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Thread: Any tips for a 5er?

  1. #1

    Default Any tips for a 5er?

    I've gotton to the point that I can stumble around on a regular 8-string mando. I pushed the envelope with a reso, but am confused over the best way to approach a 5 string.

    What I'm finding is I can't really play chording like a 4/8 because I always seem to inadvertently hit the low C. I've tried fingerstyle, like on my jazz guitar, and that seems to help for that style, but I still feel like I'm missing something fundamental. There don't seem to be any books on the subject that I've found.

    So any seasoned 5-er's out there want to share your secrets with a noob?
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  2. #2

    Default Re: Any tips for a 5er?

    An excellent book I highly recommend for 5 string emando is "The Tenor Mandola Chord Bible" by Tobe Richards. Yes, you are playing the equivelant of a Mandola + a high E, or Mandolin with a low C. However you want to look at it. This book has 1728 chords and has really helped me. You should be able to find it at Fretted Friends Music. It's published in the UK, so it takes an extra week or so to get it after you order it.

  3. #3
    Registered User Elliot Luber's Avatar
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  4. #4
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    Default Re: Any tips for a 5er?

    Quote Originally Posted by Verne Andru View Post
    I've gotton to the point that I can stumble around on a regular 8-string mando. I pushed the envelope with a reso, but am confused over the best way to approach a 5 string.

    What I'm finding is I can't really play chording like a 4/8 because I always seem to inadvertently hit the low C. I've tried fingerstyle, like on my jazz guitar, and that seems to help for that style, but I still feel like I'm missing something fundamental. There don't seem to be any books on the subject that I've found.

    So any seasoned 5-er's out there want to share your secrets with a noob?
    If you are looking for ways to create swing/jazz chords on your 5er, take a look at this http://jazzmando.com/tips/archives/p...ote-Chords.pdf on jazzmando.com. Just put it on the bottom 3-strings. Using charlie Jones' conjugation scheme, find your 1,#1dim,2m7,57 patterns in the three triad shapes. it'll change your life.

  5. #5
    Is there a "talent" knob? Christian McKee's Avatar
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    Default Re: Any tips for a 5er?

    There was more of a learning curve there than I expected, and I still have a bit of a challenge when I have to go between five and four quickly during gigs. I've gotten the most mileage out of treating my five string like a mandola, that is, by really focusing on the lower four strings, particularly when playing rhythm. Do what you want as a soloist, that's more intuitive, but as a rhythm player, I'd suggest you really internalize the new shapes and locations of previously familiar chords, and get comfortable with double stops on the C and G strings - there's a lot of great stuff there.

    Christian
    Christian McKee

    Member, The Big North Duo
    Musical Director, The Oregon Mandolin Orchestra

  6. #6

    Default Re: Any tips for a 5er?

    Thanks all. I've been working with the concept of transposing the chords down a string and I have no issues with diads & triads but it leaves me feeling there's something more here than just a lower pitched mandolin.

    I think I'm going to muck with different tunings. I like the big ringing sound of some open strings but the low C makes reasonable chord fingering [for all 5 strings] pretty awkward. Any open tuning suggestions or am I going down a road not traveled much?
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  7. #7
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: Any tips for a 5er?

    One thing I like , IV,I &V chords, if you use 3 finger chords are all on the same fret.
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