Poll - what musical style do you primarily play on mandolin?

[robert.najlis]

jazz, klezmer, classical, fiddle tunes, bluegrass, choro

[mandocrucian]

ROCK (excluding metal)

Vintage Honky Tonk/Rockabilly/Country Boogie/Bakersfield/Western Swing/Country-rock

R&B/Blues

UK-Irish/Scandinavian & other European folk

[Mike Snyder]

ITM, Scottish pipe tunes, old old-time, new old-time, contra dance, rags, cakewalks, 60s and 70s radio rock, bgrass gospel, and as little hardcore bluegrass as possible.

[Ron McMillan]

Along with the occasional diversion into ITM and a very little Bluegrass, I obsess over blues. Currently trying (without too much success) to acquire some chops from Josh Turner's great version of Hendrix's Little Wing. [Note that he has lowered the tuning of his mandolin by a semitone to get the authentic E-flat Hendrix key.]

[Pete Braccio]

Irish Trad (which ends up as Blues if I let my mind wander)

[Ivan Kelsall]

Bluegrass,
Ivan

[Pittsburgh Bill]

Country Western
Folk
ROCKABILLY
But none as well as I would like.

[Ausdoerrt]

Rock, mostly celtic-influenced. Looking to do some classical as well, but skill is lacking for now. May branch into metal if I find a way to make it work

[John Soper]

Mongrel Folk music (Americana) with forays into Bluegrass and Proto-Swing/Jazz. Also bring the mandolin into a Rock group.

[Purdy Bear]

I've only been playing just over a month and 1 week, so it's still early days for me, so I can only say it would be music I like:

1. Classical - I'd love to do Purcell's funeral march on the mandolin
2. Anything celtic and folk tunes, as well as old English like Greensleeves.
3. Fiddle type music, I guess that would include blue grass

In fact probably anything except Jazz which I hate, and I'd like to write my own music as well. I prefer to be able to play solos rather then accompaniment.

When I played the flute, my teacher had me playing some awful modern stuff as well, and nope I wont be playing that either, it was so like Jazz it put my teeth on edge. The only Jazz (type) I do like is Scott Joplin and rag time, everything goes in the bin.

Purcells Funeral March
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWRcx9LHBJU


Scott Joplin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2szcDyn5g78


PS I've just found the violin music for Purcells, so here it is, it looks within my current skill set so I'm going to have a try:

http://www.8notes.com/scores/16618.asp

[Timbofood]

Gee JB if that sends me to my corner, I may never come out.
I avoid tunes like that which I have heard massacred by well meaning but, misguided playing. I also tend to shy away from anything which is hugely popular, give me something more obscure, I heard a great version of "Red Rubber Ball" done by a northern Indiana Bluegrass band that was really tastefully done. Oooo, won't you rock me?
Well, no I won't.
To my corner.

[crisscross]

Hm...let me think! I'd say: cassically influenced TradJazz with a hopefully Italian sense of tone and maybe the slightest BG inflections. Or something like that.

May branch into metal if I find a way to make it work

This and a solidbody electric mando should work. For powerchords you just need one finger when playing a mando.

[Eric C.]

When it's my turn: Traditional Bluegrass.

When it's someone else's turn: A watered down mix of Bluegrass, Country-Western and Wagon-Wheel.

You play a mean Hank/Old Time Country.

[Teak]

Teak -

Like "St. James Infirmary" and tunes by Scott Joplin?

Haven't gotten around to those yet.

Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone/My Four Reasons/Five Foot Two (done as a medley)
I Found a New Baby
Autumn Leaves
St. Louis Blues
The Glory of Love
Pennies From Heaven (grandson loves this one)
Ain't Misbehavin'
Don't Get Around Much Anymore
I Got Mine
How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live

On my to-learn list:
China Boy
Swing 39
Limehouse Blues

I like songs that also have lyrics since I play with guitarists mostly who want to do pop and country songs. But they do like the choices I bring to the mix.

[Teak]

ITM, Scottish pipe tunes, old old-time, new old-time, contra dance, rags, cakewalks, 60s and 70s radio rock, bgrass gospel, and as little hardcore bluegrass as possible.

What are "cake walks"?

[FLATROCK HILL]

You play a mean Hank/Old Time Country.

Well, that's mighty nice of you to say Eric. I love the old Country and as you know, especially Hank!

If the OP's question was "what musical style do you primarily play on guitar?", that would have been my answer.
As far as mandolin goes...put it this way...I still want you to teach me your version of 'My Last Days on Earth'.

[Jim Gallaher]

Gypsy Jazz

[mandopops]

By myself, I play "Pop" Music. "Pop" meaning Jazz, American Songbook, and Rock Standards. Also, I like to play Blues & Classical & Italian & Fiddle tunes.
Oddly over the last few years with others, I've been mainly playing Bluegrass. I went to a few jams and was asked to join a couple of Bluegrass bands. So I jam, rehearse, and do gigs playing Bluegrass. Ironic, since it's not my favorite Music and I don't think that I'm that good at it.
That's Show Biz.
Joe B

[Ausdoerrt]

This and a solidbody electric mando should work. For powerchords you just need one finger when playing a mando.

I was thinking more along the lines of acoustic(-sounding) mandolin injected into metal. Amplified distorted mandolin is too much of a mini-guitar for my taste, loses a lot of its flavor. So I've been mulling over folk-metal or maybe something along the lines of ambient/depressive black metal, which often uses acoustic instruments alongside distorted guitars.

Although I do already have a tube preamp custom-built for my violin that'd work just as well for any other instrument you can plug in

[DroneAlone]

Old time!

But I will some day tackle Bluegrass and Blues, and maybe some Bach (Cello Suites)

Peter

[Emmett Marshall]

Whatever sounds good to me - seriously. Roots Reggae and European TV Themes?

[Randi Gormley]

ITM, classical (heavy on the baroque), a touch of choro and gypsy melodies. And the occasional pop song when it comes up.

[Toni Schula]

Bluegrass, oh yes. But I would not really call it Bluegrass, when I play Bluegrass (my improv is too straight forward, my top speed only tops the slowest BG ballads
Still this is my primary style.

Old Time, yes. Fair old Old Time

Celtic, yes a little bit

Some (Gipsy) Swing, from Django to Bob Wills...

Klezmer, yes a tiny little bit. Actually end of October I plan to play some together with a clarinet and tuba, hopefully.

Choro is on my todo list. Santa Morena sheet music is on my desk and fellow memeber Zak Borden's recording in my YT favorites

other: many tunes played just the other way, lately. Tom Dooley in minor key, The Circle with funky rhythm, etc. I have found some very talented musicians (much better than me) for such experiments.

Then I try to play some tunes from the balkans for their unusual rhythmic signatures.

[catmandu2]

Yes, there's something about this music: it's not the 'harmony,' obviously, nor even polyphony...

In replying to foldedpath's mention of the allure of IT/celtic/gaelic/etc - not long after writing this last night I should have perhaps elaborated, for it is indeed 'harmony/polyphony that constitutes so much its allure. A subtler and more basic form perhaps, and often softly-stated and implied, but the transitions through modes, melodies - not to mention rhythmic figures - is of course polyphony/ harmony. Duh

[ilovemyF9]

Celtic & Bluegrass