Any expert mandolin players around?

[MeMySonAndI]

Or no so expert, any basic knowledge of them would be enough.

I used to play the mandolin as a teenager but as I thought myself to do it, I can not say that I had a comprehensive musical education in how to use it or even worse,how to make the best of it.

I have been toying with the idea of getting one and setting myself to learn to play properly this time. However... I have looked for someone who could teach me and aparently there is no one offering tutorials in it.

The questions I have are very basic:

-If I had to teach myself with a book, what book would you recommend?

• Any advise on brands and types. I use to have a Portuguese style one, I know the ball shapped florentine style doesn't agree with my body (I keep droping it) and that's all I know. I have seen some branded Stagg which I believe are from China and Hudson ones (and many other that look fantastic but are way out of my budget), do you have any suggestions on what to buy or what to avoid?

Many thanks

bump

Hello mmsai
My bil plays mandolin I think - bluegrass. Not totally certain as am not at home tonight and so can't ask DP, but will check it out tomorrow and get back to you.

Many thanks!

Blue grass??? I have come across the term while checking books but I'm not sure yet if it is a style of playing or a type of mandolin

That's the size of my ignorance

Hi, Ch@ndr@! (I must email you, there is an exhibition locally about Mexico, I thought maybe we could go at easter and you could tell me all about it )

Anyway you want Rhubarb, her DH has one and plays it a lot - there are a couple of clips on youtube, I'll find one for you.

(Bluegrass is C&W sort of music by the way - Kentucky is called the Bluegrass State, and Nashville Tennessee - capital of C&W - is just a bit S of there)

a clip!

That exhibition sounds very very tempting! although it may be a learnign experience for me too considering the sad state of my memory! How are you doing? Hope things are not as windy on the other side of the Dales.

I will try to contact Rhubarb. I really could do with some advise! Thank you.

Just seen the clip and the others one in the same page. It looks they are having great fun!

Although perhaps my musical talent may only be enough for a coughing orchestra!

Yes, the coughing orchestra is very - erm - unusual, isn't it

Weather is foul here too, roll on spring and longer days and getting out more. Hope you and DS are doing fine? When are his school holidays? I bet they're not the same as ours!

Anyway this is it - ¡Viva Mexico! - it looks great I will email you about getting together!

just had a quick chat with dp who says that bluegrass mandolin is quite a specific style that is a law unto itself, so bil probably won't be able to help you ... really sorry.. try googling 'mandolin for beginners'?
Sorry not to have been more help.

a law unto itself? that seems dangerous (therefore I'm more interested! )

Tell me more! please!

I used to play with a group, it was mostly Spanish vernacular music. But... I want to learn more.

My other half plays the Mandolin for the Lorien Trust Live Roleplay people. He's self taught. He also plays it in his band Chilled Mead who have one album cut so far. Again, medieval style music type of thing.

There are lots of people who go to the events in the UK with the trust that play mandolin and other medieval style instruments.
If you have any questions you want me to ask my other half for you, email me on [email protected] and I'll ask him and get back to you as soon as possible.
Mandolins sound really lovely, so its completely worth the effort of learning.
Good luck!
xxx

Wendy, I might have been half asleep last night as I only noticed your last message this morning.

The exhibition sounds quite interesting (particularly the idea of vibrant colour, I'm from the north -desert- therefore I have always being fascinated by that sort of art crafts as we didn't have anything similar locally!)

But count me in for it, how about the weekend of the 22nd March?

The PFJ I will email you, thanks

we play bluegrass and folk here

dh plays mandolin and tenor banjo

I play fiddle, guitar, whistle and a bit of mandolin, and sing

bluegrass is American folk, 5-strong banjo played clawhammer style, fiddles and mandolins - a bit like "country and western" but without the big hats and posing

OH. I want to hear Greensleeves playing.
Are you on Youtube Greensleeves?
{confesses to being member of very bad folk band}

bluegrass

No, I am not on Youtube! I am far to ugly to let that happen

I do have a CD, but there's only a very small blurry photo of me on it

what is your band called then
where is your cd
come on download us some chooons

no! [bashful]

please?
Is it just you and your dh or are there other people?
Ours is a five piece fiddle accordion guitar voice flute
we are really shite at the moment

ooooh - look here - a bluegrass mandolin lesson!

It sounds lovely....

I've just been searching around Youtube trying to find an English style clip, like Greensleeves, but no luck yet.

hello hello

Sam Bush is considered to be one ofthe best rock-y bluegrass mandolin players - (listen all the way through for the mandolin break)

Bill Monroe is the godfather from the 40s/50s - will find link

Tim O'Brien is contemporary with folk influences

God! went to youTube to look at the clips and have been there for more than an hour deciding how long it will take me to play so well.

And... have come accross with an octave mandolin for the first time and I do really like the deeper sound they do. Is there a huge difference between playing one and the other?

I'm so definitively getting one soon!!

you could check this lot out
www.nickelcreek.com/
they are seriously talented bluegrass musicians including a mandolinist
they also do a MEAN version of Britney's toxic.

has anyone heard greensleeves' band?
{stamps petulantly}