Results 1 to 20 of 20

Thread: Bringing my mandolin to a jam for the first time

  1. #1
    small instrument, big fun Dan in NH's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2021
    Location
    Nashua NH
    Posts
    838

    Default Bringing my mandolin to a jam for the first time

    I have a monthly acoustic barn jam I’ve been attending for the last couple of years. We sit in a circle and take turns calling songs. Whoever calls the song leads the playing in the singing. We pass the solo around the circle, play the outro, and then the next person in the circle calls the song.

    Most of the songs we call are all Creedence Clearwater, Jimmy Buffett, Bob Dylan, Hank Williams, and Johnny Cash. Not a single bluegrass or fiddle tune in the bunch.

    So far, I’ve always brought my acoustic guitar. I’m no great shake at acoustic guitar, but I am a much better guitar player than I am a mandolin player. But this month I plan to bring my mandolin to the jam.

    My plan is that I, for the most part, am just going to play root-third double stops. The only other thing I have is that one woman always calls Deep Elem Blues when it’s her first turn. I’ve worked out a 12 bar blues mandolin solo to Deep Elem Blues.

    I’d love to get some pointers as I’m scared to death of making a fool of myself.
    Eastman MD-514 (F body, Sitka & maple, oval hole)
    Klos Carbon Fiber (on order)

    And still saving my nickels & dimes & bottle caps & breakfast cereal box tops for my lifetime mandolin.

  2. #2
    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Forest Grove, Oregon
    Posts
    2,775

    Default Re: Bringing my mandolin to a jam for the first time

    Quote Originally Posted by Dan in NH View Post
    I have a monthly acoustic barn jam I’ve been attending for the last couple of years. We sit in a circle and take turns calling songs. Whoever calls the song leads the playing in the singing. We pass the solo around the circle, play the outro, and then the next person in the circle calls the song.

    Most of the songs we call are all Creedence Clearwater, Jimmy Buffett, Bob Dylan, Hank Williams, and Johnny Cash. Not a single bluegrass or fiddle tune in the bunch.

    So far, I’ve always brought my acoustic guitar. I’m no great shake at acoustic guitar, but I am a much better guitar player than I am a mandolin player. But this month I plan to bring my mandolin to the jam.

    My plan is that I, for the most part, am just going to play root-third double stops. The only other thing I have is that one woman always calls Deep Elem Blues when it’s her first turn. I’ve worked out a 12 bar blues mandolin solo to Deep Elem Blues.

    I’d love to get some pointers as I’m scared to death of making a fool of myself.
    Unfortunately, everyone else has already made a fool of themselves, its your turn.

    Dare to suck

    No notes will be harmed in this endeavor.
    Not all the clams are at the beach

    Arrow Manouche
    Arrow Jazzbo
    Arrow G
    Clark 2 point
    Gibson F5L
    Gibson A-4
    Ratliff CountryBoy A

  3. The Following 7 Users Say Thank You to Bill McCall For This Useful Post:


  4. #3
    small instrument, big fun Dan in NH's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2021
    Location
    Nashua NH
    Posts
    838

    Default Re: Bringing my mandolin to a jam for the first time

    When I first started attending the jam I wouldn’t even strum my guitar with a pic. I just strummed lightly with my fingers so no one could hear how badly I played.

    But after attending regularly for a while, I actually got where I could play in key & in time with the other players. Even the oddball minor seven chords that spring up now and then.

    I’m still not nearly as good at mandolin as I’d like to be. But they say the way to improve is by playing with other people.

  5. #4
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Albany NY
    Posts
    2,065

    Default Re: Bringing my mandolin to a jam for the first time

    relax Dan, you'll be fine.
    Find the groove play what you know and don't overthink it.

    I have played and heard Deep Elem (oh sweet mama) played many different ways, sounds like its a guitar oriented circle so the mando will no doubt be a great addition.
    Stormy Morning Orchestra

    My YouTube Channel

    "Mean Old Timer, He's got grey hair, Mean Old Timer he just don't care
    Got no compassion, thinks its a sin
    All he does is sit around an play the Mandolin"

  6. #5
    not a donut Kevin Winn's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Portland, OR
    Posts
    735

    Default Re: Bringing my mandolin to a jam for the first time

    Making a fool of ourselves is half the fun...

    Seriously, though, just go and strum and chances are good that you'll get compliments on the new sonic addition to the jam circle. If you feel bold, take your break when it comes around to you, just keep it simple and smile when the inevitable train wreck ensues...
    "Keep your hat on, we may end up miles from here..." - Kurt Vonnegut

  7. #6

    Default Re: Bringing my mandolin to a jam for the first time

    I'd say, "hello, two finger chords!"
    Chuck, chucka chuck. Chuck, chucka chuck. Etc.
    Ima fiddle player by trade. I bring a mandolin to the jam, so I can sing songs too. Seems like folks connect to songs more than instrumentals.

  8. #7

    Default Re: Bringing my mandolin to a jam for the first time

    The main thing I'd say that, as you play some guitar, try to sit across from a guitar player that you know will be playing the right chords most of the time, and try to follow them. You'll likely get a good lesson in doing mental transposition of all the capo'd keys they play in as well!

    And, yeah, find the groove, and stick with that. Take a recorder or record on your phone if you haven't already been doing that. Create a Spotify playlist with every tune the group does and practice playing along to that.
    2018 Kentucky KM-950, 2017 Ellis A5 Deluxe

  9. #8
    Registered User Mandobart's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Washington State
    Posts
    3,652

    Default Re: Bringing my mandolin to a jam for the first time

    One of the weekly jams I go to is similar to what the OP describes. Mostly guitars, playing mostly songs in the folk, folk-rock, Americana vein. It's usually 6 to 8 guitars, one banjo, a mandolin, octave mandolin and me (up until recently) playing sometimes fiddle, mandola, mandolin or OM. Now I pretty much stick to upright bass because it's fun and we really needed a bass.

    I used to always bring a guitar as well for when it was my turn to lead a song to help the other players with the chords.

    Anyway as far as mandolin accompaniment in this genre, sometimes chopping chords works. For other songs rhythmically playing chord arpeggios work better, with some melodic fills in the gaps between lyrics.

    For mandolin or guitar - all the notes you're going to need to provide melodic or harmonic runs are right there in the chord shape you're playing (at your fingertips, so to speak).

  10. #9
    Confused... or?
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Over the Hudson & thru the woods from NYC
    Posts
    2,927

    Default Re: Bringing my mandolin to a jam for the first time

    In my early days of mandolin, I was recovering from a shattered humerus that had prevented guitar for 18 months. I was lucky to find a monthly jam much like the OP's: mostly classic rock but almost anything was a go, playing mostly from lyric & chord sheets. (AND going from 10am to 2 or 3pm, with a break for pizza!)

    Early on, I brought both guitar & mandolin because my mando chops were limited, as was my arm's endurance on guitar. Switched every 30 - 40 minutes. Eventually had to commit (to myself) that THIS time I'm playing one or the other. That was sort of a landmark in both arm recovery AND mando development. You might want to consider the same just for, ya know, sanity.

    And yes, a chop can work well in many genres, despite some folks' opinions otherwise (mostly here, never in person). My quiet goal was to always be doing what others were not. BTW, a capoed-up 12-string can sound pretty mandolinish!
    - Ed

    "Then one day we weren't as young as before
    Our mistakes weren't quite so easy to undo
    But by all those roads, my friend, we've travelled down
    I'm a better man for just the knowin' of you."
    - Ian Tyson

  11. #10
    Registered User BillWilliams's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2022
    Location
    Barreiro, Portugal
    Posts
    155

    Default Re: Bringing my mandolin to a jam for the first time

    I've been through something similar after downsizing from guitar to mandolin last September.
    This has worked for me:

    * bring my guitar and mandolin and pick up the one that I'm confident about for different tunes
    * prepare a couple of songs I can sing and play a basic solo for and that will be accessible for others to blaze away on
    * I also found root-third double stops a big help and agree that preparing a comfortable solo on a predictable tune is helpful

  12. #11
    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    South of Cleburne, North of Hillsboro, Texas
    Posts
    5,089

    Default Re: Bringing my mandolin to a jam for the first time

    Bill McCall already said it all
    WWW.THEAMATEURMANDOLINIST.COM
    ----------------------------------
    "Life is short. Play hard." - AlanN

    ----------------------------------
    HEY! The Cafe has Social Groups, check 'em out. I'm in these groups:
    Newbies Social Group | The Song-A-Week Social
    The Woodshed Study Group | Blues Mando
    - Advice For Mandolin Beginners
    - YouTube Stuff

  13. #12
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jan 2022
    Location
    Vancouver, BC, Canada
    Posts
    446

    Default Re: Bringing my mandolin to a jam for the first time

    just do it. play the same chords you play on guitar with the same strum you use on guitar. mandolin works just fine as a guitar replacement.

  14. #13
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Jun 2022
    Location
    Buchanan, MI
    Posts
    33

    Default Re: Bringing my mandolin to a jam for the first time

    Some of the things I would suggest is to try to be a percussive element to the jam by focusing on chop chords on the off beat. If you simply strum like a guitar you wont be happy with the result. From there, if you don't have a lead prepared for a tune that's called, at least ask for the key of the song when they call it. That way, you can just do some pentatonic jamming when it comes to you. Add in some double stops, hammer ons and slides and.... viola'.

  15. #14
    Registered User Lucas's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
    Location
    Inland Empire, California
    Posts
    204

    Default Re: Bringing my mandolin to a jam for the first time

    Regarding solos, for songs in the major scale, learn the major pentatonic scale in any one key. Once you learn the pattern, it is easy to transpose to any other key using the same pattern. Likewise with the minor scale. Learn the pattern for minor pentatonic scale in any key and it will be easy to transpose to any other key.

    Once you learn this, you'll sound like a pro in no time.
    Last edited by Lucas; Mar-02-2023 at 1:25pm. Reason: added comment

  16. #15
    Registered User Mando Esq's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2022
    Location
    New Hampshire
    Posts
    105

    Default Re: Bringing my mandolin to a jam for the first time

    Quote Originally Posted by Woolybug25 View Post
    just do some pentatonic jamming when it comes to you. Add in some double stops, hammer ons and slides and.... viola'.
    This is the way.

    Try to stay relaxed and loose. Everyone naturally tends to tighten up, pick harder, and use a death grip when it’s their turn to solo. That will slow you down and muddy your tone.
    Eastman MD515 mandolin
    Gretsch G9310 mandolin
    Eastman MDO305E-SB octave mandolin
    Eastman E20om guitar
    Vega Little Wonder tenor banjo
    Epiphone El Capitan acoustic bass

  17. #16
    but that's just me Bertram Henze's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Location
    0.8 mpc from NGC224, upstairs
    Posts
    10,054

    Default Re: Bringing my mandolin to a jam for the first time

    Quote Originally Posted by Dan in NH View Post
    ... I’m scared to death of making a fool of myself.
    Making a fool of yourself is a neccessary phase on the road to excellence, so there is no need of being scared of an event that will happen as sure as sunrise. Everybody had this, and we are all still alive and picking.
    The secret is like the knack of how to fly: you throw yourself to the ground and miss.
    the world is better off without bad ideas, good ideas are better off without the world

  18. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Bertram Henze For This Useful Post:


  19. #17
    Confused... or?
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Over the Hudson & thru the woods from NYC
    Posts
    2,927

    Default Re: Bringing my mandolin to a jam for the first time

    Quote Originally Posted by Bertram Henze View Post
    Making a fool of yourself is a neccessary phase ...
    Be assured that every mega-star you can think of, as well as every jam-mate, has made a fool of themselves at sometime or another. The OTHER good news: the only such instances that I can actually recall had nothing to do with playing an instrument.
    - Ed

    "Then one day we weren't as young as before
    Our mistakes weren't quite so easy to undo
    But by all those roads, my friend, we've travelled down
    I'm a better man for just the knowin' of you."
    - Ian Tyson

  20. #18
    Registered User Mando Esq's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2022
    Location
    New Hampshire
    Posts
    105

    Default Re: Bringing my mandolin to a jam for the first time

    Quote Originally Posted by Bertram Henze View Post
    Making a fool of yourself is a necessary phase on the road to excellence.
    Perhaps the truest statement that has ever been uttered.
    Eastman MD515 mandolin
    Gretsch G9310 mandolin
    Eastman MDO305E-SB octave mandolin
    Eastman E20om guitar
    Vega Little Wonder tenor banjo
    Epiphone El Capitan acoustic bass

  21. #19
    small instrument, big fun Dan in NH's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2021
    Location
    Nashua NH
    Posts
    838

    Default Re: Bringing my mandolin to a jam for the first time

    Jam is Saturday. Gonna bring my mandolin and my guitar, but I don't plan on playing my guitar.

    Got my Deep Elem Blues solo down pat.
    Eastman MD-514 (F body, Sitka & maple, oval hole)
    Klos Carbon Fiber (on order)

    And still saving my nickels & dimes & bottle caps & breakfast cereal box tops for my lifetime mandolin.

  22. #20
    Innocent Bystander JeffD's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Upstate New York
    Posts
    24,807
    Blog Entries
    56

    Default Re: Bringing my mandolin to a jam for the first time

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill McCall View Post
    Dare to suck.
    Wow. Yes.

    I am quite the reverse. I have been attempting to learn enough guitar to take it out at the jams I regularly play with mandolin. My experience is that I have to give up understanding anything and just do it. Its not a mandolin where everything makes so much sense.
    A talent for trivializin' the momentous and complicatin' the obvious.

    The entire staff
    funny....

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •