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Thread: Learning to play Mandolin - A Beginners Happy Accident

  1. #1

    Default Learning to play Mandolin - A Beginners Happy Accident

    Just thought I'd like to share my experiences with anyone that is thinking of trying to learn to play a Mandolin or i guess any musical instrument really.

    Social media isn't something I use but wanted to contribute to a mandolin website so that it may benefit others the way I have by searching for mandolin and general music related stuff via social media sites and related web content. This may be my first and last post but thought i'd try it anyway. So here goes:

    About 7 months ago the in-laws thought it would be a good joke to hand me a surprise birthday present, it was something which they found clearing out my wife's grandparents house. Once opened none of us really knew what it was but looked like a banjo, none of us in either family play any instruments. The banjo only had 2 strings and was quite small, the father in-laws said it belonged to a friend of the family and has been in a cupboard for at least 40 years.

    Not knowing what to do with it i took up the joke and decided to find out more about it, clean it, try and re-string it and possibly get a couple of simple tunes for a laugh ba ba black sheep or twinkle little star. If anything my kids could have a good giggle at they're dad mucking about.

    It turns out this instrument was a banjo mandolin or banjolin. I was able to clean it up and put a new set of strings on it. 8 strings no less. Learning to tune this wee beauty was something else, i first started using an app which had a mandolin setting but i had nothing to compare it with or where the notes should be. Eventually I found a fingerboard diagram showing where notes and frets are, ok now we're off. The only tunes i could find were some simple cards my kids have for their toys and the first tune I tried was called 'ode to joy' and 'this old man'. The banjo mandolin sounded quite loud for such a wee thing but I liked it and it gave the family some amusement.

    Soon I couldn't put the thing down and enjoyed picking away at a couple of kids tunes but I now really wanted to find a couple of well known scottish tunes that weren't too difficult.

    Skye Boat Song was my first real Scottish song to learn. This was learnt by using Tabs which I didn't even know such a thing existed i always thought you needed to know all the proper notes and musical language.

    Fingers we're getting a bit sore though and found out the neck of the banjo mandolin was slightly bent resulting in a high string action which apparently is a common thing than can happen to mandolin type instruments. A fiddle player i spoke to briefly, suggested i try a beginners mandolin and i could always come back to the banjolin once i've learnt some basics. So the hunt was on for a mandolin that was 2nd hand and wouldn't cost much and save my little fingers. Unknown to me 2nd hand mandolin are a plenty so was able to pick one up really quick for £50 complete with gig bag, strap and chord book.

    For the past 6 months I've been learning to play on a stagg mandolin m20s.

    I learnt to restring and clean it up also but it wasn't long before the plastic nut broke off. Arrgh how do you fix that ? Again websites and you tube give some good info on replacing it and as the mandolin didn't cost much i gave it a shot. I replaced it with a tusq nut, however I had to shim up the nut slightly with some cut credit card and soon found the nut was just a wee bit wider than the old one this pushed the G and E strings nearer the edge of the neck, but was still playable. I managed to replace the nut believe it or not without having to take off the strings just by putting in temporary spacers (old wooden pegs stolen from the washing line) to raise the strings up out the way. All done and tuned up it sounded quite good and i felt the notes sounded better.
    Since then I've spent a lot of time adjusting the bridge higher to stop buzzing which seemed to be coming from the frets resulting in a higher string action.
    The neck on this mandolin i reckon is also slightly bent so I decided that id give the frets a file down and reduce the ones that were buzzing. On closer inspection i could see that a fret had been reduced by previous owner. But this time it was different ones causing the problem at fret 6, 7 & 8. Again I just raised the strings temporarily with spacers (folded beer mats this time) and gently filed the buzzing frets. All tuned up and cleaned and back in the game and i think sounded better than ever.

    I have now plucked away at a few brand new mandolins in shops and there is a big differenece between mine and a new one, mainly the increased pressure needed to press down on the strings to acheive the same note. Can't really play my mandolin for too long before big valleys appear on the fingers and bone not too far below - just grin and bear it he says - however when i went back to play a couple of tunes on the banjolin lately it felt a lot easier to play.

    I've been mainly learning Scottish/Gaelic tunes on my own but plans are to get along to some classes after the summer see what that's like and get a brand new mandolin (soon) which i will definitely not be chopping up to bits, that will be given to the experts to do any modifications - hopefully none.

    Getting better at reading some music by notes and just recently abc format as sometimes when you search for a tune all you get are a title and a load of letters and numbers but i found as long as you know the tune in your head you could quite quickly work out what the letters and numbers meant, however i have found using Tabs to get through and learn the tune much easier especially if there is an associated sound file and you don't really know what it supposed to sound like. Haven't learnt any tunes from you tube yet as i prefer to have the sound and a piece of paper in fron of me, you tube is great to watch how other people play the tune and their style of how they tend to the tune.

    As for plectrums i've tried loads. The one i like to practice with at night when kids are gone to bed is a thick felted plectrum it seems to mute the sound and i really like using this to play silent night or some slower tunes. Thicker plastic plectrums i don't seem to get as much of a tick tick plastic sound when i play but that could just be down to techinque. Thinner plectrums are great for playing faster tunes when your off to a flier.

    Learning the mandolin has also introduced me to loads more traditional and folk music which i don't think i would ever have listened too. And listening to my own record collection i'm hearing mandolin and banjo parts which i have never paid attention to before, quite amazing really.


    Sources of learning have been - Mandolin Cafe, Nigel Gatherer, Simon Mayor
    Fixing the Mandolin - You Tube
    New Music found - Greg Russell, Michael Chapman
    Old Music Collection Rediscovered - Martyn Bennett, Michael Marra, The Waterboys


    Still can't put the thing down

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  3. #2
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Learning to play Mandolin - A Beginners Happy Accident

    Beautiful story, Jomando. I'm glad you decided to make a post in this forum, and hope your new found passion continues to grow!
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  5. #3
    Registered User Louise NM's Avatar
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    Default Re: Learning to play Mandolin - A Beginners Happy Accident

    Your in-laws created a monster! Congratulations, and what a happy accident.

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  7. #4
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    Default Re: Learning to play Mandolin - A Beginners Happy Accident

    I found my mandolin in a junk store. It had no strings so the bridge was in the case pocket. They thought it was a wall hanger. For $30 she was mine. A set of strings and I was in business. Like you I have found the mandolin to be an addictive instrument. Enjoy your journey and thanks for posting about it.

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    Registered User Roger Adams's Avatar
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    Default Re: Learning to play Mandolin - A Beginners Happy Accident

    Welcome to the Cafe! Thanks for sharing your experience! Hope you will visit often.

    GA
    If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a vet.

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    Mediocre but OK with that Paul Busman's Avatar
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    Default Re: Learning to play Mandolin - A Beginners Happy Accident

    Good luck with your mandolin.
    Do get that banjolin checked out by a luthier and have it set up properly. You may have a real jewel there.
    For wooden musical fun that doesn't involve strumming, check out:
    www.busmanwhistles.com
    Handcrafted pennywhistles in exotic hardwoods.

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  13. #7
    Registered User Al Trujillo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Learning to play Mandolin - A Beginners Happy Accident

    Great story...a happy beginning! Thanks for sharing, and BTW, we all have big valleys and calluses on our fingers (won't be able to use your iPhone with that hand any longer).

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    Default Re: Learning to play Mandolin - A Beginners Happy Accident

    I too 'stumbled' into the mandolin (entire story in my blog post) - so I know the story and the feeling of becoming so quickly addicted.

    Welcome, play, learn, enjoy and keep us posted.

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    Orrig Onion HonketyHank's Avatar
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    Default Re: Learning to play Mandolin - A Beginners Happy Accident

    Nice story, jomando -- thanks for taking the time to post.

    I gather you are in Scotland or are of Scottish descent. I hope you have found thesession.org . If not, check it out. You mention Nigel Gatherer as a source. He is an active contributor of tunes at thesession (and a member here at mandolin cafe). Thesession uses ABC notation instead of tabs, but there is free software that can convert ABC to tabs (I use TablEdit, the free version of which is TEFView - both are available at tabledit.com ).

    Welcome to Mandolin Cafe. This is a good place.
    New to mando? Click this link -->Newbies to join us at the Newbies Social Group.

    Just send an email to rob.meldrum@gmail.com with "mandolin setup" in the subject line and he will email you a copy of his ebook for free (free to all mandolincafe members).

    My website and blog: honketyhank.com

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    Old Guy Mike Scott's Avatar
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    Default Re: Learning to play Mandolin - A Beginners Happy Accident

    First, welcome to the Cafe. Second, thanks for sharing your story. We all have them, but I always enjoy reading them. Keep picking and when you can, maybe get a well set up instrument. You’ll be surprised how much faster you’ll progress.
    Thanks

    Several mandolins of varying quality-any one of which deserves a better player than I am.......

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  21. #11
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    Default Re: Learning to play Mandolin - A Beginners Happy Accident

    Great story. Enjoy! There’s infinite fun in these little things.

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    Registered User Mando Mort's Avatar
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    Default Re: Learning to play Mandolin - A Beginners Happy Accident

    You never know in what new directions your life might move based simply on suggestion of something different. Great story and welcome to mandoworld...

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  25. #13
    Play on FredK's Avatar
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    Default Re: Learning to play Mandolin - A Beginners Happy Accident

    Thank you for sharing this. It's a great story. Can't wait to see where your journey with the mando takes you. And, yes, welcome to the Cafe!
    "If your memories exceed your dreams, you have begun to die." - Anonymous

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  27. #14

    Default Re: Learning to play Mandolin - A Beginners Happy Accident

    I play mandolin today because after seeing one in a farmer's market group, my grandson who was three at the time, marched up to grandma and told her I needed to buy one. So what was I supposed to do?
    Silverangel A
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    Registered User Tim N's Avatar
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    Default Re: Learning to play Mandolin - A Beginners Happy Accident

    It sounds as though you are a natural!
    "What's that funny guitar thing..?"

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    Registered User Randi Gormley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Learning to play Mandolin - A Beginners Happy Accident

    fantastic story -- hope you come back to the cafe to chat and let us know how things go. and you may find cafe members living somewhere near you for first-hand help/suggestions/lessons!
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  33. #17

    Default Re: Learning to play Mandolin - A Beginners Happy Accident

    Thanks everyone for all the great comments and links will be checking them out. And yes based here in sunny Scotland. Stumbled upon the session website very recently whilst searching for dunsford fancy.

    Slainte

  34. #18
    I really look like that soliver's Avatar
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    Default Re: Learning to play Mandolin - A Beginners Happy Accident

    Great story!... my story is slightly similar, esp regarding finding an interest in loads of traditional, folk and old time music.

    Congrats of learning a new skill and have fun!
    aka: Spencer
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  36. #19
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    Default Re: Learning to play Mandolin - A Beginners Happy Accident

    When I was 16 my father said he had heard Bill Monroe playing mandolin and laid the law down that I should also learn to play one, my brother was playing guitar at that time, many years later I am still learning...There are spots on that fret board that my fingers have never touched...

    Willie

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