Octave mandolin lessons for beginner

[Big Bird]

Hello wise people,

Could I ask for some advice?

I took up mandolin around 6 years ago - learned tablature and after a year or so was able to play a little but found that stress and job pressures meant couldn't dedicate enough time to it so I sold my lovely Kentucky instrument and haven't done anything since. I am now semi-retired and have decided to buy an Octave Mandolin - partly because I'm quite tall and it feels more of a good fit and also because I love the deeper sound. However I find that I have forgotten virtually everything I learned so my question is this: are there any resources for beginners learning Octave mandolin or is it just a question of following standard mandolin lessons - are the lessons usable for octave scale? Are the chord shapes completely different?
Thank you

[Hudmister]

The octave mandolin tuned (G,D,A,E) has the same scales and chord shapes as the mandolin but due to the wider fret spacing the fingering to play the scales and chords is where the differences occur. Chop chords like a four finger G chord are not for octave mandolin so often the selection of tunes and styles of playing is different. If you have large hands, you may enjoy the OM more than a mandolin. Much of what you previously learned on mandolin may come back to you and be helpful in learning the OM.

[allenhopkins]

Due to the larger neck and more widely-separated frets. four-string "closed" chords are quite a bit more difficult on an octave mandolin. Also, some players (me) find it more difficult to play fast melody lines on the OM. I look at the octave mandolin as a different, though related, instrument from the mandolin. I play mine differently, and give it a different role in ensembles where I play it -- more rhythm and less lead, lots of chords with open strings, bass runs and low harmonies behind a lead instrument. Having said that, there are players who are much more agile and speedy than I, and who use their OM's for lead.

The chord fingerings are the same for octave mandolin as for mandolin, as noted above; you'll have to determine through actual playing, which chords are suitable for the larger OM fretboard. You can, in general, use the same tablature. There's a Mel Bay book for "octave mandolin and bouzouki," which might be of some use to you.

I was playing mandolin for about ten years before I acquired an octave instrument. Just had to adapt my approach to the different physical characteristics of the larger "mandolin."

[Sheila Lagrand]

Don Julin has two self-paced video courses for octave mandolin available on his site, Mandolins Heal the World. It's via subscription, monthly or annual. He offers a 7-day trial period before you subscribe.

He's a great teacher.

[CES]

While I absolutely recommend John McGann’s book, it’s more of a repertoire building book than a beginner’s instruction book. There’s certainly a lot to be learned in it but it’s not a method book, per se. To be fair, OM probably ranks 4th (maybe 5th depending on whether I’m practicing uke at all) in terms of instrument proficiency for me, so there’s that perspective to consider. I’m still working through that book a couple of years into this journey, lol. I 100% recommend buying it and using it, just know going i that it’s not really a “How to Play OM” type of resource.

I do love the OM, though, and before everything locked down I even used it in our praise band at church when I wanted to establish a solid rhythm in the guitar range (but just different enough) and knew my (much more talented than me but inexperienced) young guitarists would need some help doing so. I also play a lot of the same fiddle tunes I play on mando, but the fingering is different (which is covered by the McGann book), so it takes some adjustment. Your pinky will become invincible!

I know there are a couple of online OM courses (at Artistworks or Peghead Nation, maybe), but don’t know if they’re for beginners. You may have some luck looking for Irish Bouzouki lessons/books. They’re a longer scale than OM, typically, but the 2 can be approached similarly (though I’m sure there are some Zouk players who would argue vehemently that they’re very different instruments). Roger Landes (Zoukboy on here) may be doing some online lessons. I sent him a pm a few years ago regarding a Herb Taylor instrument I was considering, and he was extremely helpful answering my very beginner questions. Also, for me, the 20 inch scale length is much more manageable than 22.5 or longer, at least for melody playing. I wear large gloves but don’t have long fingers).

It’s actually not a bad thing that you’re coming at the OM fresh. While the theory translates from mandolin, they really are 2 different instruments, and I can see how approaching it like a “big mando” can result in a lot of frustration…best of luck!!

[bigskygirl]

There is a whole ‘nother thread about Matt Flinner and his OM course that begins soon. I’d recommend signing up for that, lots of material and videos and while it may be over your head now you get to download everything and have them for later reference.

[Bill McCall]

There is a whole ‘nother thread about Matt Flinner and his OM course that begins soon. I’d recommend signing up for that, lots of material and videos and while it may be over your head now you get to download everything and have them for later reference.

And he’s a great teacher, well organized, great supplemental material.

[mandocello8]

Hello wise people,
I took up mandolin around 6 years ago ... now ... decided to buy an Octave Mandolin ... are there any resources for beginners learning Octave mandolin?

Congratulation on your choice of axe. No easy answer for your question. Depending where
one comes from, one will see the octave mandolin as many different things,
all not quite satisfactory, all making player somewhat unhappy:

- "om is a just big mandolin", then try to play chop chords, cannot do, it's too big.
- "om is a 12-string guitar tuned in 5th", then try to play bar chords (wrist ouch!) and closed position melody (cannot do, on guitar all notes are within 4 frets, on om, within 6 frets, cannot reach without shifting).
- "om" is a bass guitar tuned in 5th (no comment, me no bass player)

So, all minuses, we send the thing back to the maker? No. Learn mandoliny things
from mandolin books, learn guitary things from guitar books. Go to every mandolin workshop,
every guitar workshop, every cello workshop. Try to do what they do, see what sticks.

Learn things special to the OM - drones, 1-finger chords, shifting positions, etc - by watching other OM players (live and on youtube), by taking lessons (I found Keith Murphy, Emory Lester and Matt Flinner especially relevant) and by playing. Take your axe to the local bluegrass or irish jam and bang away! Join a mandolin orchestra, a contra dance or ECD open band! Go to an open mike! Busk!

If you get stuck, ask away. Q: how do I play "Live and let die" on OM?, A: nothing easier,
watch Jim Richter do it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VddRR_eoCSQ

[allenhopkins]

Good advice above. I'd just add, "buy a capo."

[urobouros]

I think of the OM like the mandolin with more sustain. It's like when I slip into my childhood drawl while talking to my parents. I drop a finger or two on chords when the reach gets too far, and add a couple extra slides, hammers, pulls & bends to get through the changes. Of course, that's how I think I sound. It's prolly more like drunken slurring but that's why I practice

[Big Bird]

Thanks Hudmister- hopefully what I learned will come back to me.

[Big Bird]

Thanks for your reply. I will have a look at the book you recommended

[Big Bird]

Thank you - I've had a look at the site you recommended and it looks great - I am going to subscribe this week .

[Big Bird]

Hi
Thanks to everyone who replied I really appreciate all the advice. I was trying to respond individually but it doesn't look like that's possible. Anyway thanks again- what an amazing forum

[Jonathan Ward]

There's a really good Homespun video entitled The Mandolin and Bouzouki of Tim O'Brien, which I picked up maybe 15 years ago. It really helped me transition to playing octave-tuned instruments.