Mandolin Duets?

[flagstaffcharlie]

Hi,

I'm not finding what I want by doing the usual searches. Can anyone recommend a good book of mandolin duets? Maybe some two-part Bach?

Or... do violin duets transfer well? Can anyone suggest something? I'm still sort of beginner but I can read and some guitar chops that transfer.

I have a former classical guitar teacher who has been playing mandolin. I've been playing mine a bit more and was thinking it might be fun/educational to try to play some duets with him.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations!

[Jim Garber]

There are quite a few on the Mutopia site to start.

I also have a few Italian and turn of the last century American parlor pieces here.

Also: John Goodin has a few duets here.

[flagstaffcharlie]

Thanks Jim! Good places to start!

[Jack Roberts]

Mozart's "Der Spiegel" is a great piece to play and a great conversation piece as well. Also, you save money on sheet music, as you only need one sheet for both mandolinists! (It doesn't work in tab, though)

[demotlj]

If you read music, you could try "Easy Baroque Duets for Violin". You can also download a free pdf of "Fifty Menuets for two Mandolins by Telemann" at http://www.contratopia.com/mtopia/mandolinPD2.htm (the last link on the page).

[Jim Garber]

demotlj: the fifty Menuets are on that same John Goodin site I mentioned above. That is two votes for that site

[JeffD]

I have played some Mozart reversable cannons with another mandolin, and with a violin. The two mandolin approach really can sound great, and brings out aspects of the cannons, some of the "fun" and "playfullness", that the mandolin/violin duet doesn't, to my ears.


I would be intested in what folks have done playing mandolin duets, classical or not. I play regularly with another mandolin player, and here are some ideas I have found to be effective:

Two mandolins with distinctly different but complimentary sounds, so you can clearly hear the two voices.

Two mandolins with different strengths, so the "choppy" one can provide backup while the other provides melody.

Two mandolins that sound similar, one playing melody and the other playing a harmony part. There are a few tune books for pipers that give melody and harmony parts, and when the two mandolins have similar voices, it can sound really wonderful, like one very complex instrument. I have also attempted duplicating vocal harmonies on melody - like playing Louvin Brothers songs on two mandolins with their vocal harmonies (as best I can figure out).

Its also fun to have unison mandolins. Sort of like the double fiddles you hear in Western Swing.


But I might have a predjudice here, thinking that the only thing better than one madolin is two mandolins.

[Dennis Ladd]

When my wife was studying flute she had a couple of books of flute duets. She played the higher part, me the lower. Some pieces were good enough to stand alone.

[Steve Mead]

I have been trying to open the pdf link to the 50 menuets by Telleman and it will not open on any device. Any suggestions?

[Jim Garber]

I have been trying to open the pdf link to the 50 menuets by Telleman and it will not open on any device. Any suggestions?

That is a site that was owned by John Goodin who passed away recently, so likely the site is no long operational. I think these duets might be available in his book sold by MelBay.

[Steve Mead]

Thank you

[Joe Bartl]

You mentioned Bach. You might enjoy this:

Attachment 198027

Edit: Oh, sorry! I was replying to the 2010 OP. I have to learn to look at the dates ...

[keith.rogers]

I know this is an old thread, but Mike Marshall has some duet books out from the CDs that he and his wife, Caterina Lichtenberg, have released. I've got the JS Bach one (in stock at Elderly, notation version, but there's a tab version, as well). Going to keep me busy for some time...

[Mainer73]

Telemann's Gulliver Suite would be a good one.