Non-Classical/Celtic/Bluegrass Mandolin addition to a band?

[subby13]

My current group plays a lot of top 40, 70's, and 90's covers. I'd like to diversify to mandolin (we have FIVE guitar players in rotation now) and had played tenor guitar (GDAE) years back, which I enjoyed before jumping to six strings out of former band necessity.

Does the Mandolin have a place outside of it's traditional genres (Bluegrass, Celtic, classical, etc)? I'd like to play in a 4 piece band or two man duo with a guitar and harmonize chords or play melodies and leads without adding too much of a bluegrass/celtic/classical flavor to the sound.

Any thoughts are appreciated!

[Zach Wilson]

Absolutely.

There are tons of pop/rock groups/songs that include mandolin.

https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...-songs-w-mando

Here's an ongoing list built over many years. Everything from REM to Led Zeppelin.

Most of my experience playing mandolin in a band has been outside of BG.

[Southern Man]

There are a lot of 70s covers that sound great on mandolin.

[Ranald]

Check out the categories under "Music by Genre" on the Forum page. There's plenty there.

[Paul Cowham]

One great thing about the mandolin is its ability to fit in with many genres, obviously it has a more central role in bluegrass and choro and to a slightly lesser extent Irish/Scottish and similar music, but can be great in a rock setting as with many others. As Ranald says, the range of genres included in this forum is testament to this.

[mbruno]

I don't believe any instrument is constrained to a specific genre. Some work better with certain genres, but it doesn't mean you can move outside those. Play whatever you feel on whatever you feel. Hell, there's bagpie's in blues, so why not - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W780LSQHbYY

My main band is Shakedown String Band. We play some bluegrass-ish stuff, but mostly dead type rock tunes. Check us out if you feel so inclined - https://open.spotify.com/artist/2qDUOg3u03Y1wEcyhROovl

[rickbella]

I like to jam with a guitarist-friend who plays Beatles, Stones, Creedence, Van Morrison, et al. I usually try to anticipate -- and maybe duplicate -- the accompanying licks and solos from the old recordings we know. Sometimes, I add what I thought the originals should have had. My friend appreciates my contributions.

So, in short, go for it. There's lots of room for you.

[Zach Wilson]

Some of my fondest memories are jamming with my childhood best friend, Mark on Zeppelin tunes. He'd play either 6 or 12 string and I'd play 8.

Later on I played in a coffee house style acoustic folk group (think goo goo dolls, sixpence, jars of clay) that was made up of 12 string, mandolin, six string and bass... lots of harmony singing.

If the guitar players don't mind using capos, cut capos or open tunings you can really create some wonderfully diverse music between just a few instruments.

[allenhopkins]

Ain't the instrument, it's how you play it. If you come from a pop-rock background, and are fluent in that type of music, you'll hear how mandolin would fit into the arrangements your band plays, and will adapt your playing style to produce the sound you want.

Having said that, be aware of the mandolin's treble voice, and look for ways that voice fits in your music. I would say that you'd have little trouble standing out from the sonic thicket produced by five (!) guitars.

Maybe you could convince one or two of the guitarists to take up bass, double on harmonica, even play tambourine. Just thinking about incorporating five guitars into an arrangement, gives me a headache...

[Mitch Stein]

I do this in my outlaw country band. When I play with them, I don't play in traditional bluegrass style most of the time.
Some songs you would have to be the one compromising and sometimes them. If you can imagine the song played by two acoustic guitars, the mandolin would cover whichever guitar was capoed.

I've had great success on songs where the band was willing to "come to me" and play songs like It's The End Of The World (as We Know It) as an acoustic song and failures like when they just had to play Gimme Three Steps as electric as the original leaving zero room for a mandolin to fit.