Introduction

  1. MacAoidh
    MacAoidh
    I know i pinched this from mandolins in Europe but I think it will be a good way to start

    Who are you and where do you live?

    How long have you played mandolin?

    How many and what kind of mandolins do you own?

    What kind of music do you play on the mandolin?

    Which players are your main inspiration?

    Do you play in a band?

    Do you have any sound or video files to share to show your style of playing?
  2. Bertram Henze
    Bertram Henze
    Ok MacAoidh (is it pronounced MacEee?), since I made the suggestion maybe I should jump in the water first.

    #1 I am me, I live in Germany, and I have an inexplicable mental tilt towards the Western Isles of Scotland (but homeless language-wise: I have been identified as Irish in Scotland, as Amercian in Ireland and as Canadian in England).

    #2 I have played mandolin and tenor banjo since 1984 and play OM since 2004.

    #3 My "working" instrument is a Flyde Touchstone OM; for travels I also have a hotel-room-friendly practising tool, a modified Traveller Ultralight Guitar.

    #4 Irish and Scottish dance tunes (incl. Canadian ones); also fingerstyle Song accompaniment

    #5 I guess Andy Irvine got me going, though my playing is different from his.

    #6 My wife and I form a makeshift "band" ("feadog airgead") for small occasions now and then, but mainly I play 3 or 4 pub sessions per month.

    #7 Loads of them, here and here.
  3. Mike Anderson
    Mike Anderson
    Thanks for starting this up MacAoidh! Here you go:

    1) I use my real name on forums since I'm impossible to find if I should make someone psychotically angry at me online. I live in a suburb of Vancouver, BC but was born and raised in Alberta.

    2) I am an absolute hack at this stage sorry to say; play accompaniment, not just strumming but working out different picking patterns but am now engaged in a serious effort to play session tunes. Picked up cittern in 1998 and played in an Irish/Scottish/Atlantic Canadian band for a few years, then gave it up for the demands of fatherhood (wish I hadn't in retrospect) and am back into it for the long haul.

    3) No mandolins, but I recently acquired a nicely modded Trinity College bouzouki from a Forum member. Have ambitions to get something much better.

    4) Irish, Scottish, Atlantic Canadian tunes and songs (I also sing and play bodhran pretty well, and am thinking of 1-row melodeon; always been a guy who wants to play it all).

    5) Definitely Andy Irvine, our band played a fair bit of Planxty. Also Donal Lunny with Bothys and Michael Holmes with Dervish, I love his style of accompaniment.

    7) No band at present but intend to get one together in time. Play in a session that runs every Sunday that includes all the styles I enjoy.

    8) Not yet, can certainly see posting some this year. Be forewarned: I'll be singing for sure.
  4. Dave Weiss
    Dave Weiss
    Dave Weiss, Sutton, Alaska (USA)

    About 5-6 years, self taught and still muddling through it.

    I own a very special Big Muddy...

    Mostly Scottish/Irish, I play from Nigel Gatherers TOW books almost exclusively.

    I'm inspired by "good" mandolin players. Not just technically good, but musically good...

    Solo

    No recordings (yet)
  5. MacAoidh
    MacAoidh
    MacAoidh is Scottish Gaelic for MacKay (pronounced Mac "eye" ) . I suppose I should introduce myself as well. :p

    #1 I am Mark and I'm from the Scottish Highlands. I was brought up listening to Scottish music but I have a very wide taste in music.

    #2 I played a wee bit of guitar but I mainly play mandolin and have done so for 2-3 years. I also play a brass instrument called the Euphonium.

    #3 I have 2 mandolins. A stagg m50e and a Fender mandostrat. I generally choose the play the fender more even though it only had 4 strings.

    #4 I mainly play Scottish tunes with a mixture of Irish ones as well

    #5 Listening to bands like The Corries and Gaberlunzie made me want to play mandolin

    #6 I play with a group of friends in my local church band

    #7 A work in progress :p
  6. James Rankine
    James Rankine
    Thanks Mark for setting this up.
    I'm James, an exiled Scot living in Leeds.
    I was a punk rock guitarist in my youth and got into traditional music through the Pogues. I bought my first mandolin in the early 90s which sounds like I should have mastered it by now but in truth I was never more than a guitar player who could play a few reels on the mandolin. Career and bringing up a family got in the way and playing music took a back seat until recent years. No formal training on stringed instruments but Piano lessons both as a child and adult. Signed up with Mike Marshall for the mandolin and the Irish Music academy which gives you access to all the instrument lessons- currently learning tin whistle but also spend way too much time watching lessons on instruments I will never learn but it does help to see where other musicians are coming from. Mandolin has been my main instrument now for 3 years.

    My instruments: Jimmy Moon, Eastman 815 and 504, Ozark 2242e, Old GDR arch back, Tom Buchanan tenor Mandola and Irish Bouzouki. Three tenor banjos and way too many guitars.
    I play in a Ceilidh band - mainly Scottish and English tunes and virtually no Irish, not for any political reasons just that the melodeon player is a morris dancer and has a DG melodeon which can't do the quick runs needed for Irish music (the standard melodeon for this is a BC and they play "across the keys" to play in D and G - whatever that means - actually I know what it means - those Irish academy lessons again!). Originally played melody in the group on mandolin or tenor banjo but took over rhythm on Irish Bouzouki when the guitar player dropped out. Play mandolin in the local church group. I've gone over to the bluegrass dark side and joined a slow pickers Jam. Attend the local Irish session as a spectator only as I'm not quick enough for melody session playing (it's fairly brisk round here) and I don't want to join the vast ranks of rhythm players.
    I love the transatalantic sessions on TV - love the mix of styles and they are all great musicians. Mandolin players I like : Mike Marshall, Chris Thile and Tim O'Brien (as an all round musician), Bouzouki Donal Lunny and for Irish tenor Banjo I worship at the alter of Angelina Carberry - I live just round the corner from the Oakwood workshop that made her banjo - by chance not in some obsessive creepy fan way!).

    My you tube Channel
  7. Paul Brett
    Paul Brett
    My name is above, I’m from Kilkenny, Ireland. Born in Dublin grew up in Kilkenny.

    Not 100% when I started playing mandolin. My mothers family had a ceilli band so I was alway picking up the different string instruments, guitar, banjo and double bass but a relation had a mandolin and he introduced me to Planxty and that was the start.

    My current mandolin is a Jimmy Moon A2, very happy with it. I also have a tenor banjo, a mandolin banjo, a “few” guitars, a tenor guitar converted into a OM, an acoustic bass and am trying out a fiddle.

    I play Irish trad tunes and folk songs. I do like the raft of new English folk bands out there and get most of my folky inspiration form the transatlantic sessions.

    Andy Irvine would have been my first mando hero. These days with the easy of search online there are too many to mention. Can’t mention mandolin without the name Chris Thile, I saw him in Dublin a few weeks ago and he was amazing. Simon Mayor is always doing great stuff and I’ve been impressed with the 2 albums I have from Dan Beinborn. I love Tim O’Brien just because he makes playing look easy. The best album I bought this year was Kevin Griffin - Eoin O'Neill - Quentin Cooper, Live at the Burren Centre, Kilfenora

    I play in a few different settings. A 2 piece Irish ballad group, mandolin and guitar. A trad session with too many accordions and a country/trad/ballad/rock/seventies pop acoustic group for fun once a month. I play in a retirement home once a month which is where I get my repertoire of old Irish songs and am hoping to start a duo with a fiddle or flute player.

    https://soundcloud.com/paulbrett
  8. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Live on the shores of the Holy Loch on the Firth of Clyde - not actually on the shores as I have progressed to a house nowadays!

    Been playing guitar since my teens and mandolin family instruments for many years.

    I have been building instruments as a hobby since about 2004, having attended Anniesland College stringed Instruments Course after I retired from teaching in our local secondary school here.
    Play my own builds - mandolin, octave, bouzouki and tenor in my possession at the moment and this changes as I build and instruments are acquired by interested players.

    I mainly play Scottish and Irish music, both tunes and songs and I play at present in a band called The Old Bores (a long story involving someone who was responsible for advertising one of our gigs who confused the words "boars" and "bores" and we liked the idea and it just stuck!). Played previously in different bands and in different styles.

    Many influences and not all are mandolin players by any means - I really admire Kevin McLeod's playing and many others too (many are regular posters on the SAW group) and also several of the good fiddlers and accordion players who abound in Scotland today. we have a thriving scene here now and it is great to see all the new talent emerging.

    Links to YouTube channel here: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheOldBores

    and Soundcloud here: https://soundcloud.com/user9128887
  9. Francis J
    Francis J
    I'm Frank O'Brien from Kilkenny Ireland. Hi Paul!!

    I've played mandolin since I was 12 or 13 years of age, beguiled by an old english banjo-mandolin which my uncle played in the kitchen. I've had quite a few instruments in my life, starting with an old German cheapie mandolin in my teens, followed by a Peter Abnett mandolin, a gibson pre- war A1, a solid electric by Chris Larkin, an Eko Bouzouki, a mandola and a bouzouki by Jan Muyllaert, several guitars, bass, electric guitars, ukulele, dulcimer, a fiddle, and a Yamaha Guitalele to name but a few!!

    I presently have one mandolin, a Joe Foley flatback model, with lots of projection, for competing at sessions with all the louder stuff! I also have a Joe Foley bouzouki.

    I play mostly Irish Traditional music, but dabble in allsorts from Beatles to Brahms.
    Andy Irvine, Donal Lunny , Declan Corey, Brian McDonagh all contributed twoards my addiction, and Angelina Carberry, Damaris Woods, Adam Steffey, Sierra Hull and Sarah Jorosz , are people whom I admire,as well as hundreds of others, many of whom contribute to this incredible community.

    Dont play in a band any more but have done in many, everything from folk groups and church choirs, to rock bands and everything in between.

    Have some Youtube music at https://www.youtube.com/user/frankobrien27
  10. gortnamona
    gortnamona
    hello all, Lawrence Molloy from Belfast, came to the mandolin late, when i walked into a local music shop and bought a cheap one on an impulse just after my 40th birthday, knew nothing about the instrument and was thinking i could learn to strum along to some irish tunes. considering my only musical experience prior to this was playing drums in punk bands, i can't really complain about my progress, although the list of what i do wrong is endless. traditional music and Irish language has always been very strong in Belfast so been around the music all my life and was delighted to find out recently my grandmother played the mandolin. playing a Capek basic at the minute, awaiting a Alan Mayers walnut/lutz flat top, also have a small tenor made by Alan and a sully tenor banjo

    a quick warts in all run through of Pay the reckoning

  11. abuteague
    abuteague
    #1. Trevor from Western Mass.

    #2. 21 years. I sarcastically told people I wanted to spend my summer near a large body of water playing a high pitched instrument. Someone gave me a mandolin from their closet as a gift then and there. I feel I must qualify that for most of that time I sounded horrible and sometimes I still do. It is only by the grace of persistent friends who would drag me to rehearsals that I ever played in public.

    #3. I just have an A5 Mix.

    #5. Irish

    #6. I don't pick favorites really. I either like it or I don't and sometimes things I didn't like yesterday I find I like today. I like a good fiddle player now and again.

    #7. I play in a college band for Irish dancers.

    #8. Well, I turn on the camera and I forget how to play. I suddenly have a death grip on the pick. I turn off the camera and it sounds great. Does anyone know why that happens?

  12. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Good to see the group expanding. Trevor the problem you mention, that of recording nerves, has been the topic on a lot of discussions and you are in no alone in this. The "Blinking red light syndrome" is very common among us all and it seems to be the thought that what you are doing is somehow destined for a much wider audience by virtue of being recorded. When we play live, odd slips disappear as we progress through the tune, whereas with recording, something in the brain tells us all our errors are being clinically noted and are there for all to hear. Most of my finished video offerings are the result of many takes!
  13. abuteague
    abuteague
    Recording devices are humbling because they tend to tell the truth without exaggeration. I do find myself analyzing the tune instead of playing it when the record button is pushed. Curious.
    I've enjoyed listening to the recordings of those who have shared them. They don't have to be "clean" for me to enjoy them so by all means, do try to record yourself if you haven't yet.
  14. Bertram Henze
    Bertram Henze
    The audience to fear most behind the camera is yourself. Recording means preparation of that ultimate embarrassment: to cringe at your own playing; it's like building a psycho bomb - no wonder there's fear.. Make peace with yourself - it improves life in many aspects, not just with recording.
  15. Niall Anderson
    Niall Anderson
    Who are you and where do you live? Niall Anderson, from Edinburgh in Scotland.

    How long have you played mandolin? 2-3 years or so, with a little more time before that on bouzouki and cittern

    How many and what kind of mandolins do you own? A 10 string mandolin from Paul Shippey, a cittern and a 10-string bouzouki from Nigel Forster, and a Nordic mandola custom-made by Fylde based on instruments made in Sweden by Christer Adin and Ole Soderstrom.

    What kind of music do you play on the mandolin? Mainly Scottish, but starting to learn some Swedish tunes too.

    Which players are your main inspiration? Lots - Dagger Gordon, Kevin Macleod and Nigel Gatherer for mandolin, Aaron Jones and Eamon Doorley for bouzouki, and Marit Falt, Ale Carr, Ale Moller and Daniel Fredriksson for cittern and låtmandola.

    Do you play in a band? No, much to the relief of audiences everywhere. I play (quietly) in a couple of sessions around Edinburgh.

    Do you have any sound or video files to share to show your style of playing? See previous answer.
  16. Richard Eskite
    Richard Eskite
    Who are you and where do you live?

    Richard Eskite, Pacifica, California

    How long have you played mandolin?

    Just over two years.

    How many and what kind of mandolins do you own?

    Northfield F-2, Collings MT, Eastman 815V, National RM-1 in Walnut. One each.

    What kind of music do you play on the mandolin?

    Mostly Irish Traditional, but some Scottish pipe tunes from memory. I played the bagpipe in my youth.

    Which players are your main inspiration?

    Marla Fibish, Dave Grisman, Mike Marshall, Martin Hayes, James Eagan, Alisdair Frasier, The Chieftains. To a lesser degree, Flogging Molly, Dropkick Murphys, The Pogues, Lunasa, Beolach.

    Do you play in a band?

    No.

    Do you have any sound or video files to share to show your style of playing?

    Not at this point.
  17. Shelldrake9
    Shelldrake9
    Who are you and where do you live?

    I'm Finley Mullally, living in the small town of Perth, near Ottawa, Canada

    How long have you played mandolin?

    I'm really a guitar player who picked up the mando 20 years ago and can't seem to put the damn thing down.

    How many and what kind of mandolins do you own?

    I have my first mando, a 20-year old Aria with McIntyre pickups which has been ridden hard and put away wet lots of times and still sounds okay. My main mandolin is a recent creation of my friend and bandmate, Sal DeMeo, who has just finished building his first mandolin. Very dark, rich tones. I have a Kentucky solid body which I play through an effects rack which is lots of fun. Last month I bought my first bowl back off eBay: a 1909 Lyon and Healy that is having it's neck reset.

    What kind of music do you play on the mandolin?
    Original Folk, Canadian roots, irish and Scottish, a little classical.

    Which players are your main inspiration?
    J.P. Cormier, Chris Thile, Sarah Jarosz, Avi Avital, Mike Marshall,

    Do you play in a band?

    I have a band called the Riverthieves (www.roverthieves.com) and also play in the Blue Skies Community Fiddle Orchestra with my sons, 13 and 11 years old.

    Do you have any sound or video files to share to show your style of playing?

    Here's one of a song I wrote. I play my Larrivee 00-05 guitar and my old Aria beater for this one:

    /Users/finleymullally/Dropbox/Riverthieves/Bandit Queen/bandit queen.m4a

    Thanks for putting this community together.

    Finn
  18. woodenfingers
    woodenfingers
    Who are you and where do you live?
    Bob Anderson - Native to Canada currently in Indiana, USA

    How long have you played mandolin?
    About 3.5 years. I'm a refugee from fiddle. Played accordion as a youngster, guitar in college (folk, bluegrass), fiddle in the 90s (Celtic), retired 3.5 years ago and picked up the fiddle again. Sounded awful as you would suspect with a long lay-off. Never found the fiddle particularly physically comfortable to play and decided I needed frets so that got me into mandolin.

    How many and what kind of mandolins do you own?
    Just one, so far... Eastman MD515

    What kind of music do you play on the mandolin?
    Whatever comes up. Over here a mandolin = bluegrass. I like acoustic music in general and love bluegrass instrumentals. I never liked the traditional bluegrass vocal style though. New bluegrass is great. I love playing 'fiddle tunes', Celtic, Scot, Cape Breton...

    Which players are your main inspiration?
    None specifically. Mike Marshall, Chris Thile etc are great but I don't spend enough time studying anyone per se. Probably a mistake on my part but in many ways I think they are too far above me for me to learn too much from. I joined Mike Marshall's Artistworks group to learn more bluegrass and because he is a 'multi-cultural' mandolin player.

    Do you play in a band?
    Not a 'band' but I am a regular at several jam sessions - mostly bluegrass, OT, country. I am in a jam at least once a week. Also play in a trio I got going. Me, a classically trained violinist, and a guitarist. We play a little bluegrass, more celtic, and anything else that strikes our fancy. Even a (very) little Bach. We are all in a local Art Gallery and we play in the Gallery for customers once a month or so.

    Do you have any sound or video files to share to show your style of playing?
    I have frequently posted to the SAW group and therefore have videos up on Youtube at: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UChNr...?feature=watch

    I like following the people in this group to find new music for me to play and for our trio to play. Keep it coming!! Thanks
  19. Mike Anderson
    Mike Anderson
    Three Andersons out of 18 entries...the reproductive powers of the far-flung Anderson clan must never be underestimated.
  20. Ambrianbrosia
    Ambrianbrosia
    Who are you and where do you live? I am Brian Smith, I live in Dublin Ireland, Spend a lot of time in Kinvara, Galway

    How long have you played mandolin? I have played mandolin for just about a year now, but have played guitar and other instruments (music in general) all my life, I am also a songwriter and study songwriting in music college, but mainly now-a-days I mostly play mandolin and bouzouki, with a dash of whistles.

    How many and what kind of mandolins do you own? I have 3 mandolins in total, and 1 bouzouki and 5 guitars. I own two mandolins made by Tom Walsh from Kinvara, Galway. I also own a 30 year old ibanez mandolin bought in an auction, and set up by my uncle who is a maker.

    What kind of music do you play on the mandolin? I play Irish trad music, bit of folk here and there, and the odd noodling of tunes by the likes of Chris Thile and Matt Flinner (everyone should look up 'Black Fork' by Matt Flinner)

    Which players are your main inspiration? Declan Corey, Gerry O'Connor Andy Irvine, Donal Lunny, Brendan O' Regan, Chris Thile, Matt Flinner, Alec Finn, John Colfer, Paul Kelly

    Do you play in a band? Not in any fixed band, but I play in temporary bands set up for occasions and whatever the need may be

    Do you have any sound or video files to share to show your style of playing? Here is a video of a bit of noodling I was doing earlier, messing around with a tune I'm writing at the moment for my bouzouki (on a real bouzouki trip lately), still working on arrangement and instrumentation, will have more when it's finished. B.

  21. Ron Cox
    Ron Cox
    Who are you and where do you live?

    Ron Cox I live in Fredericksburg Virginia, USA

    How long have you played mandolin?

    I purchased my first Mandolin in 1990 Just to learn Loftus Jones and the Minstrel Boy. Still working on Loftus Jones

    How many and what kind of mandolins do you own?

    I am back down to two until my Eastman comes home.

    What kind of music do you play on the mandolin?

    I have dabbled in Bluegrass, but my loves are Celtic and Olde Tyme music.

    Which players are your main inspiration?

    Mick Maloney. Had another hero, but he turned out to be a Zero

    Do you play in a band?

    Not yet, but hoping soon

    Do you have any sound or video files to share to show your style of playing?

    Same as previous answer.
  22. Anglocelt
    Anglocelt
    Who are you and where do you live?
    Kevin Thomas, living in West Yorkshire

    How long have you played mandolin?
    More than 40 years, although it does not always sound like that. My folks migrated from Ireland to Birmingham in the 1940s, hence my inherited interest in ITM.

    How many and what kind of mandolins do you own?
    Too many! I have a collection of vintage instruments - mainly Gibsons and pre-1930 English makers. I mostly play modern American-made f-hole mandolins having converted from the oval-hole types mainly preferred by 'celtic' players. My favourite is an Old Wave (Arizona-made) mandolin and I also like my Trinity College octave mando. I also haul out a tenor banjo when I need to make more noise.

    What kind of music do you play on the mandolin?
    Any tunes that sound good to me on the mandolin - Irish, Scottish, Northumbrian, French-Canadian, Swedish, American ragtime & old-time, etc.

    Which players are your main inspiration?
    All the usual Americans and Irish/ British players named by others. My first inspiration was Dave Swarbrick who I saw in Birmingham with Ian Campbell and later Martin Carthy - Swarb is an underrated mando pioneer I think. I keep finding new exciting players and bands at gigs in northern England, especially bouzouki players for some reason, but any kind of instrument can inspire me, even accordeons.

    Do you play in a band?
    Occasionally in a ceili outfit but mainly in pub sessions around West Yorkshire where many competent ITM players can be found

    Do you have any sound or video files to share to show your style of playing?
    Not yet. Too busy playing old tunes and learning new ones - often from other people's sound and video files!
  23. Ben Cooper
    Ben Cooper
    Who are you and where do you live?
    Hello! Ben Cooper here and I live in Henniker New Hampshire, USA

    How long have you played mandolin?
    I am mainly a singer, or at least I have been for the past 40+ years, but I have played Mandolin for just over a year now. Still a relative newbie and due to life intruding on practice time, I am still not very good yet.

    How many and what kind of mandolins do you own?
    I have at least 3 older bowl backs (a no-name, a Bruno and a Venture).
    Also a Fendar FM-100
    And... my main instrument is a beautifuul Girouard A

    What kind of music do you play on the mandolin?
    I play all kinds of music, but I love the sound of Celtic music on the mandolin so I am trying lots of different Celtic tunes as well as all those from other genres.

    Which players are your main inspiration?
    That is a tough one. I like Dagger Gordon, Planxty, Dropkick Murphys, John Paul Jones.... anyone who plays music that I like to listen to. As someone mentioned before, not just those who are good "technicaly" bot thiose who tug at my heart and make my soul want to dance.

    Do you play in a band?
    Not with the mandolin yet, no. Until recently I sang and played harmonica/percussion with a rock & roll cover band. I do practice some duet stuff with a friend though.

    Do you have any sound or video files to share to show your style of playing?
    Not yet. Still want to be somewhere close to halfway decent before I do that!

    Thanks for this group! Looks like a great place to learn more about one of the styles which is truly inspiring me to play!
  24. PaulBills
    PaulBills
    Who are you and where do you live?

    Hi, I'm Paul and I live in Brampton, just on Hadrian's Wall.

    How long have you played mandolin?

    Well...I got my first (only, so far) mandolin as a Yule gift off of my other half about 6 years ago, and put it away for the last 4 years, so...

    How many and what kind of mandolins do you own?

    I have the one, a Stagg M30

    What kind of music do you play on the mandolin?

    good question! Erm... I was first turned on to the mandolin after hearing Nickel Creek, so I've been working on them, although most of the time I'm transposing from guitar tunes I already know - 'Love Spreads' by the Stone Roses sounds amazing on the mandolin! I'm learning quite a few old 70's folk numbers, Steeleye Span, Pentangle etc

    Which players are your main inspiration?

    Chris Thiles, mainly.

    Do you play in a band?

    No, but I am the only mandolin player at the folk night in my wee town

    Do you have any sound or video files to share to show your style of playing?

    Pffft NO! Maybe when I'm a bit more confident there will be though...


    Well, that wasn't so scary...
  25. Urbo39
    Urbo39
    Bonjour à tous !

    My first name is Bruno.
    In first I ask you to be lenient with my English whom I practise moderately.

    I am French, and I live in the mountains of the department of the Jura which I like! I am 55 years old, my wife has the same age and we have 2 girls and 3 little girls!

    I have played of the mandoline for 3 years. I began with “The Loar 370 VSM”. I am fond of the Irish airs particularly. I played of the guitar for a long time and in particular of rhythmic in Irish! I also tease Bobro and occasionally the bodhran!

    I do not play any more groups some but I start to attend “slow folk session” of rish.

    My musical tastes were mainly influenced by the years rock'n'roll & folk of the 70 '

    I will not delay to share a video!
    Greetings with all, and the pleasure of reading you.

    Bruno.
  26. Mike Scott
    Mike Scott
    Hello all. I am Mike from Bend, Oregon. I am a newbie to Celtic music, but have been playing mandolin for about 7 years, drifting among various genres. I finally came to the realization that bluegrass wasn't my thing and am pretty amped for ITM. Working on several new songs. Hoping to go to a session next week to get acclimated. I also play guitar (finger style stuff). Currently trying to find a suitable mandolin for this type of music.
  27. Jill McAuley
    Jill McAuley
    Who are you and where do you live?
    Jill McAuley, from Dublin, but living in the States (San Francisco Bay Area) for the past 7.5 years.

    How long have you played mandolin?
    Started playing mandolin in January 2009, but played tenor banjo before that (started in 2007), and also guitar and drums in punk bands since I was a young one. I was very active here at the cafe for a number of years but have had about a 4 year hiatus from the mandolin.

    How many and what kind of mandolins do you own? At one point I always had two mandolins minimum but now I'm down to one - a 1927 Gibson Ajr that I just got. I also have a 1920's Lange made Triple X tenor banjo, and 3 drum kits!

    What kind of music do you play on the mandolin? Irish trad exclusively.

    Which players are your main inspiration? Angelina Carberry, John Carty, Mick Moloney, The Bothy Band, Marla Fibish, Enda Scahill.

    Do you play in a band? I play drums in a band called "All My Pretty Ones". Might play a bit of mandolin the next time we record.

    Do you have any sound or video files to share to show your style of playing? Here's an old one on banjo:


    and the most recent on my new Ajr (very rusty, but I'm getting there!):
  28. Bertram Henze
    Bertram Henze
    Feels like old times already, Jill.
  29. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    Good to meet you here as well as over on the SAW forum.
  30. Bob Michel
    Bob Michel
    Hi everyone,

    New member of Mandolin Café here, though I've lurked for many years. Here's my questionnaire:

    1. Who and where? Bob Michel, just outside Philadelphia (my home town), USA.

    2. How long? I learned the rudiments way back in the mid-'60s, but quickly strayed to guitar and other instruments. I started up again in (I think) 1994.

    3. How many, what kind? I have a bunch. Well, a small bunch. Probably my favorite is a 1912 Gibson A-4, though I'm also lucky enough to own a Sobell which handily takes care of the Volume Problem at sessions.

    4. What kind of music? Lots of different styles, some better than others. My musical comfort zone is folk/traditional, but I work hard at expanding it.

    5. Inspirations? Pretty much all the usual mando suspects, I guess, from Bill Monroe to Norman Blake to Jethro Burns to Mick Moloney. It'd be a long list.

    6. In a band? Sometimes. And often in sessions. But where performance is concerned I'm more of a soloist.

    7. Sound or video files? Sure. Here are a couple hornpipes I uploaded just for fun about a year ago.

    Very happy to meet you all.

    Bob Michel
    Near Philly

  31. Michael Pastucha
    Michael Pastucha
    Who are you and where do you live?
    Michael Pastucha, born in Munich, Germany and now residing in Beaumont, California (near Palm Springs).

    How long have you played mandolin?
    Joined my first bluegrass band in 1972 as the mandolinist… didn't really know how to play then, but I'd been playing guitar since about 1965, so it wasn't long until I figured out enough to hold down the mandolin spot. Never stopped playing or learning since then.

    How many and what kind of mandolins do you own?
    My favorite mandolin is an old Japanese made Kentucky mandolin. There's also a 1913 Gibson F2, a National RN-1 and a solid body, 5 string electric mandolin built from a kit.

    What kind of music do you play on the mandolin?
    American old time, bluegrass, Irish Traditional, Scottish tunes and blues.

    Which players are your main inspiration?
    Bill Monroe, Roland White, Doc Watson, The Chieftains, Martin Simpson, and many more.

    Do you play in a band?
    I've been in one band or another since 1972 (mostly acoustic). Presently I'm in a duet with a good friend and we play all kinds of old time, bluegrass and blues. I also belong to a virtual band called the Saw Mt. String Band.

    Do you have any sound or video files to share to show your style of playing?
    All of my recorded music is here: https://www.youtube.com/user/Stuche51

    Here's some of the Celtic tunes I play: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...bF_rqyMR-H44mU

    Here's the Kerfunken Jig played as a duet on mandolin and guitar.



    Brian Boru's March is the first Irish tune I learned a long time ago from the Chieftain's second album.



    Nice meeting all of you... "old friends" as well as "new friends"!
  32. John Kelly
    John Kelly
    What a lift you are getting in to your hornpipes, Bob. Great picking! Michael, your playing as always is a joy to listen to. loved your intro here to Brian Boru's March - so simple yet so effective.
    Great stuff from you both here.
  33. jimmeee
    jimmeee
    Hmmm not to much activity in this thread but....
    I'm Jimmy and I live in Cornwall. Have done for the last 25 years but originally from London.
    I first borrowed a mandolin about 30 years ago. The guy i borrowed it off moved away and left me with it. I messed about with it for a few years, mostly on my own or with friends untill it got stolen :-( my ex partner gave me a very poor quality one to replace it but i barely played it. Time went by i played lots of music just not on the mandolin, then a couple of years ago a friend bought herself a mandolin and asked me to show her a couple of tunes. Then I went out and bought myself a better mandolin (but still a cheapy) discovered mandolessons.com and now I play pretty much most days.
    I only own the one mandolin but 7 squeezeboxes, a guitar,banjo,uke,whistle and a couple of concertinas.
    I play squeezebox in a morris dance band and my mandolin in folk sessions about once a fortnight.
    I play almost exclusively Irish tunes on my mandolin.
    I don't have any files of my playing - I should rectify that. I
  34. K_Tech51
    K_Tech51
    Hi, I"m KR and live in Columbia, Maryland - near Baltimore. I've been playing mando for almost 3 years, and grew up playing flute. I play mostly Irish tunes with an occasional Old Time thrown in for variety. I"m hoping to broaden my scope eventually -- but Irish really appeals to the melody player in me, and it's a favorite anyway. I've been learning tunes by ear -- which is a whole new skill for me....and working on getting the guts to play in a session. I need the beginner band version :-) Cheers
  35. GlasgowScotland
    GlasgowScotland
    Who are you and where do you live? John Houston, Glasgow Scotland

    How long have you played mandolin? Play mostly guitar but some mandolin last 40 years approx.

    How many and what kind of mandolins do you own? Flatiron 2K, Eastman MD914 and Fylde Octavious bouzouki.

    What kind of music do you play on the mandolin? Anything that takes my fancy from scottish/irish tunes to mainstream pop/rock.

    Which players are your main inspiration? Changes from time to time - currently Joe Val, Simon Mayor and Chris Thile

    Do you play in a band? No sessions only and solo for personal amusement.

    Do you have any sound or video files to share to show your style of playing?
  36. Ian Young
    Ian Young
    Who are you and where do you live? My name is Ian and hail from Minneapolis, MN.

    How long have you played mandolin? Wish it were longer! To be honest got bored with guitar and started up last spring.

    How many and what kind of mandolins do you own? Just the one, my Oscar-Schmidt Washburn OM12b. Picked it up cheap online, local music store set it up. Plays and sounds great in my untrained ear!

    What kind of music do you play on the mandolin? Mostly jigs, and good ol' pub songs. I try to throw a bit of old-timey in there too.

    Which players are your main inspiration? Chris Thile is someone who really made me appreciate the sound and versatility of the mandolin.

    Do you play in a band? Jam group, nothing official.

    Do you have any sound or video files to share to show your style of playing? Not yet, someday hopefully
  37. Sweet Harry
    Sweet Harry
    Hi there - There hasn't been much activity on this thead and I am sort of new to MC and this forum - kind of daunted at posting but think maybe this is the best place to start....

    Who are you and where do you live? My name is Harry and I live in East Sussex, United Kingdom.

    How long have you played mandolin? About 30 years

    How many and what kind of mandolins do you own? I have a Paul Hathaway (one of his first from 1991), a Seagull S8, an Octave Mandolin and a 110 year old Octoviolia (sort of 12 string Mandola with mandocello/mandola pairings - bit of an expriment..)

    What kind of music do you play on the mandolin? Mostly Scottish and Irish however lately quite a bit of regional English, Welsh, French, Canadian, Swedish and even some Chinese...

    Which players are your main inspiration? started wth Bill Monroe, also Andy Irvine but many others...

    Do you play in a band? occasionally - not really much time - music is a relaxing release for me...

    Do you have any sound or video files to share to show your style of playing? I have a youtube channel - I am currently attempting a 2019 tune-a-day challenge on the mandolin - just done day 47 which is intense but improving my recording nerves and repertoire...

    The videos can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuA...0PSBVIg/videos

    I am an acupuncturist is my day job and I wrote a few tunes (played mainly on the mandolin) inspired by acupuncture points which stream from here: https://sweetneedleman.wixsite.com/s...music/my-songs

    And here is "If I get a Bonny Lass" back from Day 32...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8hREvlkiOo


    There - that wasn't so bad as I thought it would be.....

    Harry
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