Best (and worst) YouTube mandolin "instructors?"

[journeybear]

There's also Mandozine - I don't know about instructioal videos, but there are plenty of tabs. You will have to download this program.

[thejamdolinplayer]

The best mando help on YouTube????

Jim Richter.

I second this...

[...and Master of None]

I found watching Anthony Hannigans instruction videos to be very good.
He use to have his own web site MusicMoose.org, but that is gone.
You can still find his video on youtube, the site below and a few other places.

http://www.wonderhowto.com/topic/anthony-hannigan/

Terry

Cool, thanks.

[JimRichter]

That Jim Richter ought to do more on YouTube. He hardly has any videos on there at all

[...and Master of None]

That Jim Richter ought to do more on YouTube. He hardly has any videos on there at all

I'm sure I'm not the first but let me thank you and a few guys like you from the bottom of this newby's grateful little heart for taking the time to make and upload videos like those. I have the feeling I'm going use a lot of bandwidth on yours, in particular, because I love da blues.

John

[Norm Buck]

I'm sure I'm not the first but let me thank you and a few guys like you from the bottom of this newby's grateful little heart for taking the time to make and upload videos like those. I have the feeling I'm going use a lot of bandwidth on yours, in particular, because I love da blues.

John

what he said, except not strictly blues... Jim, I really like your Floyd stuff too!

[fishtownmike]

It's a shame that the Homespun materials depend so strongly on specialist software, which only seems to exist for Windows and the Mac. As a Linux user, I feel left out. Oh well.

Things like this were one of the main reason for switching back to windows. I liked linux but many of my favorite programs didn't work. Homespun in my opinion would have been better to use an in browser flash player for there online content then the software you need to download to use it...Mike

[Jason Kindall]

Things like this were one of the main reason for switching back to windows. I liked linux but many of my favorite programs didn't work. Homespun in my opinion would have been better to use an in browser flash player for there online content then the software you need to download to use it...Mike

There's always VirtualBox and the like. When I break down and need proprietary software on Windows I fire it up in a virtual machine.

[Gelsenbury]

There's always VirtualBox and the like. When I break down and need proprietary software on Windows I fire it up in a virtual machine.

That's what I do too, but when the specialist software is so obviously unnecessary (as Mike says, why not simply Flash?), I don't bother as a matter of principle. I may order the DVDs or I may not.

More Linux users here. Nice.

[Matt Raum]

I just joined the MC message board and I've been posting youtube lessons on my channel. I am the author of two mandolin books for Mel Bay--Mandolin Technique Studies Vols. 1 & 2. Some of you may find my lessons helpful. I don't have any absolute beginner lessons up yet. So far I have just posted fiddle tune arrangements with PDF tabs. Check the out if you're interested...

http://www.youtube.com/user/mattraum

[Matt Raum]

Sorry, still figuring this stuff out.

[fishtownmike]

Matt welcome. Nice video...Mike

[yankees1]

BEST- Pete Martin !

[Alex Orr]

I recommend both Mike Marshall vids. If you're into bluegrass, also check out butch Baldassari's vids at homespun for a good intro to bluegrass mando playing.

Personally, I don't care for most youtube vids. The main reason is that a lot of them have no relation to other vids. Buy some DVDs that have been assembled by instructors and produced in a studion. The production is better, you have accompanying tab/notation, and the lessons aren't limited to being ten minute clips. Youtube certainly may have some gems, but as a whole, it seems like a disjointed and ineffective way to use video to teach yourself an instrument.

Also, don't overlook books. If you're just starting mandolin, then I'd highly recommend Greg Horne's beginning and intermediate mando books. You can order the first one with an accompanying DVD that lays out some basic ideas and does a good job of teaching the fingerboard in first position in standard notation.

[KristinEliza]

I know what you mean. I had a hard time watching the whole thing. It was painful!

Me too!

[montana]

I've found a lot of decent videos on youtube but I agree with every one they are disjointed. Use the downware software mentioned in the Cafe and build a collection of videos that you like. I agree with the conscensious about Jim Ricthers blues videos except for the fact that he talks too much. Jim, just show us what you want and don't talk us to death.

[JimRichter]

What do you want for nuthin', a rubber biscuit?

As far as the YouTube stuff, let me share this with you.

Almost everyone of my videos has accompanying tablature. I've even tabbed out tunes for non-instructional tune videos when enough people have requested them.

This is all done pro bono, though I do have a link for contributions. I keep track of stats on my website, as it is wordpress based. I average 200 hits per day, which is pretty good for an independent guy who doesn't tour, unsigned, without a book, or a major CD (outside of a couple high profile compilation pieces).

Most of those hits are to my tabs page. A lot of my stuff is downloaded. If I have 6000 hits per month, maybe one makes a contribution. You do the math for the percentage (1/6000%?)

My lessons are not professionally done--but that is not the purpose of YouTube. YouTube is a sharing site--an opportunity for people to share ideas, licks, thoughts, etc. YouTube videos aren't meant to replace MelBay, Hal Leonard, Homespun, etc. If anything, it's outside reading. It's conversation over coffee or the sharing of a lick at a jam.

That being said, a lot of effort goes into many of the YouTube instructional clips, mine included. There's the prepping of material. Working out talking points. It usually takes an hour to film a 10 minute section and get it reasonably acceptable. Tabbing out stuff takes an hour or so. Then there's the additional uploading to YouTube and my website.

And though I'm not expecting anything back but good tidings, only 1 in 6000 visitors per month to my site even tips me for my time. On top of that, I get the comments that I talk too much, or someone can't see my hands, or it's not Steve James, or I'm a hick in overalls etc. etc. I'd be more willing to accept the criticism if green was put behind it. Otherwise, appreciate the effort and leave it at that.

For my non-instructional stuff, like Voodoo Chile, Frankenstein, the Floyd or Zeppelin Stuff, or Stevie Wonder's Sir Duke, a lot of time goes into arranging those pieces. Some I've tabbed out, some I haven't. But invariably, I get some comment or message by a lazy butt asking, "Yo, dude, where can I get the tab for that" or "tab that out for me." I'm not opposed to tabbing stuff out, but there has to be some didactic purpose behind it rather than fulfilling the request of a lazy person unwilling to put some time into it for him/herself. My goal w/ the YouTube stuff has always been to--as journeybear on the cafe has as his signature--to expand mandolin consciousness. I am proud to know that there are people who took up the mandolin because they found a connection to my mandolin perspective.

Not really a rant, but some junk floating around in my head for some time that I've shared with some other frequent YouTubers.

[Chris Biorkman]

I've found a lot of decent videos on youtube but I agree with every one they are disjointed. Use the downware software mentioned in the Cafe and build a collection of videos that you like. I agree with the conscensious about Jim Ricthers blues videos except for the fact that he talks too much. Jim, just show us what you want and don't talk us to death.

Wow. I for one think he does a great job. What right do you have to complain about something that is free. Keep up the good work, Jim.

[...and Master of None]

Wow. I for one think he does a great job. What right do you have to complain about something that is free. Keep up the good work, Jim.

+1 on that!

And, Jim, I can relate. I've had a web site for several years now on guitar wiring, a little amp building, etc. I don't really have time to deal with the e-mail traffic the site generates anymore (a few years ago I was averaging close to ten hours a week answering e-mail, all gratis). 99.99% of the mail is "gimme, gimme." And probably 85% of it is people asking for information that is already on the site if they would just read what is already there! Still, the occasional gem from someone who really appreciates what you're doing makes it worthwhile.

Rest assured there are plenty of us who appreciate what you're doing. I haven't hit your site for the tabs (and probably won't) because when I started on guitar I became very tab dependent and it took me a long time to break that habit so I purposely try to avoid tabs. Still, now that I know that you have a donation link up I think I'll pay a little visit.

Keep on doin' what you do, man!

John

[...and Master of None]

This is all done pro bono, though I do have a link for contributions. I keep track of stats on my website, as it is wordpress based. I average 200 hits per day, which is pretty good for an independent guy who doesn't tour, unsigned, without a book, or a major CD (outside of a couple high profile compilation pieces).

Most of those hits are to my tabs page. A lot of my stuff is downloaded. If I have 6000 hits per month, maybe one makes a contribution. You do the math for the percentage (1/6000%?)

Just a quick note, Jim, you might want to check the donate link. I just tried to use it and it opens another browser window for PayPal, but doesn't transfer information like the email address where the money should go! I even tried hitting the donate link after logging in to PayPal in another window so the link wouldn't be "interrupted" by my having to log in. It still didn't work, and I didn't see any email address on your web site (near the donate button) to know where to send the money.

Not saying that this is the whole reason you might not see many donations - my previous post mentioned how cheap the online community can be - but it might be part of the issue.

The "buy it" link for the DVD worked fine, BTW.

Also BTW, I'm using IE 8 on Windoze XP.

John

[JimRichter]

I'll look into it John. It was working. Maybe something got corrupted.

Update: Something did get corrupted. Fixed button. Thanks for telling me.

Also, I'm not encouraging or asking for tips/donations. I'm just stating that when it comes to music, a lot of people expect a lot for nothing. I've been a gigging musician since my mid-teens and I'm now almost 42. I make about the same per gig (the ubiquitous $100) that I did 10 years ago. Bars don't increase musician pay. Few people tip. However, we're all expected to tip the waiter or bartender. Dang it, we tip our barbers/hair salonists. We tip the cabbie. Music (and art in general) don't often receive the same consideration. Unless you're a big name act, I think a lot of people just look at is as "oh, I could do that."

[bluesmandolinman]

Wow. I for one think he does a great job. What right do you have to complain about something that is free. Keep up the good work, Jim.

well said

[sgarrity]

I have close to 30 videos up on the tube. Some of them are good and some of them are exceedingly mediocre! What surprises me is the number of folks that have sent positive comments or messages about the tunes and my playing. Knowing that I brought a few moments of joy to someone's day through my playing really warms my soul. It also surprised me the number of folks that told me they use my videos to learn from. My response to that was, "Proceed at your own risk!" LOL Most of the tunes I put up I've learned from jam sessions or friends and don't have any tab to provide. But on occassion if the request seems genuine I'll dig something up and send it along.

As for some of the best mandolin videos, Jim Richter definitely gets my vote. His arrangements are unique, song choice keeps it interesting, and his mandolin playing is definitely fresh and inventive. Keep up the good work Jim. I enjoy your videos immensely!

[...and Master of None]

Update: Something did get corrupted. Fixed button. Thanks for telling me.

Works good now, Jim. One other thing I noticed though - after the PayPal transaction PayPal redirects to http://www.gordonbonham.com/thanks.html and that page doesn't exist. That's the case both for the DVD purchase button and the donate button.

John

[RichMc]

Yeah, I thought it was just me being a dumb beginner...but glad to know that there was a reason for my confusion.

Rich