Chord question: are Irish GDAE tenor chords the same as mandolin?

[Skip23]

Hi,
I've recently started learning the tenor guitar and banjo, both tuned 'Irish' GDAE. I've also just bought a mandolin to learn on... my question is: are Tenor GDAE chords the same (same shape on the same frets) as mandolin chords?
I have a GDAE tenor chord bible, but my online searching for mandolin chords throws up a hundred different chord shapes for a mandolin 'A' chord, some the same as my tenor book, some not. Half my head says they should be the same (same notes played, therefore the same chord sound), but the other insecure half says I'm making a howling error somewhere!

Hope someone can help... I just need to know if I can use this chord book with the mandolin or if I need to buy another.

Thank you!

[Bertram Henze]

Due to the larger scale length, not all mandolin chord shapes can be done easily (or at all) on tenors and OMs. But that is an anatomic limitation, not a tonal one. Try which mandolin chords you can do on the tenor and use them.
Don't worry, the only thing howling would be you after stretching your hands too much.

[DavidKOS]

Yup, like he said, the shapes of the chords are the same, but the fingerings will need adapting based on your hand size. Not all will work the same - there are some stretches in Munier and Calace that would be pretty near impossible on a tenor banjo scale.

[Skip23]

So if I've been learning the chords on the tenor scale, the chords will be the same but less of a stretch when I start on the mandolin? It should arrive tomorrow, can't wait to get started!

[Bertram Henze]

So if I've been learning the chords on the tenor scale, the chords will be the same but less of a stretch when I start on the mandolin?

Once you get used to the generous space on tenor fretboards, your fingers will stumble over each other on the cramped tiny mandolin.

[Scott Tichenor]

I'm working on a tenor guitar and banjo chord resource as we speak. Don't have a time frame for finishing but should be online in a few weeks. Only doing this because I already wrote from scratch a program that creates these for mandolin and mandola so it's just a matter of fitting the right chords into it.

One of the issues I have with a lot of online chord generators is that too many of the chords just don't make sense because either the creator wasn't a player or they're basing the chord on a mathematical formula--can't imagine why some of these goofball chords would be presented otherwise. And, you really don't need 16 different G chords, just the ones that make sense. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that most everyone will not play the big mandolin G chop chord on a tenor guitar or banjo unless they're just wanting to show off--and have exceptionally long fingers.

[Skip23]

I'm working on a tenor guitar and banjo chord resource as we speak. Don't have a time frame for finishing but should be online in a few weeks. Only doing this because I already wrote from scratch a program that creates these for mandolin and mandola so it's just a matter of fitting the right chords into it.

One of the issues I have with a lot of online chord generators is that too many of the chords just don't make sense because either the creator wasn't a player or they're basing the chord on a mathematical formula--can't imagine why some of these goofball chords would be presented otherwise.

I'm glad you said that, because that's what I was thinking when I saw some of the chord charts online - that they were theoretically 'right', but kind of impractical or clumsy.

Anyway, thanks all for your help - and for that link Scott as I didn't even know that section of the site existed - great resources!