Getting back into playing the mandolin

[Chris Berardi]

I stopped playing my mandolin about three years ago when my time and attention were focused more on my career and other sundry projects. But, now I've come back to it. But, so much time has gone by that I find that I am pretty much back at square one again. My main musical interests lie in Italian folk and classical music.

Any sage advice as I re-enter the waters of the mandolin?

[dusty miller]

Hey Chris, I can't say I have any profound advice for you but I took a longer lay off in my playing and it only took a couple of weeks to get back up to my previous mediocre playing. Good luck, have fun.

Kris

[Tobin]

I had to take time off too, and found that catching up was a bit of a struggle, though not as much as starting from scratch. You'll find yourself again and be back to where you were in short order. Take a disciplined approach to it and set goals. Some of it is like riding a bike, but you'll have to work your fingers and coordination back up. No way around that except through hard work. Just tell yourself it isn't optional!

[phiddlepicker]

Quit now while there's still time.

So few ever get second chance

Run, afore ye're dooooooooooooooooomed.

[Randi Gormley]

Now's the time to do all that technique stuff you wanted to do back when but were too far along to relearn stuff; check out that new genre you had thought momentarily about, re-watch the Mike Marshall video ... you'll pick up where you were after a bit, but you have a great chance to do stuff right you didn't do the first time. lucky lucky!

[Chris Berardi]

Thanks for the encouragement. I have Marilynn Mair's Complete Mandolinist method book coming and I also have the Calace 6-part method. I certainly hope to get good habits ingrained from the start.

[rb3868]

muscle memory will return. I just got a bass, after not playing since shattering my left hand 20 years ago. after about a month of light practice (spend more time with my mando), I can play about half the songs I used to play regularly after a couple of tries and a couple of listens.
(for the curious, I got a Gretsch ThunderJet and an Orange CR50 bass combo amp, EXP 160 Reds were on it when I got it. The sound is excellent and ThunderJet earns its name, but i will probably switch to half-rounds because they fit my old playing style)

[EdHanrahan]

... My main musical interests lie in Italian folk ...

Well, there are these two recent books of Italian folk tunes by John LaBarbera, published in '09 and '12. Three dozen or so in each, w/ both standard notation & tablature. Most are on the included CD; the remainder are available on-line.
http://www.johntlabarbera.com/#!shop/c1wre
http://www.johntlabarbera.com/#!shop--cart/cq85

He has recently run some clinics at Trumpets Jazz Club in Montclair, NJ. NFI.

[Chris Berardi]

Well, there are these two recent books of Italian folk tunes by John LaBarbera, published in '09 and '12. Three dozen or so in each, w/ both standard notation & tablature. Most are on the included CD; the remainder are available on-line.
http://www.johntlabarbera.com/#!shop/c1wre
http://www.johntlabarbera.com/#!shop--cart/cq85

He has recently run some clinics at Trumpets Jazz Club in Montclair, NJ. NFI.

Thank you. I have the 'Traditional Southern Italian Mandolin and Fiddle' book and the other one is on my wish list. I also have Carlo Aonzo's 'Northern Italian & Ticino Region Folk Songs Mandolin' book. I'm always looking for more music, though.