new to mandolin

[erchieplum]

I have just purchased my first ever mandolin an Ozark 2251 and begin "real" lessons on Monday.
Playing clawhammer/frailing banjo and ukulele its interesting to start learning to use a plectrum properly. I have managed a couple of tunes reasonably well so far and I am getting used to the fret board . Thus far I think that you have to be much more accurate in fretting than for banjo and uke but picking of a basic tune does seem simpler than banjo.
There is also a wealth of Scots/irish tunes tab for mandolin so my frustration at finding these for banjo is lessened.
I am particularly looking forward to having someone actually teach me so I don't get into bad habits ,also I only ever play in front of a small select " appreciative" audience (wife and Kids)so it will be a new experience playing in a group setting
wish me luck!

[Sooze]

Congratulations on the new mandolin - and lots of luck with the lessons. Don't forget to let us know how you get on, will you?

[ericmd]

There is also a wealth of Scots/irish tunes tab for mandolin so my frustration at finding these for banjo is lessened

So True!
We're in the same boat since I tune my tenor weapon to the irish/mando key.
www.traditionalmusic.co.uk/mandolin-tab/mandolin-tab-A.html has a torrent of tab.
Some of it is only 5 bars of music.This gets me to link up tunes into sets.Excellent for variety.
mandolinformation.blogspot.com/ is just too much
you need software called tabledit though.I use the links regularly.

I agree with you about the fretting accuracy.Even if thee gets the right note,how often is it spoiled by buzzing?
You might want to try a DAVA plectrum;it has a 'fat' point and has some give in the middle.Tremelos and fancy stuff are a tad easier.

How was your lesson?And what did he charge? ;D

[erchieplum]

Lesson was interesting to say the least!
Lots of mandolins and tenor banjos
A bit of a panic to start with because when everyone started tuning /warming up(actually playing tunes )I was aware that I was probably the most qualified ... as a beginner that is ,having had a mandolin for less than 4 days !!
As I said previously I have never played an instrument in front of anyone outside the family so being rubbish and selfconcious was not the best start.
That said everyone learned the same tune playing to suit their own level and finishing up in a group rendition. With advice about technique and actually being able to hear other people playing "live"in front of me I found it very beneficial.
the class is one from an organisation promoting Scottish Culture and traditions and fee is only £60 a term.
I have been practising right hand a lot this week (picking up and down) which is good although concentrating on that means that left hand and any sense of timing has evaporated meantime.
still it is really early days I would like to get the very basics right rather than try and jump to early.
When I started 5 string banjo I was always trying to progress too early and did not get the fundementals established, consequently I started again from scratch,but I still find rhythmn difficult , tending to play what I think the tune is rather than what it actually is.
I think that this class will benefit my 5 string playing as there will be many lessons I can apply universally.
Thanks for advice on websites , I already use tabledit although I somehow lost the ability to hear tunes played (probably by changing settings to hear what a tune would sound like on a tinkle bell or kalimba )
thanks for advice on plectrum too the one I had was medium but quite rigid and I have changed to a more flexible one .I will have a look for a dava plectrum as you suggest. I always thought fat points were from Rosemary Conelys diet books .... I didnt know she played the mandolin ;D
cheers

[erchieplum]

well, a month in and I am starting to get the hang of it now ,getting more comfortable playing frets 2-5 but interestingly 1st fret quite hit or a miss ,I have had a go at a number of tunes and a "highlight" is my version of "muckin o geordies byre" brilliantly changing to "westering home" ..unintentionally !! new crossbreed tune "the muckin o Geordie west's byre with a song in the air" should be out for Xmas.
I have avoided playing my banjo for up to 5 days at a time to concentrate on mandolin, and when I picked up banjo today I practically needed to catch a bus between frets!
That said my timing has improved,and my movement between strings and frets is more rational now ... more like a real banjo player . My ukes are not ignored and I still round off any practice which gets a bit laborious with some daft tune on my flea.
Its just a pity that work gets in the way , I think mandobanjoukuleleiests should be exempt from such tasks as real jobs!!
cheers

[Jon Freeman]

>"muckin o geordies byre" brilliantly changing to "westering home" ..unintentionally !! new crossbreed tune<

I don't think so. Sir Hugh S. Roberton, the author of "Westering Home" wrote [the melody for] "Chorus noted from the singing of Donald McIsaac". The belief that Donald McIssac sung "Muckin Of Geordies Byre" is not new. It is the same melody.

Still, it's nice to unintentionally make these discoveries even if others have been there before.

[erchieplum]

oooh the banter!
Are they exactly the same then but one a waltz and one jig time?
because really you would not get them mixed up if played properly and by that I mean if someone was about to sing you'd know which lyrics to expect before the singing starts
still thanks for your cheery input

[jonfreeman]

Yes, the timing is different, at least the way I know them (though as you found, you can move from one to the other). I'd doubt the way I play them would be identical in other ways but I think they are close enough to be thought of as the same tune (and in this case, we do know a traditional melody was used for the chorus).

I'll pose a question to you:

Is Red House (which I think is in Playford)
X: 1
T: Red House
T: Where Would Bonnie Annie Lie?
R: reel
B: RSCDS 7-2
N: 17th. century as "The Red House". Later renamed "Where would bonnie Annie lie?"
N: from words of Allan Ramsey's song, 1724. in RSCDS from Walshe's Country Dances 1731.
Z: 1997 by John Chambers <jc:trillian.mit.edu>
N:
M: C|
L: 1/8
F:http://trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/abc/Contra/KC/reel/RedHouseR.abc 2009-02-02 09:00:03 UT
K: Gm
BA \
| "Gm"G2g4fe | d4B4 | "F"A2f4ed | c2dc "(D7)"dcBA \
| "Gm"G2g4fe | d4B4 | "Cm"cBAG "D7"^FGA2 | "Gm"B2G2 G2 |]
|: Bc \
| "Gm"dcBA GABc | d4 B4 | "F"cBAG FGAB | c4 A4 \
| "Gm"dcBA GABc | d4 B4 | "Cm"cBAG "D7"^FGA2 | "Gm"B2G2 G2
|: Bc \
| "Bb"d2d2 d2Bc | d2d2 d2AB | "F"c2c2 c2AB | c2c2 c2Bc \
| "Bb"d2d2 d2Bc | "Gm"d2d2 d2AB | "Cm"cBAG "D7"^FGA2 | "Gm"B2G2 G2

the same tune as "Ty Coch Caerdydd" (The Red Hosue of Cardiff)

X: 1
T:Ty Coch Caerdydd
T:The Red House, Cardiff
M:C|
L:1/8
Q:220
C:Trad
S:Blodau'r Grug Collection Vol. 3
A:Wales
Z:[e-mail]
F:http://trillian.mit.edu/~jc/music/abc/mirror/BrianMartin/RedHouseCardiff.abc 2009-02-02 09:03:14 UT
K:G
BA|G2g2 gf e2|d4 c2B2|c2e2edc2|BcBAG2BA|G2g2gfe2|
d4c2B2|B2G2FGAF|G2B2G2:||
Bc|dcBA GABc|d2d2dcBA|cBAG FGAB|c2c2cBAG|dcBA GABc|d2d2dcBA|
B2G2 FGAF|G2B2G2:||
G2|AB c2c2c2|AB c2c2c2|Bc ded2d2|!
Bc ded2d2|AB c2c2c2|AB c2c2c2|B2G2 FGAF|G2B2G2:|


I think it is.

(you can use our abc converter as one resource to copy/paste the abc to get a midi if you are not familiar with this format. Concertina.net offers one too.)

[banjorob]

Keep practicing, and when you feel like an upgrade I have a beautiful 1920 Gibson model A mandolin that am thinking of selling. The reason for this partly because I don't play it enough, but mostly because I want to get me a 1920's Vega Tuba phone banjo, and they cost a lot. I'll probably get one from the USA 'coz they rarely come up for sale here. I have a lot of relatives there, so I'll go on a visit sometime later this year.

Rob