Jes Git'n Started

[afhusband]

Well hello everybody! Mando-Newbie here just saying hello! ...and a bit more!!
Sooo my story goes a bit like this:

...and YES I know I'm long-winded!! I just thoroughly enjoy forums! So get used to it! I'll be here a while!

BTW: Name's Jeff, nice to meet y'all!!!

I bought a $50 Johnson mandolin from a local pawn shop about a month ago. Little did I know what was becoming! I actually bought the mandolin for my wife to try her hand at pickin. Happy Birthday love! I just couldnt put that cheap little thing down!
I went to a jam session with a buddy of mine and played his A-style Fender. There was a difference but I could still manage (comparably) with my Johnson.
Well then I played an older Kentucky A-style, and I was shocked! It was so easy to sound good!! I no longer had to force every note and every chord out of it. Playing it just felt "natural.?."

Well I ran home with the Mando-fever! I looked everywhere, and quickly, for an upgrade. Which wouldn't have taken much! After scouring numerous pawn-shops, Craigslists from here to Colorado, and trying to sift through the trash on eBay I came out feeling discouraged and a tad bit dirty!!

Then I found the light!!! The MANDOLIN CAFE!!!
I spent the next few days just reading articles, reviews, and forum threads trying to get more acquainted with mandolins in general.

After a few days my new mandolin came up on the classifieds here.



It was just discussed on here actually:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...ighlight=rover

So now I'm the proud new owner of a Rover RM-75 w/ AXL tailpiece, Gotoh tuners, and Cumberland Acoustics bridge & armrest.
In comparison to the three others Ive played; this thing plays itself!!!

I plan on using this thread here to show/track my progress posting videos and what not. Yes, I know that there is "Post Videos" thread, and I will use that too!! I would just like to keep all of mine in one place!

So with that, I think I'll go and try to make a "1st" video!

Now everyone proceed to make me feel welcome!! and chat it up!

[Ed Goist]

That's a beauty there Jeff! Congratulations and welcome to the Cafe!

Oh, and by the way, a word of warning...

...snip...Well then I played an older Kentucky A-style, and I was shocked! It was so easy to sound good!!...snip...

As you continue on your mandolin journey, you will have this happen to you over, and over, and over again with each higher quality mandolin you play.

This can be quite exhilarating, but also maddening, and hard on the bank account.

Again, welcome!

[Psyberbilly]

Ah , the exhilaration of the first symptoms of MAS ...... until you realize that similar to most drugs it takes more and more to gain the same effect . Congratulations on the new mandolin !

[afhusband]

Here is the first mandolin video!!
Let me know what ya think. I'd appreciate it. Nevermind the attempt at singing. Wasn't really planning on it when I hit record... I just really like this tune!

[Michael Nelson]

Wow! A month and a half, and only a few days on that instrument? Yer gonna be a monster! And the mandolin sounds great!

[Charley wild]

You sound great for the short time you've been at it! I came about one half whimbite from buying that mandolin! I need to deal with some scroll envy one of these days. A completely hotrodded Rover, you got a nice deal! Keep at it man.

[Randi Gormley]

Welcome to the cafe! You look like you understand the first principle: have fun.

[Ed Goist]

Here is the first mandolin video!!
...snip...

Very Entertaining and Enjoyable. Good Job!

[Grommet]

Nice vid Jeff! Good move on that Rover.

Scott

[Jim MacDaniel]

Sounds like you're a natural -- nice work, and welcome aboard!

[onestepahead]

First of all, welcome to the Cafe!

And secondly....wow! Nicely done! If I'm half that good a month and a half into having my mandolin, I will be very pleased with myself. lol You did really well!

[TonyEarth]

wow. ive been at this for i believe its been about a year or two and i think im STILL not that good. and ive played violin for 12 years. but i love the mandolin so ah what the heck. i'm slowly progressing. but you, my friend, are going to be great at this. seeing as you already are.

welcome to the cafe!

[afhusband]

Thank you all!! I'm very grateful, and that's really encouraging to hear!

I'm definitely having a blast with this thing. I look forward to my mandolin practice time every morning. And that's something I've never felt. I love to play music (guitar & banjo) for hours, but to sit and "practice" has always seemed like such a chore. But now I'm very eager to learn as much as I can!
*Which is why I'm now trying to find some lesson books/videos.

[Ivan Kelsall]

What you're doing is making your practicing 'fun' - that's exactly what it should be,When it gets to seeming like a chore,then you need to change tack & play something different to keep it interesting. Myself,i do sit & practice tunes to get the bare bones into my head,then i sit & noodle around with the tune for hours,just getting the right & left hands in synchro.,i certainly don't break out in a sweat doing it - enjoying your playing is IT !,
Best wishes - Ivan

[afhusband]

Took it to it's first jam session yesterday evening... Made me happier than a hog-in-slop I tell ya!!
I'm obviously not very good at it, and I really hope I did not annoy anyone there with my playing! I really had a blast with it! The name comes fitting. This Rover really has some bark!! Chopping out the rythm that everyone could hear, and doing it without feeling as if I was forcing every bit of sound out it.
Now just for all those hot licks!!
This is too much fun!!

[afhusband]

Just updating my progress. I just learned this tune yesterday actually, from Butch Baldesarri Bluegrass Mandolin 1.

I'm up to four and half months now!! Still can't put it down!

This was "take" twenty-something, so I was getting a bit fed up with this one, so I fired up to end it. I had decided I was going to keep this attempt no matter what!
It gets pretty sloppy, but enjoy!

[yankees1]

Just updating my progress. I just learned this tune yesterday actually, from Butch Baldesarri Bluegrass Mandolin 1.

I'm up to four and half months now!! Still can't put it down!

This was "take" twenty-something, so I was getting a bit fed up with this one, so I fired up to end it. I had decided I was going to keep this attempt no matter what!
It gets pretty sloppy, but enjoy!

Four months?? Makes me want to throw in the towel! But-----------I won't! I keep telling myself, its the journey, not the destination!

[Randi Gormley]

Oh, that was fun! You're doing fine -- despite that snort and eye roll at the end.

[Ed Goist]

Soundin' good, man! Soundin' good.

[yankees1]

Well hello everybody! Mando-Newbie here just saying hello! ...and a bit more!!
Sooo my story goes a bit like this:

...and YES I know I'm long-winded!! I just thoroughly enjoy forums! So get used to it! I'll be here a while!

BTW: Name's Jeff, nice to meet y'all!!!

I bought a $50 Johnson mandolin from a local pawn shop about a month ago. Little did I know what was becoming! I actually bought the mandolin for my wife to try her hand at pickin. Happy Birthday love! I just couldnt put that cheap little thing down!
I went to a jam session with a buddy of mine and played his A-style Fender. There was a difference but I could still manage (comparably) with my Johnson.
Well then I played an older Kentucky A-style, and I was shocked! It was so easy to sound good!! I no longer had to force every note and every chord out of it. Playing it just felt "natural.?."

Well I ran home with the Mando-fever! I looked everywhere, and quickly, for an upgrade. Which wouldn't have taken much! After scouring numerous pawn-shops, Craigslists from here to Colorado, and trying to sift through the trash on eBay I came out feeling discouraged and a tad bit dirty!!

Then I found the light!!! The MANDOLIN CAFE!!!
I spent the next few days just reading articles, reviews, and forum threads trying to get more acquainted with mandolins in general.

After a few days my new mandolin came up on the classifieds here.



It was just discussed on here actually:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...ighlight=rover

So now I'm the proud new owner of a Rover RM-75 w/ AXL tailpiece, Gotoh tuners, and Cumberland Acoustics bridge & armrest.
In comparison to the three others Ive played; this thing plays itself!!!

I plan on using this thread here to show/track my progress posting videos and what not. Yes, I know that there is "Post Videos" thread, and I will use that too!! I would just like to keep all of mine in one place!

So with that, I think I'll go and try to make a "1st" video!

Now everyone proceed to make me feel welcome!! and chat it up!

Hey Jeff, "please" tell me that you have been playing the guitar, fiddle or some other string instrument for quite a while!! I can't do anything about an obvious age difference but maybe your prior music experience will make me feel a little better!!

[Earl Gamage]

Very cool. I hope you post a progress video every few weeks for the next ten years.

[michaelpthompson]

Sounding good Jeff. If you're up for some Celtic tunes and want to make the drive down to south Denver, stop by Swallow Hill this coming Monday evening.

[Rick Cadger]

That was great. Really fun.

I think you're doing fine. That certainly seems like very decent progress for a short time playing.

Thanks for posting the video. Brightened up a grey, cold and windy morning.

[rf37]

All I can say is wow wow and wow. I have been at it for 9 months and I aint even close to that. I have the baldasari dvd also and I need to use it lol. You sound great Jeff and look like you are having a blast. I play a Morgan Monroe MMS8 and had the same story with other mandolins. Fun is the key and these little 8 stringers are the funnest and coolest instruments God ever gave us.
RF37

[afhusband]

despite that snort and eye roll at the end.

Man, I said I was fed up!!! I should have cut that out though, I guess... I just hate being able to play something nice, clean, and with some speed. But as soon as I hit record my fingers get fat, and my brain gets slow! So frustrating!!

Yes, Yankee, I have played guitar for a couple years, and picked a banjo for a short time. But at neither am I very good!
And I can honestly say that I have never felt this drive to "Be Good!"

Michael, if this is a reoccurring jam in Arvada, I'd like to head down when it warms up a bit. I'm a hermit when it's below freezing... I stayed in bed while it was below zero!
Just kidding!! ....maybe....

And again thanks everybody for the kind words! Its really encouraging to me.
I do plan on posting periodically. Hopefully not every three months!