[wisedyes]

Hey all,

I've decided to take the plunge and buy a mando at a local shop here and start learning it. Anybody here already play one, and if so, got a recommendation for a good book or some such for a more or less beginner.

I do play guitar, and know that mandos are the 4 lowest strings inverted, so chord forms and scales should just be upside down form guitars, right? Knowing my root notes is obviously going to be crucial. Any advice anyone can give will be most appreciated.

[acidrain30005]

I've been playing mandolin for about a year. The one DVD that I've used for instruction is Essential Techniques for Mandolin taught by Chris Thile of Nickel Creek.

http://www.amazon.com/Essential-Techniq ... 159&sr=8-1

This DVD helped me out a lot when I was just getting started.

Best of luck to ya!

[mutant_dan]

The biggest problem with switching over to a mandolin is not sounding like a guitar player playing a mandolin.

To access the mandolin knowledge base on RUKIND, go to the main RUKIND screen and click:
......... List all topics, Musical Instruments, Bluegrass Instruments,

[Maybeck09]

Dave- awesome to hear. You mentioned it the other day and now sounds like trigger-pulling time. I was enjoying some Garcia/Grisman earlier today and the compliment of mandolin strings to guitar is wonderful. I'm confident that you will have no trouble with the music knowledge. Biggest hurdle may just be the physical difference and playing style. Basically hand skills.
I'm excited to hear this in action! Just promise you'll still bring the guitar! See ya.

Brad

[ian]

i have been playing mandolin off and on for around 10 years. when I started out I purchased a mandolin chord chart and a scale book and started from there. when i bought my mandolin I didn't really know any better so I bought a fender electric/acoustic mandolin for around 200 bucks from musicians friend I have not had any real problem with it. I only play it periodically so i probably still sound like a guitar player playing the mandolin