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Thread: Best Beginner Book

  1. #1

    Default Best Beginner Book

    Is there a good book for someone who is completely new to the mandolin, but not music. I know there are a number of threads on this that are a few years old, but nothing very current, so just looking if there are any new books that might be a good one to start with.

    Just for comparison, on the banjo, I have the MelBay The Banjo Encyclopedia and am also getting the The Complete Tune Playing Toolkit for 5-String Banjo by Jamie Francis., I'd like to find something similar to these but for the mandolin.

  2. #2
    Registered User Bob Buckingham's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Beginner Book

    The American Mandolin Method by Ben Winship and Brian Wicklund from Mel Bay is pretty good. It teaches tunes with notation and tab and covers chords. Is ind of graded to so the tunes get more challenging as you go through the book. There is a second volume as well.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Best Beginner Book

    I'd submit that there are lots of good books and if you narrow down your focus a little you might get better suggestions. I'm guessing you might be interested in bluegrass since you also play banjo.

    Don Julin's Mandolin for Dummies is very good and fairly comprehensive. I might recommend Jack Tottle's Bluegrass Mandolin for somebody who is new to mandolin but not music--I think it pretty quickly advanced beyond beginner capabilities for people who are new to music, but it has a lot of good stuff and I've found myself returning to it as my skill increases.

    There are lots of others, but most of them I have not sampled.

  4. #4

    Default Re: Best Beginner Book

    Thanks both of you, and good comment about my focus. I picked up the mandolin because my wife does not share my enthusiasm and love for bluegrass. Being that she is also Italian, she said I could play her old Italian tunes on the mandolin though. So yes, I would like to learn BG on it, but also more traditional Italian folk style music with all the things that go with that (I'm sure Speak Softly Love) will be one I will try and learn early on.

    I think what I am looking for though is not just how to play a song, but HOW to play and build up my skills. Similar to what those two banjo books do. Yes, they have songs in them to make it fun, but there are drills (rolls, etc for the banjo) that you need to learn how to do to apply yourself and then do songs.

  5. #5
    Registered User J Mangio's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Beginner Book

    Many years ago, I started out with
    Teach Yourself Bluegrass Mandolin by
    Andy Statman.
    2021 The Loar LM700 VS

  6. #6
    Registered User Sue Rieter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Beginner Book

    I have Don Julin's book as well, and it has a lot of good information in it.

    A couple other newly published books that I got recently:

    How to Play Mandolin in 14 Days by Tristan Scroggins
    I'm not sure about the 14 days part, but he sure covers alot of ground in a skinny book.

    The Logical Mandolin Method by Stephen Williams
    Seems very, well, logical

    Not a book, but I took an online group class with Matt Flinner recently, Old Time 101. It was great but voluminous, the best instructional material I've tried yet. I've been working my way through the recordings of it for the second time, more slowly. Following his advice (which appears to be fairly common advice), I am trying to learn by ear, so my stack of music books, including the ones above are not presently getting much attention. There are so many directions you can go in, especially as a newbie; it can really start to make your head spin. You want to learn everything at once, and it just isn't possible. So Matt Flinner's class is what I'm focusing on. My husband has had to listen to me play the same two picking and tremolo exercises and the same two songs so many times recently. But I feel like it's paying off.
    "To be obsessed with the destination is to remove the focus from where you are." Philip Toshio Sudo, Zen Guitar

  7. #7
    Registered User Simon DS's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Beginner Book

    Quote Originally Posted by Sue Rieter View Post

    How to Play Mandolin in 14 Days by Tristan Scroggins
    I'm not sure about the 14 days part, but he sure covers alot of ground in a skinny book...
    14 days X 24hours/day =336 hours.

    336 hours is almost 3 hours a day for six months while taking a break at the weekend. That’s getting there.

  8. #8

    Default Re: Best Beginner Book

    Checkout Marilynn Mair's books on Mel Bay. They are geared more towards classical and have a lot of exercises kind of like you indicated.

  9. #9
    Registered User Chris Fannin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Best Beginner Book

    Yes, Marilynn Mair's book is great. It's The Complete Mandolinist. I just started playing mandolin and just got this book and I'm enjoying it. I had it spiraled at FedEx Office so it'll stay open. You'll need to read music. It has lots of classical music, and some of it has that Italian flavor you're looking for. There are also over 30 downloads to listen to and play along with.
    Last edited by Chris Fannin; May-04-2022 at 10:20pm.
    Eastman MD315 Mandolin

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