Single Notes or Strumming?

Hi everybody! I've been playing guitar for many years, and I thought trying out mandolin would be fun. I bought myself a Rogue RM-100A (yes, I know they're cheap!) mandolin, but I have a question. With mandolins, are they primarily used as single-note instruments, or can you play chords and rhythms like you would on a guitar?

Thanks,

Nick

[jmkatcher]

All of the above, sometimes even in the same song.

[Peter Hackman]

Hi everybody! I've been playing guitar for many years, and I thought trying out mandolin would be fun. I bought myself a Rogue RM-100A (yes, I know they're cheap!) mandolin, but I have a question. With mandolins, are they primarily used as single-note instruments, or can you play chords and rhythms like you would on a guitar?

Thanks,

Nick

The mandolin is a soprano instrument and its
possibilites are mainly melodic. You can do a lot
with chords and rhythm, but not "like you
would on a guitar". You simply can't match the
versatility and range of the guitar and you shouldn't try,
but simply ask yourself
what the mando can add to the rest
of the group. If the guitar (in a BG band) has
a strong afterbeat, try to chop on top of that
if he's weaker in that respect, maybe it's
better to strum. Then, for variety, there
is the possibility of long double-stop
tremoloes.

In my view, people tend to play too many
notes in a chord, and mainly those already supplied
by other instruments..I think it's good exercise for your
ears and feeling to play around a bit with three-note chords
and the voice-leading possibilites they offer.
You can chop them, strum them, tremulate them.

Otherwise, the possibilites and demands are style-
dependent. For instance, in jazz you better stick
to the upper intervals of the chord.

Explore!

[250sc]

Hi Nick,

Congratulations on your new instrument.

I have a much different opinion than Peter in reguards to the mandolin being mainly a melodic instrument.

The mandolin, in a bluegrass situation, provides the same function as a snare drum does in other styles of music. The use of double stops is also common and are used for accompanyment and for playing a solo.

In Celtic styles of music it is used for chordal and single note playing.

I particularly like mandolin for jazz and latin styles of music. It's tuning make it very logical when playing solos and chords.

I guess my advise to you would be to learn it all. Music isn't a static thing and formulas can be modified and even discarded. You might be the one who takes mandolin in totally new directions.

Have fun.

[arbarnhart]

I don't play all that well yet, but I play mostly in situation where I am part of the rhythm. I often strum chords, sometimes very like the guitar but because the mandolin has courses of 2 strings and is generally an octave or so higher than the guitar, it isn't just the same notes, IMO. Other times I use the percussive "snap" on the chords and it's as 250sc explains - the "snare". I play mostly blues (weekly small jam) and folk (folk choir). I am also learning crosspicking and the lessons are mostly bluegrass and fiddle tunes. That is an interesting mix of rhythm and melody (really doing both).

Thanks everybody!

[Dfyngravity]

shhhhhh!!! don't let David Grisman, Sam Bush, Chris Thile or Mike Marshall know that mandolin isn't a very good instrument for rhythm playing. I don't think they have caught on yet..hahaha no I'm just kiddin. The mandolin only has four strings but some poeple can make it sound like its got about 10, so don't be afraid to try something new.

It's good both in my opinion.

[Peter Hackman]

shhhhhh!!! don't let David Grisman, Sam Bush, Chris Thile or Mike Marshall know that mandolin isn't a very good instrument for rhythm playing. I don't think they have caught on yet..hahaha no I'm just kiddin. The mandolin only has four strings but some poeple can make it sound like its got about 10, so don't be afraid to try something new.

It's good both in my opinion.

Which, of course, nobody said.

Do people here read other people's posts before
commenting?

[arbarnhart]

shhhhhh!!! don't let David Grisman, Sam Bush, Chris Thile or Mike Marshall know that mandolin isn't a very good instrument for rhythm playing. I don't think they have caught on yet..hahaha no I'm just kiddin. The mandolin only has four strings but some poeple can make it sound like its got about 10, so don't be afraid to try something new.

It's good both in my opinion.

Which, of course, nobody said.

Do people here read other people's posts before
commenting?

Usually, yes.

The mandolin is a soprano instrument and its
possibilites are mainly melodic. You can do a lot
with chords and rhythm, but not "like you
would on a guitar". You simply can't match the
versatility and range of the guitar and you shouldn't try

I think most of us inferred that you meant it wasn't a very good rhythm instrument from your statements above. It may be more a lack of understanding than reading, I guess. I agree that it doesn't have the range of a guitar but it's veratility is different, rather than less, IMO. It may not have bass, but it has percussion. Either instrument can play melody or rhythm and it is only the player or music that makes either "mainly melodic", IMO. Saying "you shouldn't try" will always raise some hackles. #Anyway, differences of opinion are nothing personal.

[levin4now]

wayne benson does a section on accompaniement on his dvd and his playing there is awesome. check out the whole dvd if you can.