Learning mandolin and music theory?

[Jill McAuley]

Exactly - no one is saying "Don't learn theory!" - rather some of us are saying that the OP doesn't need to learn theory before he dives into learning how to play - the two things aren't mutually exclusive, he can start coming to grips with basic stuff like good playing mechanics, learning easy tunes AND simultaneously start learning theory. Lack of theory knowledge shouldn't be an obstacle to picking up an instrument to learn. Kids in school aren't taught theory first and then allowed play an instrument - they learn the two things in tandem.

[Ranald]

That being said, I found it a great deal easier to practice scales, a useful skill, after someone explained to me why I should do so, that is, on the most basic level, so that whenever I play a new tune in D or G, for example, I don't have to search around to find the correct finger positions. Interestingly, I learned that in a workshop on theory by Calvin Vollrath, an outstanding fiddler and composer who can't read music and who has no formal musical training. Before that people just told me to practice my scales, never explaining why.

[Bill McCall]

Theory will avail itself to you as you progress. Don’t worry about it.

I suspect you sang nursery rhymes as a child with no theory knowledge. You can pluck notes on a mandolin with the same approach. Why/how chords are built will bring in theory soon enough, same with understanding scales.

Understanding the biomechanical framework of the left and right hand operation is the best theory knowledge for beginning players. Don’t hurt yourself.

Good luck. Have fun.

[ralph johansson]

Having said that, Mandolin is a great way to start learning music theory because of the even spacing of the strings in "fifths." After a few weeks of study you can play scales in all keys, transpose keys, and shift from major keys to minor keys, all of which are things taught in college music theory classes.

But more important than theory is having fun. Pick a beginners book in any genre you like and go at it!

Most of us would say that the ideal instrument to learn theory is the piano, because of its range and harmonic versatility. And, of course, it possesses none of the "symmetry" of the mandolin. I regret never learning that instrument. The guitar is where I learned (about) music, with a practical range covering all of grand staff plus one ledger line above and above. It is, of course, much richer in harmonic possibilities than the mandolin. I think it's important to know more than you can produce on your (main) instrument.