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Thread: General Beginner

  1. #1

    Smile General Beginner

    Hi everyone,
    about two weeks ago I bought my first mandolin, and I already love it. I'm not very musically oriented, but playing music is my dream, I have trien and quite many instruments (the piano, the sax, the ukulele) but I'm determined to stick with the mandolin. I have also been playing the banjo (on and off, and not very dilligently, for the past two years) but because I do alot of traveling, I wanted something a bit more portable, and after doing a bit of research (listening to Bill Monroe, The Punch Brothers, watching online tutorials) I fell in love with the mandolin. But because I am currently living in an area where the mandolin is non-existent, the only way to learn is by myself through reading, youtube, etc. That is why I would appreciate ALL the commentary I can get/links to sites, tabs, chords etc. Take a stoll down memory lane and let me know everything you thought to be very useful when you got your first mandolin.

    A few specific questions I have: firstly, I don't really like picks, I know I need to suck it up, but I just prefer playing without one. Will that be possible? or will it ultimately hinder my ability to get better and learn new things?
    Ultimatley I would love to be able to "jam" with others, but qs I said, I,m so musically illequipped, the dream seems nearly impossible, but what are things I can do to make it happen?
    What is the best way to begin; strumming or picking or whatever else?
    Basic music theory as well, I'm completely niave to all that.
    ANy general comments about the instrument itself (ex: tuning, strings, up keep, care)

    absolutley everything and anything is helpful, i have fallen in love with my mandolin and i never want the flame to die, and i want to know as much as i possibly can about it.
    [my mandolin is a Kentucky A-stlye with an oval hole (which I know is more for celtic music, but i want to learn every kind, esp bluegrass and folk)]

    Thank you so very truly much
    Last edited by Kaitlin; Dec-09-2013 at 11:34am.

  2. #2
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
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    Default Re: General Beginner

    While there are exceptions, I think its safe to say the "convention" for the mandolin is to use a plectrum. Its not as versatile as the guitar in that respect.

    On the rest, read everything and anything you can on the café. It really is all here, somewhere.

    The journey is more than half the fun. Enjoy your beginner status, where everyone is sympathetic and you can screw up and smile. Where the most obvious observations are a sudden delight. Soon enough there will be performance expectations and (at least in my experience) things change.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

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  4. #3
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    Default Re: General Beginner

    Yes, using a pick is almost a must...About jamming, see if you can find another person that is also a beginner and set up a day each week to jam together and make a vow to bring a new song with you each week...when traveling it will be a tad harder to find others that are in your same learning stage but if you do find a jam and don`t feel comfortable just slip into the back ground and do your best, things will soon start to fall into place...

    Learn how to make all of the chords at different places on the fingerboard and that will help you greatly when picking out the melody....It is not rocket science but it takes time, practice and patience....Good luck...

    Willie

  5. #4
    Registered User Mike Arakelian's Avatar
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    Default Re: General Beginner

    A good number of people on this forum have used Mandolins For Dummies as a reference book, learning guide, etc. Since your mandolin journey is starting from square one, it would be a good first step for you. If it's not available at a local book store, you can order on-line at Amazon.com. Good luck and welcome to the Cafe.

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