Re: Your favorite mandolin tuning tips?
I played fiddle for years before I started mandolin. Both have the same tuning. When I began, people around me tuned their violins: A first, then E, D, and G, in that order, using the sound of two strings at once to test proper pitch, based on getting the A right. There was much more ear tuning in those days. When I started mandolin, people around me tuned their strings: G, D, A, E, in that order. Now, I tune my fiddle, A, E, D, G, and my mandolin, G, D, A, E. There's no logic to this, just custom. I'm not recommending anything. By the way, I usually sing best in the key of D, and can find a D note (not perfect pitch, mind) in my head by singing the open-string notes of a mandolin or violin, a skill I developed after ears of tuning my instruments. And, as someone mentioned, the "V" for violin on your electronic tuner is set up for the notes of a mandolin as well.
Robert Johnson's mother, describing blues musicians:
"I never did have no trouble with him until he got big enough to be round with bigger boys and off from home. Then he used to follow all these harp blowers, mandoleen (sic) and guitar players."
Lomax, Alan, The Land where The Blues Began, NY: Pantheon, 1993, p.14.
Bookmarks