Re: Multi-Instrumentalist's Advice?
Most of my solo gigs involve guitar, 5-string banjo, ukulele and harmonica. I play mandolin in ensembles, along with mandola and octave mandolin. There are particular jobs that call for other instruments, such as concertina, Autoharp, Dobro, etc.
For example, I'll be at the Genesee Country Village Fiddlers' Fair over the weekend, and except for a couple of intro sets where I'll play guitar, banjo, mandolin etc., I'll spend most of the two days as the on-call main stage bass fiddle player.
Long ago decided it was versatility rather than virtuosity for me, and I've never regretted it. Lots of pickers around better than me on a particular instrument -- mandolin included -- but I'm a journey-person on all the instruments I play, and I do a lot of work.
Not recommending this course to anyone else, necessarily, just saying what's worked in my case.
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
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