10 MANDOLIN Tips for Guitarists

Really enjoyed this! Losing my religion is my next song to learn. (bought a mandolin about a week ago)

Loved the tips! 🙌 and both of you guys have just the best vibe, that made me laugh 😊

LMAO bass player here...traditionally quoted as saying a mandolin is "a tiny upside down bass guitar"

I needed this 6 years ago. Played the guitar for decades and moved to mandolin to learn folk/Scottish tunes. My biggest issue, which you guys didn't touch upon sadly, was holding the pick. The 'classic/normal' advice for holding the pick for mandolin is to have your first finger tip bent under the thumb with the pick rocking in between. I still struggle with that. All the time I've played guitar my first finger tip wasn't bent at all. The pick was more on the finger print part of my finger whereas the mandolin pick is 'supposed' to sit more on the side of the finger. Maybe I'm not making sense here but any guitar players struggle with holding the pick for mandolin after playing guitar?

I taught myself mandolin, being a flat pick guitarist and banjo player. So, I boom chucka boom a-chucka on the mandolin and it's ok. I cross pick it with banjo rolls. No need to conform!

I use Wegen picks on guitar. I love them

I always go back to triangle Golden Gate picks, but the Wyatt Rice pick from Apollo has a wonderful tone. Mandolin has changed my songwriting indefinitely. Thanks for the videos!

Great video, David and Marcel. I would add that tremolo is also a key thing to learn on mandolin.

David and Marcel. Great stuff. Thanks for sharing. How about a David and Marcel duet in future vid??

Thanks for the informative video guys!

The string tuning tip at 5:30 is exactly what I needed. Also going to add chop chords and closed scales to my list of things to learn next.

I enjoy your content David. Thanks.

Dudes this was helpful, thankyou.

Great! Thank you 😊

Amazing.

Hey David, I'm loving your content on Patreon and here and was wondering if it would be possible to do some lessons on fun "sing-along" bluegrass classics. For example Nellie Kane and Old Place Home. I struggle to find complete tabs on these, I have some obscure songbook pdfs that feature some chords and all but I'd love a lesson breaking down intro's, solo's and chords! Thanks!!

This is amazing info! I have a charango that is tuned CGDAE. What are your thoughts on 10 string mandolins? What violin/cello repertoire you [or other commenters] do you recommend I learn? What about blue grass?

I've been playing mandolin for about 42 years .. one thing I have been doing lately is crossing that forbidden line by using a capo ..... I know it doesn't "look cool" ... I do it on certain songs for a reason .. I will start by saying that I ONLY use it on the first fret.. because putting it up higher just makes it sounds like a high pitched, bitey yuck.. But the reason it works on some songs is because it the only way to get that open string sound I'm looking for on certain songs .. It can really be a game changer when not playing Bluegrass and doing a Celtic song . You just cannot get that tone using closed fingering.. so if I'm playing it in a flat I will play it in the lower sharp ... Funny how you can be chastised for using a capo , because Bill Monroe didn't use one .. Yet he had some some songs he totally retuned his mandolin for to get the sound he wanted... that's OK ... Certain crosspicking songs come to mind and you miss out on a lot of drone sounds that you can only get with that capo .

I have an Eastman MD615 (that I love)and would like the name of a “great” luthier to send it to or drop off to for an awesome setup. Alt question which mandolin maker here in 2024 makes the best sounding and importantly best setup for easy playability out of the box as a new instrument?

alright but can you do mandolin tips for violinists?