working on chords and their moveability and major/minor scales.

[Br1ck]

I use everything from a single boot shoelace to a Bailey strap and round braid. They all do the job.

The fretting hand won't make sence untill you get the angle right and play on the tips of your fingers. There are videos available online, both free and subscription.

I bought my first mandolin because my grandson told me to. Said I needed one. He was right.

[Dave Sheets]

On capos- I've played in folk/rock bands where the singer/songwriter favored keys like A-flat and B-flat. It's all about vocal range. A capo helps me with phrasing, since you get more useful open string tunings available. It's not an issue playing traditional 'fiddle tunes', but in the genres not so tied to fiddle traditions, the capo can be handy. Yeah, I could learn to play better in these keys without the capo, and i should, but some days. As someone noted, it is three chords and let's start a band

[CBFrench]

Back again with an update of sorts...so I got my MD305 in this past Saturday and after pecking around for about 30 minutes I was thinking meh sounds like crap and funky to try and play and I've been playing guitar over 50 years. First off it had nothing to do with the instrument, it was all ME! I didn't spend over an hour with it the first day but I returned with a vengeance of dangit I'm gonna make this thing sound better and now after 3 days of scales, trying to learn chord(s) positions etc it actually sounds and plays a 100 times better and I was so awful sounding. And I know I haven't even skimmed the surface or better yet I can now see the surface a long way away. Yet I keep hearing these licks I play on guitar and thinking I know at least there's a close proximity of them somewhere...got a ways to go and a lot to learn but it's starting to feel real good and maybe there's hope afterall.

P.S. I know there's a lot of new to the mandolin and also musical beginner's here looking for info on playing the instrument so let me go and make a donation to MandoLessons, his two-string chord lessons alone opened up all kinds of doors to let me start seeing things more clearly and should be a sticky link here.