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Thread: Why play Mandolin?

  1. #101
    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Default Re: Why play Mandolin?

    The size the tone the bell like quality some instruments have and the round sound others have are just great to my ears.
    My avatar is of my OldWave Oval A

    Creativity is just doing something wierd and finding out others like it.

  2. #102
    Registered User Jesse Harmon's Avatar
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    Default Re: Why play Mandolin?

    Interesting to see this thread pop up after so many years. My brief response to the thread was the second in a line of ever increasing interesting comments. At 82 it occurs that many more influences were involved but let’s face it — if you saw an 82 year old man with a scraggly white beard sitting at McD. Would you in reality ask him “why” anything? So anyway I’ve still been playing for enjoyment off and on and recently picked it back up to do some rags and some Celtic tunes and have made plans to work a little more systematically on my mandolin chords along with transcribing some Duncan Chisholm Violin music for my mandolin notebook. I still play classical guitar along with a few harmonicas and occasionally try to make a recognizable sound from my Grandpa’s violin. And back in the cabinet is a low D penny whistle that I reach for on my really “good” days.

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  4. #103

    Default Re: Why play Mandolin?

    Quote Originally Posted by Eric Platt View Post
    As to why not play? ...
    Well it's a big world of music and instruments - myself, I'm into stuff where mndln isn't a leading voice. Sure mndln is always good for a flourish here and there or unisoning the melody - love that percussive sparkle, little bit of color... But I don't play any "Americana" folk forms any more. If I had a forro group, I might play some mndln, but - as they say happened 100 years ago - the accordion took over; for solo playing/performing, hard to beat it.

    I like to get out the CBOMs once in a while ... but again, group work - where they shine - hasn't exactly been prolific lately, so they lay mostly dormant.

  5. #104
    Registered User Glassweb's Avatar
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    Default Re: Why play Mandolin?

    uhhh... becauth ith cool...
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  6. #105
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Why play Mandolin?

    I was in college and one friend garnered a spot on an amateur talent show that was on local TV. There were 6 of us and at least 3 played guitar so one guy lent me his Martin flatback mandolin. I liked it so bought myself a bowlback and played it from time to time. Then after college I wanted to learn fiddle and the mandolin was the perfect instrument: tuned like a fiddle but more or less played like a guitar. And I am still playing all those instruments plus a few more for closing on 48 years. I will never be a virtuoso but it has been and continues to be a fun ride.
    Jim

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  8. #106
    Registered User Charlie Bernstein's Avatar
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    Default Re: Why play Mandolin?

    Quote Originally Posted by AndSoItBegandolin View Post
    . . . I would like to hear some input on your reasons for playing mandolin. Whats your story, how did you start, why did you start? How long have you played? . . .
    Hi, AndSo!

    I've played guitar for a long time. A few years ago (five? ten?), a friend asked me if I wanted to buy a mando. I said, "No, thanks. I'm a guitar guy."

    She said, "Fifty dollars."

    I said, "Sure!"

    I play it for the same reason I play guitar: It's fun!

    One big difference between acoustic guitar and mando is that mando is usually an ensemble instrument, while acoustic guitar is easy to play solo. You can woodshed on a mando, but for an audience, you generally want to play the mando along with another someone on another instrument.

    So jump into the nearest woodshed, get some chops together, and go out and find someone who wants to play with a mando person — you!
    Gibson A-Junior snakehead (Keep on pluckin'!)

  9. #107
    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: Why play Mandolin?

    Quote Originally Posted by Charlie Bernstein View Post
    So jump into the nearest woodshed, get some chops together ...
    To extend your analogy: log some hours, spruce up your technique, and soon when you play out they'll pine for you to never leave. Just never forget your roots.
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

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  10. #108
    Registered User Sue Rieter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Why play Mandolin?

    Not a timely response.

  11. #109
    Worlds ok-ist mando playr Zach Wilson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Why play Mandolin?

    Quote Originally Posted by journeybear View Post
    To extend your analogy: log some hours, spruce up your technique, and soon when you play out they'll pine for you to never leave. Just never forget your roots.
    You may want to branch out before you become an old stump

  12. #110
    bon vivant jaycat's Avatar
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    Default Re: Why play Mandolin?

    I can answer in two words: "Bad back."
    "The paths of experimentation twist and turn through mountains of miscalculations, and often lose themselves in error and darkness!"
    --Leslie Daniel, "The Brain That Wouldn't Die."

    Some tunes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCa1...SV2qtug/videos

  13. #111
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    Default Re: Why play Mandolin?

    Why the mandolin? Because nobody around here likes, when I play the violin

  14. #112
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    Default Re: Why play Mandolin?

    I started with violin when I was 8 and became quite good for a young person. However, as I grew into my teens, I picked up trombone so that I could march in a band, and then life happened. For decades, I listened to good music, but I did not play it. After I retired, I picked up my old violin and restarted lessons. I regained some of my skill set, but what I had always wanted to also play was a guitar, and they were huge and tuned funny. I mentioned to my violin teacher that what I wanted was a small guitar tuned like a violin. She suggested thatI try a mandolin as they were tuned just the way I wanted.

    I bought my first mandolin five years ago and play for pure pleasure every day. It's relaxing, fun and it makes me work. I find it joyous!
    ---
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  15. #113
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: Why play Mandolin?

    1. Bill Monroe reportedly took up mandolin because [A] there was a mandolin in his parents' house, and [2] his older siblings had grabbed all the other instruments. (Has anyone ever speculated what would have happened if the only instrument left was a tuba?)

    2. I took up mandolin because [1] I loved bluegrass music, and I had two other musicians around who played banjo and guitar, and [B] I had a couple mandolins, including a 'teens Gibson A-1, that I'd found in my grandfather's attic after he died and we were cleaning out his Pike NY house prior to selling it. (Has anyone ever speculated what would have happened if we'd found two tubas instead?)

    3. So I'm still playing mandolin 50 years later because [i] I love playing all kinda music on it, [ß] I'm obsessed with the variety of mandolin-family instruments, from "piccolo" to mando-bass, and [∞] it's easier to lug around than a tuba.
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    Flatiron 3K OM

  16. #114
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Why play Mandolin?

    … because the pipe organ is so danged heavy, and firmly attached to the cathedral
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  18. #115
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    Default Re: Why play Mandolin?

    The mandolin chooses you! Humans have no say in this arrangement. If you do not feel an incontrollable desire to hold the curvy and cute mandolin all hours of the day and night, then you have not been chosen and you are free! Just move on with your life.

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  20. #116
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: Why play Mandolin?

    Like the earth itself, the mandolin is small but infinite.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
    funny....

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  22. #117

    Default Re: Why play Mandolin?

    Quote Originally Posted by JeffD View Post
    Like the earth itself, the mandolin is small but infinite.
    Plus it has a molten core and a 10km troposphere.

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  24. #118
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Why play Mandolin?

    Because it won’t play itself
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  26. #119
    '`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`'`' Jacob's Avatar
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    Default Re: Why play Mandolin?

    Exactly!!!

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  28. #120
    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default Re: Why play Mandolin?

    Because it's there.


    (Thanks and/or apologies to George Mallory.)
    But that's just my opinion. I could be wrong. - Dennis Miller

    Furthering Mandolin Consciousness

    Finders Keepers, my duo with the astoundingly talented and versatile Patti Rothberg. Our EP is finally done, and available! PM me, while they last!

  29. #121
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    Default Re: Why play Mandolin?

    As George Mallory once said when asked why he climbed mountains "because it's there". 🤣
    Looks like someone beat me to that one though.
    In my case, it was because as a fiddler, I wanted to have a complementary voice for times when fiddle wasn't appropriate, or as "portable" a choice.

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