# General Mandolin Topics > General Mandolin Discussions >  Songs of any style that all mandolon players should know

## especking

Mandolin Cafe Community,

I'm a new player and am looking for music. What music pieces, no matter the style or genre, do you think every mandolin player should know? 

Go.....

Thanks,
E

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## JeffD

I would be interested in the answer, because I probably don't know them.


I saw something similar on a guitar centered website - giving the five songs every guitarist should know regardless of genre. The site list was all folk/rock, but I guess that is the normal expectation of those who ask beginners to "play us something".

I don't know what the expectation is for those asking a beginner mandolinner to play something. I really don't. I think its likely that I have avoided the top five, whatever they are.  :Smile: 


I guess if the goal is to have something ready to play for those who don't necessarily have specific music in mind and just want to hear you play, friends and family etc., I might learn the theme from The Godfather, and perhaps Captain Corelli's Mandolin. It is likely that will be recognized and appreciated.

Friends of a certain age might recognize the mandolin break from Rod Stewart's Maggie May, Zeppelin's Battle of Evermore or of a different age the song Rise Up by Eddie Vedder and Paul McCartney's Dance Tonight.

Among some folks Vivaldi's Mandolin Concerto in C Major is absolutely the way to go.

For the record, I don't play any of the above - though I am working on the Vivaldi, and The Godfather is almost ready.


I would not say that any of the above are popular with mandolin players.

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## Mandoplumb

Too broad a statement, anyone suppling such a list will go with the style he or she plays.

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## John Kelly

It has to be "Happy Birthday", because then you can say to anyone who wants to hear you "I bet I can play a song that I can put your name into."  Works every time!  :Mandosmiley:

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Bernie Daniel, 

Explorer, 

Jackgaryk, 

Jim, 

John MacPhee

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## JeffD

If its music just for yourself, go after what you love. There is very little that has been written for the mandolin specifically anyway, compared to the amount of non-mando music out there you can just grab. So the whole world is equally obscure and there for the picking.

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## mandroid

Sorry, I didn't get the compulsory music you Must  know  Memo..


 Have a tune you cannot get out of your head?   start with that one.

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## journeybear

I joke that whenever a mandolin gets sold, in the fine print of the receipt it says the owner must learn "Maggie May" and "Friend Of The Devil." It sure seems that way. You'll find that very often, when you bring out a mandolin at a jam, someone will suggest either or both of those. Oh, someone might say "Mandolin Wind," but they really mean "Maggie May."  :Wink: 

Just remember - if someone asks if you can play "Far, Far Away," they mean something else.  :Grin:

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Jim, 

ziapack

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## T.D.Nydn

I think everyone ought to know how to play "little Maggie"......

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## multidon

Ok, I'm game, I'll be the first to start a list!

Old Time: Arkansas Traveller, Buffalo Gals, Camptown Races, Cotton Eyed Joe, Down in the Valley, June Apple, Liza Jane, O Susanna, Old Joe Clark, Red River Valley, Shady Grove, Shenandoah, Wildwood Flower, You Are My Sunshine.

Celtic/Irish: Cockles and Mussels, Danny Boy, Irish Washerwoman, Margaret's Waltz, Rakes of Mallow, Red is the  Rose (Loch Lomond), Scotland the Brave, Slane (Be Thou My Vision), Southwind, Swallowtail Jig.

I have found all of the above easy to memorize and at least somewhat recognizable to most people. So they have worked well for me when someone says "play me something". Although of course there is no such thing as a "required music list" for mandolinists we need to recognize there is such a thing as core repertoire for each genre.

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Bernie Daniel, 

DavidKOS, 

whitelines

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## mrmando

The Vivaldi C Major concerto, natch.

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DavidKOS, 

Jim

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## multidon

Did anyone notice the OP says he is a NEW player? Pretty sure he won't be wailing on Vivaldi any time soon.

If we are suggesting classical pieces why not suggest beginner level stuff most people would recognize, like Ode to Joy and Brahm's Lullaby?

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## Randi Gormley

Huh. I was thinking more along the line of "Mary Had a Little Lamb." 

Probably 99.9 percent of music I know on the mandolin is completely un-recognizable to just about everybody, and for those who might know it, they'd feel it all sounds alike anyway. Which is my way of saying that, if there's any number of songs every mandolin player should know, I probably don't know them. And that includes Mandolin Wind, since when I was a teen in the 1970s, I wouldn't be caught dead listening to contemporary music. I didn't even know bluegrass existed until I was in my 20s and then couldn't have recognized a specific tune or song if one were played to me. I'm still woefully ignorant of pretty much all of it.

I think that trying to find standard repertoire for mandolin will be a hard job -- like finding the top 10 tunes played on the tiple. It's just too niche an instrument to generate a "must-play" catalogue. My 2 cents worth.

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## Explorer

What songs should every (violinist/fiddler/guitarist/pianist/etc.) know?

That question seems like, what expectations does every listener have?

Or other questions with assumptions built in, like what is the best underwear size?

One size never fits all.

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Ellen T

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## fscotte

Cherokee Shuffle.

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Bernie Daniel

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## crisscross

Some Italian tunes like "O sole mio" or "Santa Lucia".


That kind of playing predates Bill Monroe by some years. :Wink:

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DavidKOS

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## multidon

Too bad. The OP didn't ask the right question. He should have asked "What songs should I know if I go to a Bluegrass jam?" I'll bet then he would have gotten a veritable avalanche of specific suggestions. 

Truth is, there IS a core repertoire for all of our genres and all of us know it. I would think we could be more helpful in this regard.

There are some books that would be helpful The Parking Lot Pickers Songbook, Mandolin for Dummies, The Bluegrass Fake Book are some that contain a lot of what many would consider to be core repertoire.

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GDAE, 

mugbucket

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## journeybear

Right. When a beginner (or anyone, really) puts himself/herself on the spot looking for help of a basic nature, he/she is leaving himself/herself open and vulnerable. It behooves us to be as kind, considerate, and helpful as possible. And not use this as an opportunity for mockery and/or other foolishness.

I will grant this, though: it would help us if we knew what sort of music you are interested in. There isn't a broad-based instrument-specific repertoire for the mandolin, although as has been pointed out, there are songs in several genres which are good to know. These will come up if you go to jams at which these sorts of songs are likely to be played. I mentioned the ones I did because they come up pretty often at the kinds of jams I've gone to, populated by baby boomers and hippie wannabes. It wouldn't hurt to add "Ripple" to that list - that and FOTD are the two Grateful Dead songs that David Grisman played on back then and reintroduced the instrument to a generation (see "American Beauty"), and people of a certain ilk and/or age range associate them with the instrument.

But really, do yourself a favor and learn everything you like. Don't limit yourself in any way. The mandolin is capable of playing a wide variety of music. You never know which song is going to come up when or where. And anyway, your prime directive is to enjoy playing the music you like on your chosen instrument.  :Mandosmiley:

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ahasverus

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## MikeEdgerton

Get the tab for Ashoken Farewell. Your fiddle playing friends will love you and it's pleasant to play.

http://www.hughcan.com/music/ashokan...tation_tab.pdf

You can find video's of it on Youtube.

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Jackgaryk, 

Kowboy, 

Scotthallett, 

Steve VandeWater

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## T.D.Nydn

How about you sit there and figure out the national anthem,,how many of us can play that now,no practice?

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Bernie Daniel

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## JEStanek

Ashoken Farewell is a great (modern) tune despite it's use in Ken Burn's Civil War (just being re-aired starting tonight!).  It's not too hard.  My first mandolin tune was Jesse James.

I completely agree a tune that is in your head is easiest to get to your fingers since you know how it sounds.  If you're a faithful person, most hymns and Christmas Carols (if that's your faith) are simple tunes that your fingers will find.  There are resources for both at our tab section.

Tab Tunes
TablEdit Tunes

You'll need the free TablEdit Viewer for the second link.

More TablEdit at Mandozine.

Jamie

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## Shortjourneyhome

Well, in my limited experience... Find any jams near you, of whatever genre you want to play. Hell, even go to the one's you don't know anything about, you might be turned on to something new. When you go to jams, you don't have to participate, just listen to the songs being called, and write them down. These are the songs every mandolin player should learn, the songs others around you are playing. Because, playing with others is the most fun.
Also, learn whatever it is you like to listen to. I'm a deadhead I started by learning dead tunes. Every mandolin player should learn the songs they like to listen to.
Also, learn anything and everything Bill Monroe has ever done  :Wink:

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## JeffD

> The Vivaldi C Major concerto, natch.


Natch.

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## JeffD

> Truth is, there IS a core repertoire for all of our genres and all of us know it. I would think we could be more helpful in this regard.
> .


The OP specifically said no matter the style or genre.

You are right, there is a core repertory in every genre. I am not sure that a list of, for example, the five most popular tunes, in each of the major genres in which a mandolin is featured, would be responsive more responsive. That's 50 tunes right there, give or take.

Maybe you are right though, we'll have to see what E's follow up questions are.

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## Mandoplumb

[QUOTE=journeybear;1430950]I joke that whenever a mandolin gets sold, in the fine print of the receipt it says the owner must learn "Maggie May" and "Friend Of The Devil." It sure seems that way. You'll find that very often, when you bring out a mandolin at a jam, someone will suggest either or both of those. 

This just proves my point in my last post. I've been playing 50 years ( I'll admit only bluegrass) and I've never played or even know of these two songs. The one I would put in that statement is Rawhide!

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## David Lewis

For songs that non bluegrass fans will recognise

MaggIe Mae 
Losing my religion 
O sole mio
Fat man

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## mandocrucian

_Song of the Vogon Boatmen_

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bradlaird, 

Explorer

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## Mike Arakelian

Several of my favorites include:
Soldier's Joy
Ashokan Farewell
Tennessee Waltz
Arkansas Traveler
Memories of Father Angus McDonnell
Red Haired Boy
Whiskey Before Breakfast

Good luck and welcome to the Cafe'.

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## allowishish

I agree with whatever you like.
Next would be whatever your friends and family can sign along to. 

One of the very first songs I ever learned was the clash's Bank Robber. It's a great song played in any style, my friends know it and it still get request to be played around the campfire. 

My point is that if pick YOUR songs you will enjoy playing them and most likely have better success in the key early stages.  Just keep it realistic.

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TC-in-NC

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## especking

All,

I left the question broad to develop a list in several genres and difficult levels. I have already figured out happy birthday and marry had a little lamb. I bought Greg Horne beginner mandolin. I have played the saxophone for around 15 years. I've found that this background has helped me speed through things. I've been mainly focusing on form, Note locations on fretts, and cords. 

So i go back to the general question. I thought keeping it general would bring diverse responses that could help the community. I do know that you should learn songs you like, but I also know a good player is able to transitio ln to a diverse number of styles. I want to be able to play classical, rock, jazz, folk, bluegrass, etc.

Everyone will have an opinion, but it is interesting to look at the overlap of those opinions.

Thanks,
E

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## UlsterMando

My advice is that the tune every NEW mandolin player should learn 
is simply whatever comes easiest to the player. Get the fingers moving.

Whether this selection is made based on your level of skill or the 
appeal of the particular piece, it is a fact that getting to grips with one tune 
or even parts of a tune will open the door to playing many others. 

Playing a tune that you like will inspire you and playing a tune that you 
can manage early will really encourage you, then once you are up and running
hopefully you will find that other material comes into focus quite quickly. So early on 
don't worry about what tunes you should learn and concentrate on what you CAN learn. 
Just get those fingers moving.
And enjoy the trip!

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## Petrus

> How about you sit there and figure out the national anthem,,how many of us can play that now,no practice?


I took the trouble of learning the U.S. anthem ... it's actually easier to play than it is to sing (that octave jump is easier with fingers than the voice.)  On my electric mando I put all kinds of ornamentation on it a la Hendrix and it's quite the crowd pleaser.  (Crowd meaning my five friends.)

Bach's Minuet in G is a solid part of the Baroque repertoire and not hard to learn.  Also it teaches you the G scale; once learned you can improvise at will with it.

Learn what pleases you first, but if you want to entertain an audience learn the traditional favorites: Happy Birthday, popular folk melodies (Scarborough Fair, Greensleeves), generic seasonal melodies approved by your faith and/or ideological tradition and local ordinances, and so forth.

(Technically, Happy Birthday is copyrighted, but you can probably get away with it.  If you feel bad you can always send a small check to Warner/Chappell Music with "Happy Birthday" on the memo line.)

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DavidKOS

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## Beanzy

I like to recommend the Dan Fox book "Mandolin Gold" as it covers so many styles and gets you playing tunes and songs that are widely recognisable and it's kind of good that someone else has done all the donkey work. 


The songs and tunes included are;

Arkansas Traveler
Banks of the Ohio
Billy in the Lowland
Black-Eyed Susie
Cindy
Coney in the Creek
Fly Around my Pretty Little Miss
Cripple Creek
Good for the Wrist
Li'l Liza Jane
Little Maggie
Old Joe Clark
The Crawdad Song
Possum up a Gum Stump
Sally Goodin'
Pretty Polly
Skip to My Lou
Soldier's Joy
Turkey in the Straw
Whoa, Mule,k Whoa!
Wildwood Flower
Chicken Reel
Delaware Hornpipe
Sailor's Hornpipe
The White Cockade
Ah! Marie
Torna a Surriento (Come Back to Sorrento)
Roman Guitar (Chitarra Romana)
Wedding Tarantella
O Sole Mio!
Funiculi-Funicula
Ah! Vous Dirai-Je,Maman (Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star)
All through the Night
The Ash Grove
The Flower of Monemvasy
For He's a Jolly Good Fellow
Podmoskovnye Vyechera (Midnight in Moscow)
Two Guitars
Scarborough Fair
Amazing Grace
I've Got Peace like a River
Simple Gifts ('Tis the Gift to be Simple)
Aura Lea
Buffalo Gals
Golden Slippers
Camptown Races
Good Night, Ladies
Listen to the Mockingbird
Little Brown Jug
Ol' Dan Tucker
The Old Gray Mare
Reuben And Rachel
America, the Beautiful
The Girl I Left Behind Me
Yankee Doodle Dandy
You're a Grand Old Flag
When Johnny comes Marching Home
Beautiful Brown Eyes
Bile Them Cabbagte Down
Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie
Home on the Range
Jesse James
John Hardy
The Wabash CAnnonball
Bessarbian Horra
Hava Nagila
Waves of the Danube (Anniversary Song)
Chosen Kalle Mazel Tov
Careless Love
Don't Let Your Deal Go Down
Goin' Down the Road Feelin' Bad
Hard, Ain't it Hard
Pick a Bale o'Cotton
Salty Dog
Come All Ye Fair and Tender LAdies
The Cuckoo
Down in the Valley
The Drunken Sailor
Man of Constant Sorrow
In The Pines
Poor Wayfaring Stranger
Nine Hundred Miles
Shady Grove
Good Morning To All
Hush, LIttle Baby
The Itsy Bitsy Spider
Old MacDonald's Farm
POlly Wolly Doodle
Pop! Goes the Weasel
This Old Man
Deck the Halls
Jingle Bells
Fum, Fum, Fum,
Silent Night
Catholic Boys
Danny Boy (Londonderry Air)
Irish Washerwoman
Jeb Wilson's Clog Dance
Paddy Whack
Rakes of Mallow
Stack o'Barley
Ode to Joy (From Beethoven, Symphony no.9)
Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring
Serenade (Toselli)
Plaisir D'Amour
Serenade (Drigo)
Canzonetta (from Don Giovanni), W.A.Mozart
Concerto in C Major (Vivaldi)

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bassthumper, 

Bernie Daniel, 

DavidKOS, 

Ellen T, 

Jim, 

Mike Arakelian, 

multidon, 

Scotthallett, 

TC-in-NC

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## Ausdoerrt

OP, if you've got enough experience in music, I'd say just select a few tunes you like and try to play 'em on the mandolin. You'd be surprised how many popular tunes can be played with just a handful of chords. Then, of course, you can go crazy like me and start transposing metal songs and somesuch  :Smile: 




> Did anyone notice the OP says he is a NEW player? Pretty sure he won't be wailing on Vivaldi any time soon.


Vivaldi isn't THAT hard. Not much harder than many of the celtic pieces recommended here. And certainly easier than, say, Bach  :Smile: 

Plus useful for developing some  techniques that you won't learn while playing bluegrass. No one's saying a beginner will be able to play it as well as a pro, but it's still useful to try and learn.

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TC-in-NC

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## DavidKOS

> I joke that whenever a mandolin gets sold, in the fine print of the receipt it says the owner must learn "Maggie May" and "Friend Of The Devil."





> Some Italian tunes like "O sole mio" or "Santa Lucia".......
> That kind of playing predates Bill Monroe by some years.


Since mandolin IS an instrument associated with Italian music before other styles, I like the second idea.

Everyone seems to think mandolin was invented to play British Isles/American folk music! 




> I like to recommend the Dan Fox book "Mandolin Gold" as it covers so many styles and gets you playing tunes and songs that are widely recognisable and it's kind of good that someone else has done all the donkey work. 
> 
> 
> The songs and tunes included are;
> 
> Arkansas Traveler
> Banks of the Ohio
> Billy in the Lowland
> Black-Eyed Susie
> ...


I'm impressed by the variety of music in this collection, even Italian, Klezmer and classical!

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## Mandoplumb

I don't think the mandolin was invented to play bluegrass BUT it sure adapted well

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DavidKOS

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## Carl Robin

I agree with Happy Birthday, and the national anthem.  And for a beginner, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and any other children's songs that are easy, and therefore encouraging to learn.  Christmas songs, of your choice, are good to know since you can use them every year.  This goes for any instrument, not just mandolin.  For the genre of your choice, learn what you like best, out of all the tunes people will list.  Eventually, develop a long list of tunes you are working on, but focus on a smaller group of them for daily practice.  Above all, have fun with it.

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bassthumper

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## Tobin

> I do know that you should learn songs you like, but I also know a good player is able to transitio ln to a diverse number of styles. I want to be able to play classical, rock, jazz, folk, bluegrass, etc.


Well, yes, a very experienced and well-rounded mandolin player should be able to transition across different genres and playing styles.  To be quite honest, there are very few professional mandolin players who can do this.  But as a new player, I don't think there's any advantage to getting ahead of yourself or trying to achieve professional genre-jumping.  There's the risk of becoming the proverbial "jack of all trades, master of none".  Each of these genres has specific skills and techniques involved, and they take an appreciable length of time to master.

I'm not necessarily advocating focusing only on one single style to the exclusion of all others, but I do think a new player is better served by focusing on one thing at a time.  Deep immersion into, say, bluegrass can take years of listening and studying and playing to fully realize the nuances that make it what it is.  It is wholly different than playing classical, which is wholly different again than playing rock.  And you didn't mention old-time or Irish traditional, but these are once again wholly different animals.  The difference may not be apparent to the casual listener or new mandolin player, but again, it takes very deep immersion into each genre to suss out the fine differences and learn how to play them as they ought to be played.

I do commend your enthusiasm, and I don't want to discourage you.  But a common mandolin newbie pitfall is jumping into it without any sort of road map.  You want to play it all.  And that's great.  But I would suggest a more specific and structured approach that involves an early period of familiarization with the fretboard and the application of music theory to a fifths-tuned instrument (which it sounds like you're already working on), followed by study and immersion into one style of music.  Then later expansion into other styles.

I'm sure some here will disagree with me, and that's fine.  There are plenty of different approaches.  But if you want to sound bluegrassy, you're going to need to really focus on bluegrass for a while (read: years).  We've all heard of the folks who show up at bluegrass jams and try to play bluegrass without really understanding it.  Or folks who try to play traditional folk music but sound too jazzy.  Being a general and generic all-around mandolin player is fine and dandy if that's what you're after, but I guess the question that you need to answer for yourself is whether you really want to master any of the genres you mentioned.  It will be very difficult if your learning approach is not specific to each one.

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## Purdy Bear

As a newbie too, I want to learn:

I know a song to get on your nerves   - just so I can annoy my neighbours to hell.

 :Laughing:

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bassthumper, 

Emmett Marshall

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## Beanzy

I think it's best not to limit yourself when starting out unless you only picked up the instrument to play a particular style of music. Loads of my bluegrass and classical music friends did this with the mandolin only so they can play their genre of music because they liked what they heard in that style and they thought the mandolin bit was what they wanted to do. These folks would swap instruments long before they'd consider swapping styles. But you're coming to the instrument with your stylistic options open and that's a fine place to begin as a mandolinist.

Just learn the tunes to get you going on the instrument. There's a lot to be gained from a broad education on your instrument of choice. The subtlety and nuances of playing within a style come after a time; primarily from hearing them, then understanding what you're hearing, then finding out how that is done and learning the required techniques to recreate that. But without a particular style or genre objective, beginning by learning a stack of tunes and accompaniments until you decide where to focus in detail is a pretty good start. 

Once you feel you have a good grip of the many techniques available on the mandolin, you can then use many of the tunes you've learned to develop your ability to perform convincingly within that style. You'll be in a better position to know what styles really suit your temperament. That is probably a good time to shift your focus to the detailed understanding of how to make the tunes really work. That is a good time to be really immersive in your learning. Many aspects of playing within different styles can only be learned properly by playing with others who have a deep understanding of the genre. If you're already competent as an instrumentalist then getting to play with those others is much easier to achieve if you're on top of all the basics.

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## journeybear

> I know a song to get on your nerves   - just so I can annoy my neighbours to hell.


Been there, done that. Shall rattle on about it at length sometime.  :Grin: 

I believe this has been mentioned, but I'll rephrase and reiterate: Play what you like to play. Find ways to make these songs sound like you hear them in your mind. You can make it mandolin music in the process.

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bassthumper

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## Mandoplumb

Agree totally with Tobin, so many people think that they can play several styles but anyone that really plays one of those styles know that he can't. Years ago John Denver recorded "How Mountain Girls Can Love" bluegrass style. No BG picker I know thought it was bluegrass. Denver was good at what he did,but not that.

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## Tobin

> Agree totally with Tobin, so many people think that they can play several styles but anyone that really plays one of those styles know that he can't. Years ago John Denver recorded "How Mountain Girls Can Love" bluegrass style. No BG picker I know thought it was bluegrass. Denver was good at what he did,but not that.


Alan Jackson's recent foray into bluegrass also comes to mind.  He's a great musician, it was good music, and I appreciate his homage to bluegrass, but it still sounded like his usual country & western fare to me.  He even had some bona-fide bluegrass pickers team up with him, but since he called all the shots in production, it just didn't come off as authentic.

So yeah, like I said, there are very few professionals who can pull it off.

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## DavidKOS

> Well, yes, a very experienced and well-rounded mandolin player should be able to transition across different genres and playing styles. ........ There's the risk of becoming the proverbial "jack of all trades, master of none".


Hey, that's my style......




> Agree totally with Tobin, so many people think that they can play several styles but anyone that really plays one of those styles know that he can't. .


Each style requires it's own techniques and vocabulary. And thus each style takes specific study and work.

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catmandu2

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## catmandu2

> Each style requires it's own techniques and vocabulary.  Each style takes specific study and work.


Indeed.

And, re jack of all/master of none, multi-'styles' etc:

Many, many approaches in musical expression, creativity, form, style...  Sure, probably can't master everything...but how are your 'faking' skills?  It's an aspect of 'playing' in that one can show relative proficiency, 'mastery,' etc.  Do you suppose anyone's ever 'faked it' - successfully?  (my general 'rule': music is generally anywhere from 1% to 99%  _faking it_  :Wink:  )

Check out the film made by Denny Tedesco - Tommy's son - 'The Wrecking Crew'

Lying is the progenitor to good fiction - *or whatever the saying goes

(Like Matisse said - pertaining to visual rendering)...you gotta be able to hear it

For example, playing for self vs performing publicly; I play differently - various instrument, repertoire, degree of improv, etc. - depending on environment/situation/audience.  Depending on situation, I may play with some abandon and improvise a lot, and other times I don't stray from a memorized tune, figure, etc.  My 'style' of performing - that is, the situation I typically  most enjoy - is when I can just grab an instrument and play and let it flow - without much 'deliberation.'  (There are many factors of course: audience preferences and level of engagement; my preferences and disposition; etc.).  I like to be able to put a lot of emotion into my playing, so I probably perform this 'style' better than, say, more rehearsed material.

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DavidKOS

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## Emmett Marshall

> I might learn the theme from The Godfather......


I am laughing because that is the very first song I learned how to play, and super easy (well I think it is anyway). It has served me well!  One evening, I had a half dozen friends over for dinner.  I was sitting on the sofa relaxing while one guy was expressing his anger about his boss and saying he wished he could do this and do that to his boss etc, etc, etc. I had the mandolin on my lap and started playing the Godfather theme.....well, ya just had to be there.  :Grin:

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## Mandoplumb

It's fairly easy to fake it in a style you really know, at least for a song or two, but if you don't really know a style your faking it sounds like you are faking it. Not saying it's not fun just don't deceive yourself.

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catmandu2

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## Petrus

Nirvana's "Come As You Are" riff for mando ... always gets a smile from aging '90s hipsters.  :Cool: 

(G string)  00125252210500

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## catmandu2

> It's fairly easy to fake it in a style you really know, at least for a song or two, but if you don't really know a style your faking it sounds like you are faking it. Not saying it's not fun just don't deceive yourself.


No, for me it would NOT be fun - faking something I had no chops and feeling for..  What I'm getting at is - when you assimilate a form, you can craft something from its essences - although you may not have specific tunes or phrases worked out.  I do this a lot on certain instruments and styles.  'Faking' is probably not the right term to use, as it's probably more extemporization or invention - perhaps more akin to improvisational approaches.  After one studies and plays in a given style for some time, one (may) feel sufficient affinity that it becomes a natural expression or form to work with.  I sometimes play (perform) certain figures and rhythms and essentially craft something (presumably of value) spontaneously - using various approaches in improv/musical development, etc.  So, I guess I'm playing elements and figures and riffing in an idiom, and 'faking' that it's a 'song,' for example, or something specific that I've worked up for the occasion, when oftentimes it is not.  It's risky - and it doesn't always flow seamlessly from beginning to end, but I find (as a solo performer) that it reliably enables me to perform more spontaneously, and emotionally.

Yes, you wouldn't want to try to perpetrate a ruse, I would think, in playing for an audience in a style in which, in fact, you may not be fluent.  This is - I agree - generally not a good thing  :Wink:   Although it's one way to learn -

----------


## JeffD

> Yes, you wouldn't want to try to perpetrate a ruse, I would think, in playing for an audience in a style in which, in fact, you may not be fluent.


I know what you are saying, but isn't the whole thing a ruse? I every performance we only play those tunes we know. And we do not disabuse our audience of the notion that we are experts in the genre, or on the instrument in general. We carry it like we casually picked these tunes out of a vast repertory. Truth is, these are the ones we can play. Maybe in some cases the only ones.

I'm not sure I can play the mandolin - but I know I can play these tunes on the mandolin.

Its the performer's dirty little secret really. And we have been doing it since we only knew three tunes.

----------

Ellen T

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## JeffD

> I'm sure some here will disagree with me, and that's fine.  There are plenty of different approaches.  But if you want to sound bluegrassy, you're going to need to really focus on bluegrass for a while (read: years).  We've all heard of the folks who show up at bluegrass jams and try to play bluegrass without really understanding it.  Or folks who try to play traditional folk music but sound too jazzy.  Being a general and generic all-around mandolin player is fine and dandy if that's what you're after, but I guess the question that you need to answer for yourself is whether you really want to master any of the genres you mentioned.  It will be very difficult if your learning approach is not specific to each one.


Well let me be the first.  :Smile: 

I don't disagree, if you are Alan Jackson, or Glen Campbell. But for the majority of us, we ain't-a-gonna master anything at that level. Ever. Regardless of our approach. The examples of genetic anomalies of extreme talent and musicality don't apply to us. 

If mastery is the goal, and there is sufficient talent to warrant it, and sufficient motivation, I say hunker down to that genre and go for it. For most of the rest of us, I say play everything you thinks is fun or curious, find fun and interest in everything you play, leave mastery to the masters, and just have a metric ton of fun. Playing music is rip snorting fun, at all levels. 

I respect mastery too much to think that my not achieving it has anything to do with being interested on lots of different kinds of music.

And wasn't there just a thread about how the great of the great have a musical  curiosity about other genres? Perhaps not to perform regularly in, but to have fun in?? Bluegrassers playing Bach, and classical players playing jazz and what not?

----------

Sleet

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## Mandoplumb

Not taking anything away from Alan Jackson, Glenn Campbell or any one else, I don't think you have to be "well known" to be a master at what you do. I know alot of musicians that are as good as or better than famous musicians but due to circumstances or just a lack of desire they don't make their living or play professionally. In all honesty, who don't know  a singer that is " better" than Johnny Cash. The man was never even on key yet is considered a country great. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed listening to him and I don't even know why, but I  know alot of others that I enjoy listening to that are better singers.

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## multidon

Wow. How far astray this thread has gotten.

Why oh why do we do our best to scare away newbies with simple questions? The OP is a beginner for goodness sake. How is he even supposed to know what genre he likes best without trying a few simple tunes in that genre first? Oh no, that won't do, that's not authentic, he has to pick a genre and totally immerse himself in it for years, preferably decades, before he can even pretend to be able to play it. You must become one with the music, my young apprentice! Don't you dare show up to a (insert genre of choice here) jam unless you completely understand the nuances. You will be given a nuance exam before being admitted to the jam. You wouldn't want the old timers rolling their eyes at you, right?

My background is classically trained, but I am more attracted to folk music genres when it comes to mandolin. I freely move between Irish/Celtic and Old Time and enjoy the heck out of it. I am in a gigging folk band that plays for actual audiences. And if I might not get the "nuances" exactly right, they don't seem to mind. Music is supposed to be about entertainment and creativity. I play bluegrass tunes only at home for my own amusement. I would never attend an actual bluegrass jam because of the attitudes towards newcomers I have read about here, numerous times.

One of our members here, I forget who, has the signature line "Mediocre, and ok with that". Ditto for me. Isn't this supposed to be fun?

To those of you who, like me, just simply answered the OP's question and gave him tune suggestions in a variety of genres, I say thank you. Truthfully, this whole debate about general playing versus specialized playing belongs in its own thread, not here. A classic hijack if I've ever seen one.

----------

Beanzy, 

Dave Martin, 

Ellen T, 

Emmett Marshall, 

Franc Homier Lieu, 

objectsession

----------


## TC-in-NC

> OP, if you've got enough experience in music, I'd say just select a few tunes you like and try to play 'em on the mandolin. You'd be surprised how many popular tunes can be played with just a handful of chords. Then, of course, you can go crazy like me and start transposing metal songs and somesuch


Ha!  I knew I couldn't be the only one who does this!!  I consider myself still a beginner player, having only been playing for a little over a year (and having little available time for practice).  My teacher is having me work on some "old time" music to learn the basics and build up speed, but for fun we have branched out into other genres too.  I have found several songs by The Ramones lend themselves to the mandolin, and am currently working on learning a couple of Herman's Hermits songs and Surfin' USA by The Beach Boys.

YMMV, but I think the whole point is to play what you like regardless of genre.  The mandolin is a far more versatile instrument than it gets credit for, and if you're already familiar with the songs it will make it that much more fun to play.   :Mandosmiley: 

Tammy

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## catmandu2

> I know what you are saying, but isn't the whole thing a ruse?


I don't feel that it is, no.  I'm sure mileage does vary ..

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## Explorer

> Everyone seems to think mandolin was invented to play British Isles/American folk music!


Well, it took a while for it to achieve its true destiny, but isn't what it was ultimately meant for once it matured as an instrument?





(I'm kidding, and don't actually play any traditional music on mando.)

My suggestion is... start with what you like to sing along to.

----------

DavidKOS

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## Caleb

The writer C.S. Lewis was once asked for writing advice from a young girl.  One of the things he told her is not only good, common sense, but I think it applies to music as well.  He said, "Write about only what interests you, and nothing else."  With that idea in mind, 
I'd say the best approach in music is to play only what interests you.

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## journeybear

That's good advice, and that's the way it should be. However, that will not help you when you find yourself in a situation like the one I was in last weekend. Playing in a fill-in spot in a pick-up band, I found myself having to play songs I really don't care for, like "Danny's Song," "Fire And Rain," "Feel Like Making Love," and my nemesis, "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald" - in a key I'm still not sure of.  :Crying:  Of course, different rules apply in playing for fun and playing professionally, and you want the two to be as coincident as possible, but still ...  :Disbelief:  I suppose one could argue that in such an instance, one would find interest in playing as well as possible in hopes that one's lack of interest wouldn't show, or bother anyone else.  :Wink:  And I did that, as well as I could. I also tried to play as little as possible, so as not to mess anything up, nor contribute to the length of the song, so it would be over with quicker.  :Grin: 

But that's all far down the line, after a beginner has achieved a certain level of proficiency, and hopefully professionalism. The more one plays, the more one is likely to find oneself in odd situations, and if one has developed the musical and personal skills needed to cope, the better off one will be. It's just something to keep in the back of the mind at this point.  :Whistling:

----------


## jim_n_virginia

You ain't a mandolin player until you can play Rawhide!! And make it your own don't copy Monroe!! LOL!

----------

DavidKOS

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## Petrus

The important thing is to be able to _play something they know_ on that _little guitar_.  :Laughing:

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## Mandoplumb

The important thing about Rawhide is speed, it has never been payed fast enough.LOL

----------


## catmandu2

> Wow ...
> 
> One of our members here, I forget who, has the signature line "Mediocre, and ok with that". Ditto for me. Isn't this supposed to be fun?


 :Cow: 

Wow, indeed


I wonder: whether you might be surprised that some here take (making music) - a little more seriously, and perhaps have different aspirations (from yourself)..?  Must we all strive for mediocrity?

----------


## multidon

> I wonder: whether you might be surprised that some here take (making music) - a little more seriously, and perhaps have different aspirations (from yourself)..? Must we all strive for mediocrity?


No, it does not surprise me at all. In fact, would it surprise you to find out that I take music seriously? Seriously enough, in fact, to have a bachelor's and master's degree in music, to have had a thirty year career teaching music, to have had eleven pieces for school orchestra published along with one feature article in a national music education magazine. Does that sound serious to you?

Throughout my career I worked hard to achieve excellence for myself and my students. After retirement, I was ready for, as Monty Python says, something completely different. This is why I threw myself into folk genres after 30 plus years of classical. This is why I decided to teach myself to play instruments I had never attempted before. This is why I picked up mandolin, along with octave mandolin, Celtic harp, hammered dulcimer, and mountain dulcimer in addition to guitar and violin, which I already played. 

In my particular case, to be as clear as I can, I do not advocate mediocrity. I strive to be as good a player as I can be on my instruments. What I mean is, I am realistic enough to realize that, especially at my age, and with good old Arthur Itis setting in, I am only going to get to a certain level, especially playing so many different instruments. And I am ok with that. In effect, I have decided to trade virtuosity for versatility. Being versatile, I have concluded, is its own special ability, and I enjoy that much more that I would focusing on one instrument and one genre and trying to climb to the top of some figurative pyramid. It works for me. If focusing solely on one instrument and one genre works for you, great! Enjoy it! That's not for me though.

The point I was trying to make is that we have a beginner interested in learning a few simple tunes in a variety of genres, to get his toes wet, so to speak. And we have members here telling him he's thinking about it all wrong. I for one applaud him. And I understand him too. One big reason I am on this musical journey is that I crave variety. What is wrong with that? Absolutely nothing!

----------

Ellen T, 

Petrus

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## Jack Roberts

The first song I learned on the mandolin was "My Grandfather's Clock".  I still play it all the time.

I little off topic, but I think the three most useful things you can learn as a new player are the G scale, the A scale, and the D scale.  Then you will be able to play about 75% of the tunes out there on the mandolin.

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## multidon

> The first song I learned on the mandolin was "My Grandfather's Clock". I still play it all the time.


Ha! That's the song I played in my first "concert", on the "song flute" (simplified recorder). The entire third grade was accompanying me, of course!  :Smile: 

I wanted to mention as a sometimes dulcimer player that just about every dulcimer player knows "Old Joe Clark" and "Boil 'em Cabbage Down". In fact, "Boil 'em Cabbage Down" has been referred to as the Dulcimer National Anthem! Those are both extremely simple on mandolin too. I find them great for noodling to practice changing keys. They are easy to change to D, G, C, etc.

----------


## catmandu2

Oh, thank you for taking the time to explain, multidon.  Perhaps I jumped to conclusions in my reading of your take.  Well, there are many forms/functions of music, yes.

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## especking

All,

I think very one agrees to play what you enjoy, but there has to be a few songs in each genre that are popular among mandolin players. 

I don't care the level of difficulty. This would be a running list to try new styles. I want exposure to different style to determine what I want to play. I enjoy listening to all of it which is why I picked it up.

Thanks,
E,

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## David Lewis

> As a newbie too, I want to learn:  I know a song to get on your nerves   - just so I can annoy my neighbours to hell.


G G G G G G G G7 repeat

And there should be a C at the fourth beat, but that wouldn't be annoying would it?

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## Petrus

While I have to admit that it was a long hard climb for me to get to mediocre, I do not want to be satisfied with that. I dunno, maybe I should be.  Or just find another word for it ... not mediocre but _decent_?

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## journeybear

Right. Perhaps "middling." "Mediocre" has a pejorative sense to it. It also has a connotation of permanence. One should hope to be able to improve to some satisfactory level of proficiency. And if one is to plateau, hopefully it will be at a pleasing level. Especially if one will be there a while.  :Wink:  It's a matter of attitude.

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## JeffD

> All,
> 
> but there has to be a few songs in each genre that are popular among mandolin players.


I think you get four mandolinners together and you will have five or six favorites. Any of the suggested tunes in each genre will suffice. 

Outside of bluegrass, there really isn't a Mandolinners National Anthem. Bluegrass is the exception because, of all the folkie genres, it seems to have the most defined role for the mandolin.

Take traditional Irish tunes for example - There isn't really, in my experience, a mando-centric traditional Irish tune, particularly popular amongst mandolinners. The tunes that are popular in Irish sessions generally, would be, by default, what the mandolinners that play traditional Irish are playing.

There was a fellow who started a bunch of threads, each requesting the top ten jam tunes in a particular genre. I think there were three different genres in three different threads. I can't seem to find them now. If anyone remembers those threads, whatever results they yielded might be of service.

----------

DavidKOS

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## TheOne-N-OnlyHomer

> I would be interested in the answer, because I probably don't know them.
> 
> 
> I saw something similar on a guitar centered website - giving the five songs every guitarist should know regardless of genre. The site list was all folk/rock, but I guess that is the normal expectation of those who ask beginners to "play us something".
> 
> I don't know what the expectation is for those asking a beginner mandolinner to play something. I really don't. I think its likely that I have avoided the top five, whatever they are. 
> 
> 
> I guess if the goal is to have something ready to play for those who don't necessarily have specific music in mind and just want to hear you play, friends and family etc., I might learn the theme from The Godfather, and perhaps Captain Corelli's Mandolin. It is likely that will be recognized and appreciated.
> ...


Minus the percussion at the front I started messing around with the theme from Terminator 2 last week haha

----------


## multidon

Especking, I hope you are getting the answer to your question. I think it's in there somewhere. I guess you are learning something about this forum too. It's a great place. Really, it is. It's just that if you ask just the right question, and it catches some of us in a certain mood,  stuff like this happens. Sometimes I think we can argue about anything around here!

If you dig though all the other stuff there are some good song suggestions here for you. Truth be told, I was unaware of the existence of the Mandolin Gold book, and I for one plan on purchasing it. It looks like a good one, and even though no one is going to agree on core repertoire for beginning/intermediate players, it looks to me like that book is as close as anyone is going to get.

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## especking

Don,

I agree. The Mandolin Gold book looks great. It is on my to buy list.

I think it is great that there are diverse opinions. 

Thanks keep the comments coming.

E

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## MikeEdgerton

> Wow. How far astray this thread has gotten.


Don't be shocked by that.  :Cool: 

With regards to mediocrity, I think music is a little bit like the Peter Principle. We all rise to our own level of incompetence. Some of us rise a lot higher than others but that really doesn't matter as long as you're enjoying the trip. I believe Chris Thile would enjoy playing the mandolin even if he wasn't the great player he is. Bill Monroe would have loved playing and singing even if he never made it out of Rosine. 

Every time I think I've really nailed a tune I go to one of my regular haunts and play along with my friend Al. Here I am pushing out a song and then he does it and I can't figure out where he managed to find all the beautiful extraneous notes to enhance the song but he's got them. 

Music should bring joy to the soul of the person making it even if it doesn't bring joy to soul of those listening to it.

----------

Ellen T

----------


## journeybear

> Music should bring joy to the soul of the person making it even if it doesn't bring joy to soul of those listening to it.


This. You have to be in it for your own enjoyment. If anyone else likes it, so much the better, but not the main thing.




> I don't think you have to be "well known" to be a master at what you do.


And conversely, you don't have to be a master at what you do to be well known.  :Wink:  But it's nice when the two go hand in hand, and even more so when the one leads to the other - that is, when one achieves recognition because of one's musical accomplishment, rather than some reason irrelevant to music.

BTW, I'm a little surprised at how many times "The Godfather" has been mentioned here. I'm not sure which of the two is meant - the main theme or the love theme. I've been playing the latter in my Italian restaurant repertoire, and while it is not terribly complicated, it's not that simple, either. Perhaps those saying something like that mean the former. I'm glad for the reminder, though - I should work that up.  :Wink:

----------

MikeEdgerton

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## DavidKOS

> BTW, I'm a little surprised at how many times "The Godfather" has been mentioned here. I'm not sure which of the two is meant - the main theme or the love theme. I've been playing the latter in my Italian restaurant repertoire, and while it is not terribly complicated, it's not that simple, either. Perhaps those saying something like that mean the former. I'm glad for the reminder, though - I should work that up.


I play 3 tunes from the movies, the theme also called "Bruscia la terra", 

http://godfather.wikia.com/wiki/Brucia_La_Terra

"This page is inaccurate, the lyrics of "Brucia la terra" were written by a sicilian songwriter, Giuseppe Rinaldi, or "Kaballà", on the melody from the theme of "The Godfather", part I. Proof of this can be found at the end of the movie "The Godfather, part III", among the other credits. (also in the italian wiki page of Kaballà)

Thus the song is obviously not an authentic Sicilian ballad, as stated, nor the fact that Gian Campione recorded it on 2009 is of any relevance, I'd say."

and the main theme and a waltz. They are lovely tunes and well known due to the movie's enduring popularity.

In my mandolin musical world, you're not a mandolinist if you can't play the typical Tarantella, Torna a Surriento, Che la Luna, Santa Lucia, and other common Italian/Sicilian/Italian-American music.

----------


## JeffD

> In my mandolin musical world, you're not a mandolinist if you can't play the typical Tarantella, Torna a Surriento, Che la Luna, Santa Lucia, and other common Italian/Sicilian/Italian-American music.


Yes, I neglected this in my post above. Bluegrass is not the only genre with a well defined roll for the mandolin.  :Redface: 

I was asked to play mandolin at an Italian restaurant, after bringing one of my cases inside on a hot day. The repertory was pretty well defined.

----------

DavidKOS

----------


## Emmett Marshall

> I'm not sure which of the two is meant - the main theme or the love theme. I've been playing the latter in my Italian restaurant repertoire, and while it is not terribly complicated, it's not that simple, either. Perhaps those saying something like that mean the former. I'm glad for the reminder, though - I should work that up.


The one I learned is called "Speak Softly Love" A.K.A "The Godfather Theme."  I found the TAB for it somewhere in cyberspace and had a blast learning it.  It was tabbed by someone named Mike Strangeland. It motivated me to begin working on tremelo - on which I still have a long way to go. :Mandosmiley:

----------


## journeybear

Just so we're clear, that's the love theme. The main theme, aka "The Godfather Waltz," is what you hear during the credits. (If I recall; haven't seen the movie in ages.) I've transpose the love theme to G, like 90% of my repertoire.


 

Yes, there are indeed a number of tunes you're expected to be able to play in an Italian restaurant. I do all those mentioned (except Che La Luna), and also "Funiculi Funicula," "O Sole Mio," "That's Amore," a medley of three well-known Verdi melodies, and until recently, "Volare. (I've gotten tired of it.) I also throw in "Never On Sunday," "Somewhere My Love," and even "Blue Bayou." Done right, it sounds Italian - or at least, romantic.  :Wink: 




> Bluegrass is not the only genre with a well defined *roll* for the mandolin.


Ummm ... that well-defined roll is for the banjo ...  :Whistling:

----------

DavidKOS

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## DavidKOS

> I was asked to play mandolin at an Italian restaurant, after bringing one of my cases inside on a hot day. *The repertory was pretty well defined*.


Jeff, what did they want to hear?




> Just so we're clear, that's the love theme. The main theme, aka "The Godfather Waltz," is what you hear during the credits. ........
> 
> Yes, there are indeed a number of tunes you're expected to be able to play in an Italian restaurant. I do all those mentioned (except Che La Luna), and also "*Funiculi Funicula," "O Sole Mio," "That's Amore," a medley of three well-known Verdi melodies, and until recently, "Volare. (I've gotten tired of it.) I also throw in "Never On Sunday," "Somewhere My Love," and even "Blue Bayou."* Done right, it sounds Italian - or at least, romantic.


All of those are on my Italian gig short playlist too!....except the last time I played "Blue Bayou" was on electric guitar at least a decade ago.

The Godfather waltz is a lovely tune, it's one of the 3 I mentioned. This is the other, the "Godfather Waltz - Come Live Your Life With Me":

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## journeybear

Ummm ... yes ... but that is only 1/3 of the whole piece. I saw that on my way to finding the whole thing, which I posted. And, mercifully, it is in Em. (Should have said the other one I posted is in Am.)

----------

DavidKOS

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## crisscross

> Done right, it sounds Italian - or at least, romantic.


Done right, even "Midnight in Moscow" sounds halfway Italian :Wink: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkdHdDW5vFs

Did someone already mention that tune? I'd include it in the list.

----------

DavidKOS

----------


## Barry Wilson

This thread made me add Maggie May to my repetoire, though I transposed it down 2 steps to make it easier to sing

----------


## Jim

> What music pieces, no matter the style or genre, do you think every mandolin player should know?


If you are going to play for others you should learn a few things others recognize. Irish Washer Woman is a good choice because most have heard it , Happy Birthday will come in handy as will knowing several Christmas Carols. Knowing the Mandolin part to Maggie May or Losing My Religion is good too,(for listeners who are pop music fans of the late 20th century) but to truly impress you will need to sing these as well. Learning Vivaldi, Paganini or Bach will probably make you a better player (person;-) but will not get you a lot of " that's my favorite song" comments from listeners. Your best bet is to play what you like , because you'll play it better and enjoy playing it.

----------

DavidKOS

----------


## Tobin

Folks, sorry if my previous comments were seen as a "hijack" or "scaring off newbies".  Wasn't my intention at all.  Nor did I intend to suggest that playing multiple styles of music is bad or "wrong" in any way.  I was just attempting to point out that there's value in being focused on one particular genre at a time.  It's actually something I wish I had been told in my early years after taking up the mandolin.  I do switch back and forth between OT and bluegrass, with some occasional ITM music in the mix, but I feel like I have a long way to go before I could sound truly 'natural' in any particular style.  It has taken me a long time to fully appreciate the differences in technique that each genre requires (which is not to say I can adequately apply them), and perhaps I'm guilty of projecting that to others.  I just offered it as food for thought, as something a newbie should consider when mapping out his plan for where he wants to go, but with no disrespect or dissuasion intended whatsoever.  So, like Forrest Gump, "that's all I have to say about that."

----------

multidon

----------


## JeffD

> Jeff, what did they want to hear?


I dug out my list. This is a partial list, and I didn't play all of these. These are one's I easily found versions of I liked.

Santa Lucia
Arrivederci Roma
Mattinatta
Non Dimenticar
Torna S Surriento
O Sole Mio 
Bella Notte 
Mio Dolce Sogno
Vieni Sul Mar
Tra Veglia E Sonno
Speak Softly Love (Godfather Waltz)

----------

DavidKOS

----------


## JeffD

> If you are going to play for others you should learn a few things others recognize. ....


So true.

And part of why I don't like to play for others. Letting folks who couldn't tell you which instrument is a mandolin on a bet dictate the set list, it just gets my bad attitude up.

----------

Caleb

----------


## journeybear

You need to update your list. "Speak Softly Love" is the love theme, not the waltz. (See above.)

And I need to update MY list. "Non Dimenticar" is a good one. I should work that up. I'll look into the others ones, too. I could stand to bring some more variety into my set, even if just for my own enjoyment.

There are tons of Hollywood movies featuring Italians and Italian music. A lot of these tunes are straightforward, with a sharp or flat here or there, and very pleasant to hear and not too hard to play. In this sense, they are good ones for a beginner to learn. And down the line, since they are all of the above and also recognizable, they are good to keep in your repertoire, to pull out when needed. They tend to put smiles on people's faces.  :Smile:

----------

DavidKOS

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## multidon

Tobin, I appreciate the clarification. I just think that most beginners don't analyze things in that way. They just want to learn some tunes.

As a former music teacher that was a difficult instinct to deal with though. Especially on orchestral strings. The students had to get a few skills under their belt before they could learn tuned, which they wanted to do very badly. Then it was Mary Had A Little Lamb, Hot Cross Buns, and in a quantum leap forward, of course, Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star!

----------


## Caleb

> So true.
> 
> And part of why I don't like to play for others. Letting folks who couldn't tell you which instrument is a mandolin on a bet dictate the set list, it just gets my bad attitude up.


My favorite is when, on the off chance that I actually know a song that someone wants to hear, I begin the song, they listen for about five seconds and maybe sing along a bit, and then get bored and either want to hear something else or just walk away.  And of course if you don't know the songs someone wants to hear, then "you suck."

----------


## DavidKOS

> I dug out my list. This is a partial list, and I didn't play all of these. These are one's I easily found versions of I liked.
> 
> Santa Lucia
> Arrivederci Roma
> Mattinatta
> Non Dimenticar
> Torna S Surriento
> O Sole Mio 
> Bella Notte 
> ...


Mio Dolce Sogno is the only one I don't play often.

Bella Notte , as in the song from the Disney movie?




> There are tons of Hollywood movies featuring Italians and Italian music. A lot of these tunes are straightforward, with a sharp or flat here or there, and very pleasant to hear and not too hard to play. In this sense, they are good ones for a beginner to learn. And down the line, since they are all of the above and also recognizable, they are good to keep in your repertoire, to pull out when needed. They tend to put smiles on people's faces.


Exactly! There's a bunch of tunes like that, plus all the songs from 40's and 50's Italian singers in American pop music.

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## JeffD

> Bella Notte , as in the song from the Disney movie?.


Yes I think so, from Lady and the Tramp, the spaghetti scene.

----------

DavidKOS

----------


## flatpickle

I recommend learning some songs you can sing while accompanying yourself:

1. Knocking on Heaven's Door
2. The Fox
3. Brown Eyed Girl
4. I Never Go Around Mirrors
5. Let It Be

And lots of fiddle tunes.

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## Ellen T

I just play for myself, so I can go with whatever genre that suits my mood.  I am a happy amateur with absolutely no ambition except to get through tunes I like to my satisfaction.  I mostly play by ear, but if I can't remember a song well enough (through the distance of time or lack of exposure), I can also read music.  So even though I have been playing for close to 50 years, in some ways I still have the beginner's mindset in terms of wanting variety.  It's very satisfying as a beginner or amateur to learn to play melody decently before doing chords, because you get the instant gratification of recognizing what you are playing.  I used to play string bass in a school band, and practice was BORING because how many times can you listen to yourself playing thoom, thoom, thoom-tha-thoom-thoom-thoom?  Anyway, get familiar enough with the scales to either play some stuff you like by ear, or get the sheet music since you have a music background.  I play old folk, folk revival, a few hymns (and I am not religious but I like a lot of the music, like Amazing Grace and This Is My Father's World, both very easy), some classical, show tunes, old standards from throughout the 20th century, all kinds of, for lack of a better word, generic music.  I've never felt like specializing.  I like to group some songs together:  Skye Boat Song, Farewell to Tarwathie, Scotland the Brave, Wild Mountain Thyme all work well consecutively.  I always thought I hated Danny Boy until I concentrated on the tune and blanked out the lyrics (I don't sing anyway), now I love it.  A lot of what was listed in that music book (Mandolin Gold?) I've either worked out by ear or have in books.  Once you get comfortable with easily recognizable tunes, you will have a better idea of what genre you like - or you may want to keep playing a variety.  If you don't like older music, play new stuff.  There aren't any rules (beyond some technique basics) except HAVE FUN.

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## crisscross

> Santa Lucia
> Arrivederci Roma
> Mattinatta
> Non Dimenticar
> Torna S Surriento
> O Sole Mio 
> Bella Notte 
> Mio Dolce Sogno
> Vieni Sul Mar
> ...


I'd add the Wedding Tarantella to the list.


Might come in handy when Giuseppe and Gina finally decide to marry.
Or when you want to call your soccer-playing kids to a convenience-food pasta meal. :Wink: Fredericooo!






> There aren't any rules (beyond some technique basics) except HAVE FUN.


It's not a rule, but I think in the end it pays off to learn standard notation as well as tablature. This way you have access to a wealth of tunes that have not been tabbed yet for mandolin but work fine on this instrument like for example easy pieces from Anna Magdalena's notebook. So, in the beginning it's not all about having fun, but also about learning some basic reading skills.

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## DavidKOS

> I'd add the Wedding Tarantella to the list.
> It's not a rule, but I think in the end it pays off to learn standard notation .


Reading standard staff notation is the ONLY way to really read music.

That version in the first video is a bit slow!

I just recorded a  version of the Tarantella on Shamisen for a scene in an Italian Sushi bar!

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## Sleet

Such an interesting community, from professionals, to earnest amateurs, to those diffidently approaching their first instrument.  As the latter, I have gotten so much from the generous and thoughtful people who post to these forums, but sometimes I run into threads that might just as well be titled “Music-You’re doing it wrong!”  As a beginner, I like to be able to play some tunes I’m familiar with and that are widely recognized.  It was motivating to me when I was fumbling through Red Wing, that a listener said “Hey!  There’s a tune in there somewhere!”  So I like the suggestions for Soldier’s Joy, Arkansas Traveler, Red Haired Boy, Eighth of January, Irish Washerwomen, Sailor’s Hornpipe, Turkey in the Straw.  Add a nice waltz.  As you get more experienced you can dress these tunes up, dress them down, take them anywhere, like the sturdy classics they are.  As for contemporary tunes, Maggie may, but I have no intention to, so I’ll leave that to others.

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objectsession

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## JeffD

> So I like the suggestions for Soldier’s Joy, Arkansas Traveler, Red Haired Boy, Eighth of January, Irish Washerwomen, Sailor’s Hornpipe, Turkey in the Straw.  Add a nice waltz.  As you get more experienced you can dress these tunes up, dress them down, take them anywhere, like the sturdy classics they are. .


Good selection for old time or traditional. Or even a contra dance. 

And that would be my musical "home" too. Everyone I play music with in a given month of jams knows those tunes all too well. But its always surprising to me how insulated my home musical community is to the general population. My brother, who is fairly musical in the ordinary, popular sense, playing acoustic guitar in a blues/rock style, playing chord banging favorites with friends and beer on a semi-regular basis, he would not recognize any of those tunes. Not a single one. If I played three of them, three times each, and then went back to the first one, he would likely think I played four tunes. 

Now if I played Friend of the Devil, House of the Rising Sun, Margaritaville, or most anything by the Eagles, he is there. With all the musicality and emotion he can muster.

And the rest of my family, I am not sure, if my brother and I took turns choosing the tune to play, I am not sure they would even recognize that two different traditions were represented. They would likely listen till the food was ready.

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## Sleet

> But its always surprising to me how insulated my home musical community is to the general population.


My brother acknowledges only jazz.  I don't know that genre well enough to make recommendations, and all I know about classical I learned from Bugs Bunny cartoons.  I trust the hive mind will fill the gaps.

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## journeybear

> I'd add the Wedding Tarantella to the list.


So should whoever is playing the mandolin in that video!  :Laughing:  That is NOT the way I've heard it and learned it, and oh, by the way, I've never known it to be called that either, though I won't go to the mattresses to fight for that cause.  :Wink:  He plays the C part before the B part, and takes a few liberties with the melodies as well. And the kicker is, he includes the sheet music for the correct way it's played (or as I've known it) at the end, in the last ten seconds. Throw in the very slow tempo, and this is truly a misbegotten but quite droll example.  :Laughing:  Thank you so much for the (presumably) unintentional humor. It brightened up a rather gloomy day in my world.  :Mandosmiley: 

That said, there is a D part as well in the first transcription which does correspond with what he is playing - albeit in a different order - that although I've never heard it before, does appeal to me. I may have to work that into my arrangement. You never know where information or inspiration will come from!  :Wink:

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DavidKOS

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## DavidKOS

> So should whoever is playing the mandolin in that video!  That is NOT the way I've heard it and learned it, and oh, by the way, I've never known it to be called that either, though I won't go to the mattresses to fight for that cause.  He plays the C part before the B part, and takes a few liberties with the melodies as well. And the kicker is, he includes the sheet music for the correct way it's played (or as I've known it) at the end, in the last ten seconds. Throw in the very slow tempo, and this is truly a misbegotten but quite droll example. ....
> 
> That said, there is a D part as well in the first transcription which does correspond with what he is playing - albeit in a different order - that although I've never heard it before, does appeal to me. I may have to work that into my arrangement. You never know where information or inspiration will come from!


I've played all 4 parts, the 2 minor and 2 different C major parts - but like you I find the tempo slow odd, the order a bit odd, and why have the real sheet music if not to play it like that?

I have heard it called "Wedding Tarantella", "Neapolitan Tarantella", etc. though.

This one better?




Tempo is better

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## journeybear

_Si, signore, molto bene._ This also follows my arrangement - which, I'll admit, is based on vague memories and, ah, general arrangement technique. That is - AABBAABBCC, at which point I thought it would go back to the A part. But instead it went somewhere else, at 1:20, perhaps to another tune altogether?  :Confused: 

Anyway, in my arrangement, I have modified the descending line in the C part to bring it back to an A note and Am chord, and thus back to the A part. Someday when I can play this cleanly and correctly enough to present here, I shall do so. Until then, I am keeping my standards just barely high enough for the diners paying but little attention.  :Grin:  Of course, the membership here adheres to a much higher standard.  :Wink: 

All of this reminds me I should really be practicing.  :Disbelief:  _Ciao! Va bene!_  :Mandosmiley:

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DavidKOS

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## crisscross

> lays the C part before the B part, and takes a few liberties with the melodies as well. And the kicker is, he includes the sheet music for the correct way it's played (or as I've known it) at the end, in the last ten seconds. Throw in the very slow tempo, and this is truly a misbegotten but quite droll example.  Thank you so much for the (presumably) unintentional humor. It brightened up a rather gloomy day in my world.


As for the parts:I played the piece exactly as it is printed in Walter Kaye Bauer's "Familiar Music for the Mandolin".
As for the tempo: this is a beginner's tunes thread, not a "show off your mando skills thread".
Glad to have brightened up your otherwise gloomy day.

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DavidKOS

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## JeffD

What is cool about this is that each of us in our recommendations figures all mandolinners must know this stuff. Who doesn't know this stuff.

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## journeybear

Oh my!  :Disbelief:  I hadn't realized this was _your_ version!  :Disbelief:  I thought this was a vid clip you found on youtube. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings.  :Redface:  I'm not in the habit of intentionally doing that to members. Strangers posting stuff on the web - sure. It's our new national sport.  :Wink:  But I try to be considerate toward people with whom I interact on a daily basis, and wish to be accorded the same courtesy. So please accept my apology, and if you can glean any constructive criticism from my observations, so much the better.

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## crisscross

Apology accepted! I'm in the course of arranging that tune for fingerstyle ukulele and just added some mandolin to the backing track I had recorded for that purpose. I'm well aware that the tempo for having people dance at a sposalizio should be a little faster. something like this 

 (an Irish-Italian Wedding)

Concerning the initial question: I don't think that playing a certain instrument just for fun obligates the player to know a canon of tunes. This is not studying literature and having to read the master works of world literature. Just play what pleases you.

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## DavidKOS

> Oh my!  I hadn't realized this was _your_ version!  I thought this was a vid clip you found on youtube. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. .


And accept my apology too.

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## journeybear

> Concerning the initial question: I don't think that playing a certain instrument just for fun obligates the player to know a canon of tunes. This is not studying literature and having to read the master works of world literature. Just play what pleases you.


Yes to all that. There is no canon of music specific to the mandolin, nor even if there were, an obligation for a player to learn it. What there is, though, is a loosely defined list of musical pieces _assumed by listeners_  to be known by players, derived by a process of popularization of certain pieces associated with the mandolin by the general public with their cursory knowledge of the instrument and its uses. In other words, people not very familiar with the mandolin may have heard the mandolin here and there, and assume certain things from what little they know. We're talking about _their_ expectations, not ours.  :Wink: 

I think the OP is looking for some insight into material that would fall into that category, and we have been providing him with some suggestions that more or less fall in line with that. I'm not sure how much these Italian melodies play into that, but it's one area in which instrument and repertoire correlate very nicely.

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## crisscross

No need to apologize, I am aware of the fact, that the tempo is too slow, might be more of a divorce tarantella. :Wink: 

Maybe it would be good to narrow down the choice to tunes that sound good when played unaccompanied on the mandolin. I mean, to play chords on the mando and sing the melody is fine, but the choice is so large and the result depends more on the singer's ability to sing than on the mandolin part.

For easy instrumental tunes on the mandolin, there are different categories:

1) Old time fiddle tunes: https://www.oldtownschool.org/classe.../fiddle/tunes/
 There are those who participate in OT jams who are better qualified than me to judge which tunes are essential. Surely depends on  where the jam takes place.

2) Celtic tunes: jigs, reels, hornpipes, waltzes, marches, that may or may not have started out as vocal songs and sometimes crossed the atlantic and started a new life as an American old time tune. http://www.celtic-sheet-music.com/
Among them O'Carolan tunes who are halfway between classsical composed music and folk music.

3)Traditional Italian Songs like O sole mio, Come back to sorrento, Santa Lucia...

4)Russian tunes like Dark eyes, Midnight in Moscow, Kalinka...

5)Tunes from other parts of the world, for example the catalan folksong El testament d' Amelia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1JFvSsaAJg or El Condor pasa https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIKQTXVzrL0

6) Easy swing tunes like St. James Infirmary, Back home again in Indiana or Limehouse blues(don't let the improv scare you, the melody is pretty simple) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4Y_0cPWX_s

7) Then there's the vast sector of classical music, starting with easy renaissance pieces like Greensleeves, baroque pieces like those menuets in Anna-Magdalena's notebook, easy pieces by Beethoven(Ode to Joy), Brahms (Lullaby) or Mozart(his Longing for spring works fairly well as a jig). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFVH5aciN9s

8)House, Hip Hop, Death Metal...just kidding :Wink:

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DavidKOS

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## journeybear

Well, E, looks like you've got your homework assignment. There will be more to come, but get started on these. Keep us posted on your progress. And remember, there could be a spot quiz at any time!  :Grin: 

I like your point about playing unaccompanied melodies on the mandolin versus using mandolin as rhythm backup for singing. The former plays into the theme here more directly, and is something I am constantly aware of during the restaurant gig. And also when constructing a standard solo for my songs, knowing full well that, if playing a solo solo, it has to be able to carry all the info - rhythm, chord structure, melody - well enough that all that need be done is tap a foot - if that. Which reminds me - maybe I should work stuff like that into the repertoire for the restaurant. The Calypso stuff might not fly - though it is a Mediterranean-Caribbean fusion bistro - but some others. I've been thinking of ways to vary the act more. Hmmm ...  :Whistling: 




> 8)House, Hip Hop, Death Metal...just kidding


You say that now, but wait until darrlyicshon sees this. Because he is *not* kidding about metal mandolin!  :Cool:

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## JeffD

> 4)Russian tunes like Dark eyes, Midnight in Moscow, Kalinka...
> 
> 5)Tunes from other parts of the world,



Great list. I might add, or expand on the Russian to include Eastern European. There are some lovely Bulgarian tunes that are not very difficult.

I learned them, interestingly enough, because a friend's wife is from Bulgaria, and was surprised I didn't already know them. 

And there is a universe of Greek music to be played.

Oh and Klezmer, lets not leave that out...


Oh never mind.

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DavidKOS

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## catmandu2

> Maybe it would be good to narrow down the choice to tunes that sound good when *played unaccompanied on the mandolin*.


I'll weigh-in here.  I think crissX's mention here is a good one - considering the thread concerns (_appealing_ with the mandolin, generally); there're vast opportunities to play/perform publicly, if one has a good repertoire (and if one is comfortable with solo playing, etc).

The mandolin is great, as mentioned, in a variety of 'ethnic' styles.  However my interests here are assuaged by a variety of 'ethnic' (various folk idiom) instruments, so I rarely if ever play mandolin.  One style I might deploy with the mandolin is rags - something I play a lot on tenor/plectrum banjos.  These are particularly great for solo performance - and the style itself, if not an individual tune, often is 'recognized' or familiar to the general audience.  My favorites are Joplin, Jelly Roll, Ellington, Gershwin, et al. - excellent on banjo, but much can be adapted for mandolin too - like Climax, Beaumont, Grandpa's Spells, etc.

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## DavidKOS

> And there is a universe of *Greek* music to be played.
> 
> Oh and *Klezmer*, lets not leave that out...
> .


Both are on my list of faves!




> The mandolin is great, as mentioned, in a variety of 'ethnic' styles.  However my interests here are assuaged by a variety of 'ethnic' (various folk idiom) instruments, so I rarely if ever play mandolin.  *One style I might deploy with the mandolin is rags* - something I play a lot on tenor/plectrum banjos.


Which probably sounds great!

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## catmandu2

> Great list. I might add, or expand on the Russian to include Eastern European. There are some lovely Bulgarian tunes that are *not very difficult*.
> 
> I learned them, interestingly enough, because a friend's wife is from Bulgaria, and was surprised I didn't already know them. 
> 
> And there is a universe of Greek music to be played.
> 
>  Oh and Klezmer, lets not leave that out...


There are probably some good folios in these idioms as well (for mandolin).  If not, the ones I have (for accordion) could be used - many simple, but beautiful, melodies..

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DavidKOS

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## journeybear

Which reminds me - A lot of those country dance tunes from the Abruzzo I mentioned some time back are actually accordion pieces. I found that out much later, after I was well into working them up, when I managed to find the CD they were transcribed from. And there I was, thinking how suitable they were for the mandolin ...  :Whistling:  Well, they still, are, being mostly in G and in a typical style, plus some of the fingerings feel very natural. But I had a good chuckle over it at the time.  :Wink:

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DavidKOS

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## mandroid

Accordion player that  a friend accompanies on Guitar * 
Is kind enough to announce the Key the tune he isto be  playing Is .

Invariably it's C.    :Wink: 

*  Summer Solstice  Scandinavian Festival weekend ..

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DavidKOS

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## catmandu2

> A lot of those (tunes)...are actually accordion pieces.


Bear in mind that - the accordion is a rather 'modern' instrument, and many traditional tunes originate earlier than its invention.  Although, many trad/tunes _are_ associated with the accordion - as it has been assimilated in so many cultural forms as a trad instrument (many countries in S America, Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, Isles, Scandinavia, etc) - likely by virtue of the efficacy of the instrument, and its subsequent prevalence in the music.

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DavidKOS

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## journeybear

True enough. It will be celebrating its 200th birthday in just a few years. However, the tunes I mentioned are original compositions, judging by the attributions on the sheet music. They are written in typical traditional forms - quadriglia, tarantella, mazurka, giga, sbrando, brando, furlana, saltarella, etc. - which follow compositional rules related to their associated dances. So, then, a mixture of traditional and original influences, but probably not exactly "folk" but "folk-style." BTW, FWIW, and MOOT.  :Whistling:

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DavidKOS

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## crisscross

OK, points taken. Klezmer, Bulgarian, Greek, Ragtime will be included. Reminds me, I have a Klezmer fake book which has some pretty complex pieces, but there are simple Klezmer tunes like Kol Dodi or Dona Dona that will surely work for a beginner. About Greek and Bulgarian folk I know next to nothing.
How about Pop/Rock vocal songs played instrumentally? Well, with most instrumental versions of vocal songs of this genre, I see the problem that the melody of most pop/rock songs simply isn't strong enough. It's more a vehicle to carry the lyrics and sounds good in context, but when played on its own is a little dull. But there are some Beatles songs the melody of which really stands on its own, like Yesterday or Penny Lane.
A genre we havn't considered yet is film scores and theme music.
One tune that the more elderly will surely recognize,and which is also a good exercise in boom-chucka, chucka-boom alternate picking:


It's played on electric mando here, but also works on acoustic.
Other ideas in this genre? Pink Panther should work.
Or Hawaii Five O.

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DavidKOS

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## catmandu2

> How about Pop/Rock vocal songs played instrumentally?


I do the Mongo classic Oye Como Va, and Johnny B Goode (P Tosh version) on charango - infectious (easily elicits audience response); also medleys of Pinball Wizard, Jumpin Jack Flash, some Kinks...these tunes are so well known - and with famous guitar riffs - as to not require much vocal for success - I typically just sing one and maybe half of the 2nd verse (typically cant remember more) plus chorus...albeit, they're killer on charango, so perhaps it's the instrument itself too -

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DavidKOS

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## crisscross

> and with famous guitar riffs


That would be a new category: famous guitar riffs and intros played on the mandolin, like the intro of Hendrix' Hey Joe, the Beatles' Day Tripper (works well in G) or Enter Sandman.

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## catmandu2

Ah you kids today..   :Wink: 

Some of my favorite 'rockers' on bouzouki/OM are Moonlight Mile, Four Sticks, Kashmir...but then, just give me 12-string guitar -

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## crisscross

Another possible category would be well known guitar instrumentals like "Samba Pa Ti", "Walk don't run" or "Apache"

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## JeffD

> There are probably some good folios in these idioms as well (for mandolin).  If not, the ones I have (for accordion) could be used - many simple, but beautiful, melodies..


I have been pursuing traditional French fiddle music (not French Canadian). Its difficult, because there wasn't a Francis O'Neill to collect it all. I found a series of French accordion books I really like. But still, its not the same tradition.

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## journeybear

BTW & FWIW, my old band used to do a mini-set of 1960s surf instrumentals, including "Apache." Others included "Pipeline," "Walk Don't Run," "Surf Rider," and "Misirlou," which we ended up separating from the mini-set (discarded) and merging with "These Boots Are Made For Walking," somehow.

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DavidKOS

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## Petrus

While searching about for titles to fit this thread, I ended up learning Boccherini's Minuet this weekend.  I think it's pretty familiar to most people (along with Bach's Minuet in G) and not hard to learn.  If you find some of the intervals difficult (as I did) just play the top line note.  (That 3rd fret on the A and 7th fret on the D, in the fourth measure, is quite a stretch!)



(Click on pic, then click again for larger size)

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## DavidKOS

I love this piece, and that's a nice mandolin arrangement.

But it's been transposed from the original key of A and is missing sections.

Here's a couple other versions:

Original full E Quartet:  http://imslp.org/wiki/Minuet_in_A_ma...herini,_Luigi)

violin 1 all:  http://burrito.whatbox.ca:15263/imgl...48.violin1.pdf

score of the Minuet:

http://petrucci.mus.auth.gr/imglnks/...core_parts.pdf

flute solo version

http://www.flutetunes.com/tunes/boccherini-minuet.pdf

better solo arrangement (not free)

http://www.sheetmusic2print.com/Bocc...in/Menuet.aspx



http://www.sheetmusic2print.com/Medi...lin/Menuet.pdf

I still didn't find the best solo version with all the melodic material on one part.

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Petrus

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## JeffD

I play the transcription that is given in the Suzuki violin book. I forget which volume. I actually performed it once.

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DavidKOS

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