SO tell this country wanna be... How much different from Guitar is a Mandolin and can
picking the mando help the guitar skills? I LOVE the sound of the mando on a rainy day just kicking it on the couch.

I pick both, but my mandolin 'skills' are very limited. Right hand technique is pretty similar, the posture is different, string spacing, etc. Left hand- it's upside down, so I practice standing on my head. I do find it helps my ear to learn a tune on one and try to transpose to the other.

I've made the switch and find the mandolin to be easier than guitar, at least in the flatpick/fiddle tune/bluegrass/old time style that most of us play. If you think about it, most of this music was written or developed by and for fiddle players. Since the mandolin is so similar to the fiddle, a lot of the melodies seem tailor made for it. This is also due to the way the mandolin is tuned (in fifths rather than fourths), which causes the major scales to line up much nicer than they do on guitar, and the frets being much closer together, which allows you to reach more notes without stretching. Plus you have fewer strings to worry about which I think simplifies things somewhat. I also find mandolin rhythm to be much simpler than guitar rhythm. On mando, you can get away with a good chop but a good rhythm guitar player is expected to do a lot more than just a simple boom-chick.

That said, I view the guitar in bluegrass as more of a rhythm instrument and the mandolin as more of a lead instrument, not only due to their roles but also the way they're designed to be played. That's why good mando pickers are a dime a dozen but good flatpickers are hard to find (although that's changing).

To answer your other question, I think picking the mando has helped my guitar skills. I find that when I spend a lot of time on one and then switch to the other, I approach it with a much fresher perspective. I think the guitar and mando complement each other extremely well in this regard and find it fairly easy to switch back and forth. Much easier, say, than guitar and fiddle which are sooo different, or mando and fiddle which are so similar.

Edited by - DaddyJ on 08/29/2010 16:53:08

I'm looking to pick up my first mando so this thread is going to be very interesting for me. Thanks!

My my I've made the switch the other way been playing the mandolin for about 7 years kinda switched becouse in bluegrass with the exception of breaks one just plays chops 2--4 beat boring my difficalty has been the size of the guitar neck compared to the mandolin and banjo which I also play. I love the sound of th mandolin and If I only had one instrument it would be the mandolin. And I guess I would play something else not bluegrass. I have found that the book on learning the fretboard to be the most help becouse I find all the chords on the first 3 strings and I also get two full octives of notes in the first five frets. They are a LOT more expencive for the same quility of instrument $1000 gets a pretty good guitar for the same mandolin your looking a $3000 or more Mandolin Cafe is a great place to find answers and info about mandolins I play ragtime.blues with a slide bluegrass country hawiian old time and pop on mine. Also be prepared for some heavy use on your left hand 2 short strings make for a lot of pressure Best of luck and please join me with this beautifull instrument One more thought you will get more bang for your dollor with a A style rather then F with the same volume fred

A rather than F thanks sooo much Fred and Ed etc..Keep em coming digesting it all..
Reno

I also find playing the mandolin very helpful in my guitar playing. For the most part....the stretching. Mandolin playrs know what I mean. For such a small instrument you do a bunch of stretching. As daddy J said, I think also being (in bluegrass) one of the more primary lead instruments, it also don't hurt the wrist skills in the pick hand either.
As far as which is easier.......to be good....hard question, but to learn the fretboard the mandolin you have the simplicity of being in 5ths straight across the board, yet if your a guitar player you have to learn practice rule #1 (loved this one jazzrambler)....practice standing on your head "cause its the last 4 strings of the guitar upside down.

The streching afore mentioned comes with 4 finger chords most of us use 3 finger chords most I see using 4 are playing bluegrass and You know how I feel about boring bluegrass chops but it does take some finger strenght to fret two strings and some men find that the spacing of the frets tight and since I started thats way I have trouble with the guitar again mandolin cafe has lots of info

Like the others have said I just play chord chops not proficient on solos's yet, I bought a cheapo because I didn't want to waste money if I couldn't play, mistake, more expensive (not crazy expensive) have a little more fret spacing, so I can fit my chubby fingers better. like the sound and adds a new sound to jammin with others. Have fun

I guess nothing but "chopping" could be, no..would be pretty boring for the one doing nothing but chopping, however good bluegrass players hardly do nothing but chop. Now that isn't even debatable. I use 2 and three finger chords at times myself when wanting the "voice" muting with my pinky or ring finger when wanting a "chop" effect. I know this isn't he mandolin hangout, but would suggest the imperative need to learn 4 finger chords. Not only for the voicing, but will "open up " the fret board for you when playing up the neck soloing. Get ready for some stretching

Tomm you are right on the 4 finger chords but I play a lot of other music and J Burns style and have found it a lot easyer and faster with 3 fingers

Depends what you want to do with it. If you just want to make mandolin noises, then it's like a really small guitar with a different set of scales. If you want to sound like a mandolin player, there are a lot of things to learn. I use a different pick and a different attack on mando vs guitar. My mando pick is much rounder and I angle the pick forward more so as to contact both strings in a pair, rather than one, then the other. This makes the sound fatter rather than "click-click". For good tone, mando requires precise fingertip fretting and as such, should improve your guitar playing precision. Mando typically uses more double-stops, more of a strummy sound, and more arpeggios that guitar playing of the same sort- listening to fiddle players goes a LONG ways here, as does listening to Gypsy Jazz guitar players.

FWIW, when I enter both a guitar and mandolin contest, I typically place better in the mandolin, unless I win the guitar and then I usually don't do that well in the mandolin contest. Weird.

"Depends on what you want to do with it"..hits it on the head. The mandolin is not a simple instrument to play if your looking to play at the top of your capability at all nor is any instrument for that matter. If your looking to be on top of your game, your always looking to improve which means work.
I also used to use a separate pick from guitar to mandolin, Now I'm playing Bluechips I use the same pick.

The close frets give me fits. My hands are kinda crippled. Doc didn't think it was funny when I asked if he could break my fingers to go the other way. :) It does keep me using them though. I just bought an A style "The Loyd" from big Joe. It's my first A. I love it.

That said am I at a dissadvantage with larger fingers on the mando or is it just feel?

It is feel. It seems a no brainier that it would be difficult with large hands, but the difficulty is mastering the instrument. Many of the great players have very large hands. Bill Monroe, Adam Steffy, Ricky Skaggs....just to name a few. It is what it is, and a smaller "landing area" between frets is the mandolin. Don't let that discourage you. Practice will pay off. This was kinda esay for me to say....I don't have big hands.

It's all music and they're all musical instruments. It's all good.

I would say yes I want to play like a mandolin player....Never go half way! Great advice from all thank you to everyone!
Reno

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Originally posted by tomm

"Depends on what you want to do with it"..hits it on the head. The mandolin is not a simple instrument to play if your looking to play at the top of your capability at all nor is any instrument for that matter. If your looking to be on top of your game, your always looking to improve which means work.
I also used to use a separate pick from guitar to mandolin, Now I'm playing Bluechips I use the same pick.

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Go for it Reno! I see your more a country music person. Nothing better than the "old" country music. Th mandolin fits great! Stay at it!

And onother one bites the dust

Well not sure about that...still love the 6 string but the Mandolin may be calling too....Now to learn to play one of them well..lol

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Originally posted by fred davis

And onother one bites the dust

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scales are a lot easyer 4st 0-2-3 5 3-0-2-5 ==2-0-2-3-5 1-0-1-3- and back Next to the slide lap accustival the mandolin is the most beautiful of all mayby even before

I may be tapping you for some more advice on playing for certain...

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Originally posted by fred davis

scales are a lot easyer 4st 0-2-3 5 3-0-2-5 ==2-0-2-3-5 1-0-1-3- and back Next to the slide lap accustival the mandolin is the most beautiful of all mayby even before

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Yea right...limited...:) I saw the Cedar Key vids and you rocked Ed. I plan to make it to one of those jams some time soon!

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Originally posted by jazzrambler

I pick both, but my mandolin 'skills' are very limited. Right hand technique is pretty similar, the posture is different, string spacing, etc. Left hand- it's upside down, so I practice standing on my head. I do find it helps my ear to learn a tune on one and try to transpose to the other.

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Edited by - Renoflatpickin on 09/07/2010 23:33:29

Thanks, Reno! You are too kind. As far as I know, the Cedar Key jams only happen when Bob and Sherri arrive, Octoberish and continue through snowbird season. Well worth the wait! I'm really looking forward to their return. I went to a "jam" last night in J-ville. San Jose Baptist Church 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month. A giant circle, 25 or more players of all degrees of proficiency. Not a place for showboating, very laid back. Takes an hour or more to go full circle, lots of old Country and Gospel. Fun, loads of sweet Seniors really digging the music. Several members from NFBA (North Florida Bluegrass Association) in attendance. I wish I had taken my mando last night. I will in 2 weeks. They also do a NFBA kids' workshop in another room. I'd like to volunteer for that, too.

That is such good stuff right there. Reno has a NNBA but it kind of comes and goes with jams.
I picked up a Kentucky 150 to see if I will like the Mando so time will tell. With the distance my traveling compagnion will have to see if she can make it in October through Feb or so. That is a good time for me to travel.

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Originally posted by jazzrambler

Thanks, Reno! You are too kind. As far as I know, the Cedar Key jams only happen when Bob and Sherri arrive, Octoberish and continue through snowbird season. Well worth the wait! I'm really looking forward to their return. I went to a "jam" last night in J-ville. San Jose Baptist Church 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month. A giant circle, 25 or more players of all degrees of proficiency. Not a place for showboating, very laid back. Takes an hour or more to go full circle, lots of old Country and Gospel. Fun, loads of sweet Seniors really digging the music. Several members from NFBA (North Florida Bluegrass Association) in attendance. I wish I had taken my mando last night. I will in 2 weeks. They also do a NFBA kids' workshop in another room. I'd like to volunteer for that, too.

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