Om fingering question...

[Griffis]

Hello, All.

I'm fairly new to the mandolin (actually returning to it after 15 years.)

I have been thinking of an OM and recently read something about the scale length of them and that while the tuning is the same (though an octave lower) the fret spacing due to the longer scale length necessitates using different fingerings for chords.

Is this so?

Do most people use different fingerings when playing the same chords but switching between a regular mandolin and an octave mandolin?

[otterly2k]

Yes, that is so. #It takes a little getting used to, but is worth the effort.
Here's a diagram of one recommended way of dealing with fingerings on OM's. Please note: do NOT hold your thumb this way!

[otterly2k]

RE: chords -- it can be difficult to accomplish many of the "closed" chord positions on the longer scale instruments. With OM's and zouks it is more common to use partial chords and chords that make use of open strings.

[Danny Packer]

Alot of folks use different tunings too. After going back and forth I settled on GDAD pretty much exclusively. This obviously changes many chord shapes. It also helped me realize that it isn't just a big mando, but a different instrument.

Danny

[Bertram Henze]

Chords: what otterly2k said.

Melody: many mandolin players are used to economize fingering by shifting fingers only when neccessary and leave them in place otherwise. This practice can not always be maintained with an OM, because the stretches are getting too far. Fast tunes may force you to do quick jumping of the whole left hand every now and then and/or recompose the odd lick with shortcuts to make it playable.

Bertram

[groveland]

What Otterly suggests for OM is what is also taught for guitar. (Frankly that's probably what I end up using on mandolin, too, right or wrong.) Works well on long scales. Like BertramH said, fifths tuning on the long scale will force a little more jumping around than fourths tuning (guitar). Danny suggested other tunings, but me personally, I find way too many advantages to fifths tuning, so I deal with the stretch rather than alternate-tune.

[Bob Wiegers]

from my limited experience, I'd say: usually. I usually do 2-finger chords so those translate without adjustments. and I've got long fingers, so I've never noticed a need to do different stuff with melodies. but I play mostly slow stuff, and by feel, so I may be doing different stuff without even realizing it.

[Eddie Sheehy]

I have short fingers so I just have to move them really fast. I rarely use a pinkie. After all, if Django could do it on a guitar with two fingers it can't be that difficult to use 3 fingers on a 'zouk/OM.

<I have short fingers so I just have to move them really fast. I rarely use a pinkie. After all, if Django could do it on a guitar with two fingers it can't be that difficult to use 3 fingers on a 'zouk/OM. >

The cogency of you logic astounds me. We'll expect great things from you.

[shiloh]

Agreeing with all the above. Karen (Otterly) has provided me with lots of great tips about OMs over the years!

Just another quick note on the OM; the scale length on my Davy Stuart was considered short, about 20.25" or so. Many OMs have scale lengths of 22" plus or minus. I was able to transfer many of the chord shapes from the mandolin to my shorter scale, 20" OM but when I experimented with several 22" scale Octaves I wasn't able to do that due to the reach (which surprised me - I didn't think the extra scale length would make so much difference). I don't think you'll see many OM players playing the standard mandolin chop chords basically due to the type of music the OM/Bouzouki is typically used for :-) (And I'm certain my little pinky could never reach the G string doing that on the Octave!) For folk music I think you'll have fun with the two-finger chords and the partial chords. BTW, both Zan McLeod's Irish Bouzouki DVD, and Tim O'Brien's Mandolin/bouzouki DVD have lots of tips on fingering, partical chords/shapes, etc.

Jill