I picked up a mandolin about 3 weeks ago and I love it. It is a great instrument to sing with. You can learn G C and D and just walk around the house with it an hum tunes. I’ve discovered it just a damn good little friend. She will sing with you

Remember, you don’t have to play bluegrass to love the mandolin although I do, but it’s great for playing old time fiddle tunes as well. The mandolin taught me more about music theory then I’ve learned on guitar over the last 55 years.

Oh yeah mando! There a lot less mando players than guit players! Even tho I am a blazing guitarist!, I have chosen to play bass and mandolin, one of the biggest revelations for me was after learning how to play and buying an old round back mando and playing it the store owner asked me if I was interested in auditioning for his friend whose mandolin player had quit. I got the gig and the revelation was walking into the gig with my tiny little instrument and not lugging giant bass rig and making more $$! That was in 1972. It definitely improves my playing to change up on instruments from acoustic to electric etc.. Thanks for another informative video!

Grew up around Blue Grass but never really appreciated Mandolin until John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin powerfully interjected the instrument into songs like Going to California and Battle of Evermore. The mandolin made what would've been pretty good songs into amazing songs. Somewhat spell-binding would be a good description of his mandolin effect.

@blairmichaelhogan4502

3 жыл бұрын

Same here with JPJ but I didn’t know anything about bluegrass at the time. I only got a mando because I was a zep obsessed guitar kid. It wasn’t until years later when I started playing guitar for singer songwriters that I started getting familiar with bluegrass and roots music and finally learned some proper mandolin technique. Never would’ve happened without all that great mandolin work from Jones though!

@sboy1955

3 жыл бұрын

Blair Hogan - yea JPJ was the glue for LZ, his bass work was flawless, timing like a Swiss watch. Paige was no fool when he put that band together.

Fantastic Zac! As a guitarist who is just getting into playing the mandolin, I've learned more from you in your 20-minute video than I've learned from anyone else in hours.

I've played guitar most of my life. 1 year ago i got my first mandolin. I have been intrigued by its sound for years. Never regretted this. Love playing mandolin.

@AskZac

3 жыл бұрын

Go for it!

This is great advice! Several years ago I was in a bad accident and it took about 2 years to recover. I wasn't able to pick up a guitar at first but could sit in a comfortable chair and play the mando that I had bought and neglected. After hours of breakthrough instruction on KZread I had learned enough to entertain myself jamming with CDs like I do to practice guitar. It's a wonderful instrument with a wonderful voice and very satisfying to play. BTW I bought an Eastman after my starter and they are also first rate for the money! Thank you!

I added the mandolin because I'm left-handed with right-hand instruments. Picking, to me, is like writing with the wrong hand. It's nearly impossible to play the mandolin without a pick so I've improved my picking immensely.

Check out Mandolin Orange.

@endoalley680

4 жыл бұрын

Or the Ronnie McCoury version of "Loser".

@tomcoryell

4 жыл бұрын

Or a real mandolin player like David Grisman or Chris Thiele.

I bought a mando with same mindset of style, country Rock, blues and rock. Awesome contribution to any jam

Hey Zak, I played rhythm guitar and fill ins in a couple semi- informal bluegrass bands in the late '70s. Now, with mandolin, I play fiddle tunes, Irish and original tunes, mostly composed by others more talented than myself. Not interested in playing standard bluegrass stuff, tho it still is probably my favorite genre of music, but you know, having picked up mandolin, it has keened up my ear to listen to and appreciate most other forms of what passes for music these days. There is another retired gent I have encountered on KZread that I have enticed to try mando. He'll be a beginner, so I told him to get a "decent quality" mandolin to even consider starting. A $100 chunk of plywood would not do. Told him about the Eastman M 305 as a good bet, or a Northfield A model of some sort in an acceptable price range. I've taught a couple tunes at a fiddle festival workshop a few years ago and the folks where grateful I had something other than Cluck Old Hen or Old Joe Clark to offer. There is just so much great music playable on mandolin, it staggers the imagination. Cheers, my friend and thanks for letting me indulge myself a bit here. Bob (a KZreadr in Montana)

@holboroman

2 жыл бұрын

Try listening to the Cowboy Junkies; you'll be blown away!

I like your wholesome, generous style Zac, nice work!

@AskZac

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you

I got bored with guitar so i picked up a fidle...it was slow going, but i dropped in by chance at the bean blossom bluegrass festival and they had a raffle...10 $ for a ticket to win a new mandy....i bought a ticket, and yep you guessed it!! Got me a 10$ Kentucky mandolin, and I had no idea it fingered the same as a violin! My fiddle playing improved,and i agree with you on the not just fer bluegrass anymore!! I love it!! I havent touched my guitar in a year!! Great tip on the cooder thing! Thnx!

I’m gonna need another stimulus check if I keep watching your videos!!...great as always and Happy Birthday!

Hey Zac. Happy Birthday man! Great vid as usual. Great to see you. Been down with for a while and have to to catch up. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and showing that even us olds can still learn.

Some great tips here, Zac. I haven't finished the video yet, so I apologize if I repeat or "step on" something you've covered, but I would say something to folks who are intimidated by a mandolin's tuning......it's the same as a violin, so (low to high) G, D, A, E......you can also, (if you're not playing mandolin often) tune it to a ukulele-type tuning......(low to high) D, G, B, E.....just like a guitar. With the high register and double course of strings it will always sound like a mandolin. I've heard stories of session guitar players who tuned this way for ease in switching back and forth. I once played in a (more or less) classic rock cover band, but our "schtick" was we used guitar, bass, drums and mandolin/acoustic guitar. Yeah, we were a little different, and audiences didn't always appreciate our "artistry". :-(

@P_Ezi

2 жыл бұрын

I have had a mandolin for years, and play it once in a while, but never considered trying to tune with guitar intervals. It seems like you might get closer to the proper string tension by sticking as.close as possible to GDAE. By keeping with the 4th intervals of the thicker guitar strings, it seems like you could keep better string tension by using tunings like ADGC or BEAD, then chord shapes and scales would be like the 3rd to 6th strings of guitar, with the strings as close as possible to their original mandolin tuning. In other words, it would be like guitar bass strings with capo at 5 or 7.

@jimtessin4130

2 жыл бұрын

Tommy Tedesco in his book "For Guitar Players Only" discusses his rationale for tuning the mandolin to dgbe which makes a lot of sense to me.

Love the Waterloo guitar in the background.

@AskZac

4 жыл бұрын

It is a killer acoustic!!!!

@johnbicknell4748

3 жыл бұрын

@@AskZac +I live in England, many years ago from a secondhand bookshop which also sold secondhand vinyl and cassettes I picked up and bought a cassette entitled 'mandolin allsorts'. It cost 30 pence. It had no other writing on it apart from the title mandolin allsorts. It's cover was drawn like a physechedelic picture with which appeared to be felt tip pens. No copyright details... Nothing. I turned it on my cassette player layed back on the bed and went on an hour long trip in another world which softened my anger and floated my soul. I'm not lying, I still have the cassette and believe me I'd rather keep it than give up a first edition of pink Floyd's dark side of the moon or almost any other recording. I have absolutely no idea who made it. Have you heard of the name of such a recording? I could try to record a 'recording of it or record it via the Internet and send the recording to you and the photos of the cassette cover and inside and out. It's up to you. But its a piece of music that is the cheapest I've ever bought and yet wouldn't part with it for nothing. It starts slow and sends you on a journey. A good journey. What do you think?

@AskZac

3 жыл бұрын

@@johnbicknell4748 can you record some of it somehow, and then send a song to me? zac(at) askzac.com

@johnbicknell4748

3 жыл бұрын

@@AskZac +yes, I will. I'll try the best recording samples I can and send the best one and see if I can send you a photo of the cassette cover and cassette. Give me some time to do it right and I'll send it.

Happy Birthday, Brother! Thanks, so much, for all you share with us.

Happy Birthday Zac! Thanks for all the videos and you're kind and gentle style in these troubling times. You're a champ.

@AskZac

4 жыл бұрын

I appreciate that!

Happy Birthday Zac! I enjoyed this show, didn't know much about the mandolin, I'm learning a lot from watching both you and Tom B. Thanks for everything and have a great day. Take care..

Happy Birthday Zac, hope you have a great day. I've had several mandolins over the years and your right about having a frequency nobody plays in.They round out the sound of a combo group. Drums ,Bass ,acoustic guitar either a banjo or fiddle .Thanks for you videos.What got me started was when I went to a Rod Stewart concert ,when they played Maggie May .That was it I wanted one.Hahaha. 🎸

Happy Birthday! My first public performance was on mandolin in church. We played an instrumental version of What a Friend we have in Jesus. My second public performance was on guitar at a highschool fund raiser. We played Hank Jr's Old Habits. I'm sure my parents were thrilled!

I highly recommend for anybody who may be interested in playing guitar to also check out the mandolin. They are such a cool alternative, or an additional instrument to the guitar. What musical concepts you learn on them do carry out to understanding guitar. They have a cool sound. They are quieter if you want to just play around for enjoyment. Also they are small which means it doesn’t take up too much space. They’re also not a “fancy ukulele”, although ukuleles are cool too if you take it seriously and learn more than just chords.

I got turned on to the mandolin by watching Marty Stuart on tv a long time ago when he was just a kid playing bluegrass (I was a guitar player and wasn't into bluegrass). I was able to see him live with the Fabulous Superlatives several times with Kenny Vaughan. What a great show. Thanks for your videos and stay safe and well.

Thanks a lot and happy birthday! Appreciated your comments on bluegrass...am in the same boat. Cheers

Nice one Zac, I've come to a similar epiphany regarding the mandolin!

Great video! Thanks Zak! My first mandolin was one I hand built in 2001 in a class/workshop in Front Royal VA. I still have it and it plays great and sounds better each year. I’m a guitar player and fell in love with the mandolin listening to the Steve Earl / Del McCoury record called The Mountain. Love your Breedlove!

Great advice - thanks Zac! I've had a cheap Fender mandolin for awhile, but Guthrie Trapp's videos have recently motivated me to get it back out and try to become a little more proficient. I feel like working on speed and technique on the tiny mandolin fretboard definitely helps my guitar playing (while probably not as much the other way around), so even if one never uses the skill publicly, it can be a great practice tool.

I laughed to myself when I saw your mandolin....just like mine. Of course.... Happy Birthday brother!

@AskZac

4 жыл бұрын

Muchas Gracias, hermano!

I LOVE mandolin!!! But that tuning brings me great frustration after guitar tuning for so many years!

I’ve owned a Gibson A type mandolin for about 41 years now. It had its 100th birthday in 2014. Sadly it sits in the case.

@johnfrewin7717

4 жыл бұрын

tomcoryell play it !👍🇬🇧

@annunacky4463

2 жыл бұрын

If you don’t play it, sell it, It may be worth a lot…somebody will love it.

Just learning some chords on my Tanglewood mandolin....Zac's post was very informative. 👍🎵

Thanks Zac! I dabbled with it about 30 years ago, in fact I think I have a couple in "the room". Being grounded here you inspired me to dig them our! --gary

@AskZac

4 жыл бұрын

That is awesome!

yeah Zac! You made me want to take out my mandolin and try. The "Cooder" part sounds like John Hiatt's "Crossing muddy waters" album. That's a very fine one! thanks

Zac, happy belated birthday. Thank you and appreciate all the knowledge, History & experience, you give and share!

@AskZac

4 жыл бұрын

It is today! Thank you

I've been watching too many Chris Thile videos and I am thinking of getting a mandolin. This is a good video to help me.

Happy Birthday Zac! God bless you! You play the mandoline pretty good. Well done :-)

Cool! Just came across this vid. Got myself a mando also about 2 yrs. ago. Great fun instrument to have around and jam on. Not ever gonna be a Chris Thile or Sam Bush, but it's very, very fun!

I have played lead/rhythm guitar for 50 years and took up mandolin about 15 years ago. I played in a gospel bluegrass band for 12 years or so. Your ideas and techniques are right up my alley. Thanks for sharing this!

The mandolin always brings up images of red checkered table cloths and wine bottles holding candles. I can almost smell the garlicy marinara sauce...'specially when you do that tremolo picking thing. That laminated axe sounds pretty sweet to me. I'll start checking the Corpus C-List classifieds. Maybe a diversion would be nice. thanks for posting , and best o' luck from the mud flats.

That was great, Zac. I too am starting to play the mandolin. Yeah, you go to a music jam and it seems like everyone pulls out a guitar to play. Therefore you have to wait your turn. Pull out a mandolin and you are the man. So much so, that they don’t want you leave. Anyway Zac, I hope to do a few more videos on that special little instrument.

I love it when you play the Mandolin!!

I had a mandolin (sold it now) and my approach was exactly like yours: it's like the low strings of an upside down or left-handed guitar. That made it fairly easy to work out chord shapes. I'll probably get another one, but it's not something I'd use in a band, really.

Watched from Canada, that's exactly introduction I was looking for. Subscribed to your chanel.

@AskZac

Жыл бұрын

Welcome aboard!

I just picked up a used Breedlove Am OF. Lot of fun!

Great video, I've been wanting to pick up a mandolin & you gave lot's of great info.

@AskZac

3 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

You're so right about the compliments! I normally play guitar in church but when I play with another guitarist I'll often play mando and so many love hearing it!

@AskZac

4 жыл бұрын

Exactly!!!

Just bought one!

These videos are always well done and informative. One of the very best on the internet 👏. Thanks 👍

@AskZac

2 жыл бұрын

So nice of you

Great stuff, thanks so much.

Inspiring to listen to this.. im a Gypsy jazz mandolin player . Improvisation is my big thing but i never really liked too play the comp. Feel that i disturb the guitar, seeing this video inspired me to use the single chop or find other ways not to disturb the guitar boot cooperated with him .

Looking forward to it! But it’ll go to air at 1.00 am here, I’ll sleep for a bit and watch later!

Love all your videos! Thank you!!

@AskZac

4 жыл бұрын

You are so welcome!

Great topic, Zac. 07 I finally buy a Telecaster, Squier 20th Anniversary Fat Tele. ok, worked up and in love with some titles, Rickey Skaggs Roy B Live Stock, Greg Kihn Again,,, then settled on Rickey Skaggs "Highway 40 Blues".Ray Flacke. Not only digging the Solo but RS's mandolin bit before. had a hankerin' for a mandolin;. btw, never copped Flacke's solo. some things better left unsaid,

I must have got one of those older mandolins because my hands fatigue very quickly. Other people have mentioned that you don't want to force it, but I figure, if I'm careful, I can use it to build strength and precision in the left hand.

Zac, a belated happy birthday. Dude I loved this video and I had to laugh when you said that guitarist Albert Lee was one of your influences to pick up the mandolin. I had the exact same experience. Watched a StarLicks video of him about 15 years ago and he threw in a few minutes on the mando. I was blown out of the water and promised myself to learn how to play. A few years after that I saw Albert Lee playing at a club in southern California and made it a point to meet up with him and have him autograph my Tele. He could not have been more gracious! I told him he was the reason I learned mandolin and thanked him for being such a great influence. You might want to check out some of the old Bill Monroe recordings. I know he's bluegrass, but he was about the fastest, baddest, bluesiest mando player I've ever heard. Keep the great videos coming!

@AskZac

4 жыл бұрын

Albert has an interesting, guitarist approach to mandolin that I like.

Liked and followed for the groovy intro,rock on brother

Very nice sound and demo of the Breedlove K5 mandolin. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving.

@AskZac

Жыл бұрын

Happy holidays!

Thanks! A nice, interesting and honest video ☀😎☀

Great! (immediately think of ABBA's start of "One of us"!!) Love it!

Happy Birthday Zac!

Going to have to get one. Great video. Thanks.

@AskZac

4 жыл бұрын

Right on

I enjoyed this video. I'd bought and sold a Fender mando a few years ago. I didn't appreciate the narrow 1 1/8" nut and neck width. But all the wider-nut mandos that I could find were too pricey for a testing-the-waters beginner. I recently bought one (via Craig's List) with 1 3/8" nut for $25. So I am starting out on it all over again. 🙂

Just turned 60 and I'm seriously considering getting a mandolin or a guitar to learn as a hobby for retirement, so far I'm leaning towards the mandolin, great video 👍.

Hey Zac ! if it's your birthday i wish you 1000 of these days ! :) can't wait to see the video !

Great video, Zac. I picked up the mando about four years ago and have rarely put it down, since. My guitars are getting jealous!

@AskZac

3 жыл бұрын

Go for it!

Thank you Zac; this is the tutorial I have been searching for! I am also coming to the mandolin from guitar and you say EXACTLY what I do. I don't mind a bit of bluegrass to listen to now and then because it's all part of that roots music that I like, but it's not me. It's blues and folk that I want to play and above all else I want that Ry Cooder sound. He's been one of my favourite musicians since Into The Purple Valley. Do you have any other tutorials on how to play in that style? Could you do one? How do I get on that particular road? Thanks and keep up the great work.

The fun thing about mandolin is it's portability and versatility. I've done adaptations of Hendrix, Beatles, Stones, Chuck Berry, Roy Orbison, etc. Angie, Wind Cries Mary, Little Wing, Hey Joe, Pretty Woman, Norwegian Wood, Blackbird, Memphis. Figured out Losing My Religion, Godfather Theme, Pirates Of The Caribbean. Years ago I did a 2 month cycling tour of Ireland and Wales. Took a mandolin with me and it was perfect. It also helps my guitar playing alot. EDIT: Btw, I play a Richwood RMA-110-VS Pro Series mando.

The song 'Avalon' by The Dreadnoughts has an excellent mandolin solo!

Many thanks Zac, really appreciated, very useful indeed. Hugh

@AskZac

3 жыл бұрын

You're welcome!

Back in the late '80s till they shut down the shop and moved to Nashville in about '94, I had the distinct privilege of working in the Flatiron factory, where I was able to build for myself a nice low end A-5. It would retail for over 1200 bucks, at the time, but I got it for $250 with a good hard case. That's my main acoustic mando to this day. I have since put Grover tuners on it and replaced half the frets. Later on I built a couple E- mandos. If I had a decent amp, I would play them in a jam situation, with 10 or 12 guitars on stage, half a dozen banjos, and an overwhelming number of fiddlers. ( And probably be frownd upon! ) So I can pick an E- mandolin in my living room without an amp when the Frau is sleeping without waking her. All great fun, my friends. Bob

Mandolin taught me about relative minors, which was a theory concept that did not stick in my head befor learning mandolin. Also, I play a lot of jam sessions where there are already 7 or more guitars mostly doing the same thing, so mandolin really stands out. I also learned Dobro for the same reason because we have a fair number of mandolin players here in norther Minnesota as well. Dobro taught me about major and minor scales in a way that made sense to me. I am a 3 and 4 chord country/rock kind of guy. Mandolin and Dobro brings a lot to the table on any style from Hank Williams to Waylon Jennings, to the Rolling Stones, CCR Dire Straits or Bruce Springsteen and current artists I know nothing about..

I don't wanna play Bluegrass, I want to play Dangdut and Rock on the mandolin, ever since I heard a band called "Soneta" from Indonesia that managed to merge the genres and incorporate mandolin into their repertoire, and it sounds amazing! It is something of an 80's/90's band that my dad liked, but their lead, Rhoma Irama, really rocks; and their songs are full of positive messages.

Yes, I agree, Guitar player's ought to at least give a Mandolin a try. I bought a Cheap one years and years ago, and I never liked it much because it too was just too difficult to play. As you said, after 30 minutes or less, my fingers really hurt! Years go by, and I was starting to again look at picking up a Mandolin. My wife noticed, and so for a Christmas gift, she surprised me with a pretty nice Mandolin. And after working on it for a while, I fell in Love with the thing. It is really a Blast to play, and very very Expressive. It is a Happy sounding Instrument, and people tend to like Happy Music, at least the ones I hang out with do. So, if you've been on the fence about getting a Mandolin, I'd suggest get one, but make sure it is comfortable to play. You are already a Guitar player, so you should have enough experience to know when an instrument is resisting in a Bad way. And it doesn't really matter if you buy an "F" Style or the "A" Style Mandolin. I have an "F" Style, but my next one will be an "A" Style, mostly because I like the sound of the "A" Style slightly better. But, that's my ear, yours may decide differently. Mandolin's are like Guitars, It's better to have more than one, at least that is what I tell myself. Thanks for the video.

Just discovered that I can play the mandolin it seems to really compliment my Waylon sounding voice , I think it's the way the chords are stacked

What a good video. Really good

My favorite mandolin players; Tom Cohen, Avi Avital. 2 great mandolin players that a lot of mandolin players in north America have never heard of.

@waynebagley

3 жыл бұрын

Avi is fantastic.

Love your work Zac, I play guitar in a four piece,where the singer/songwriter always plays ( often the full part he uses when he’s out solo), so I’m always looking for “room” in the arrangement- I’ll definitely use some of this home time we have to get out my mandolin, give it some love, and hopefully take it to rehearsal as soon as we’re allowed! Thank you 👍🎸🇬🇧

great episode.

Thank you. This Video is very helpfull!

@AskZac

3 жыл бұрын

I'm so glad!

Been playing guitar for 50+ years , picked up a mandolin learnt the chord shapes , in about 10min I was playing Bluegrass.There's some classical music I would like to learn as well e.g Vivaldi's Concerto RV93 in Dmaj although for lute it can be playe with a manolin.Once I find the sheet music I'll start playing.

I've got a knock off tele that I really love. I want to get a 5 string mandolin neck and route the upper bout of the tele out and make it a double neck(Ala Grady Martin.)I'd love to try out bottle neck on an electric mandolin!

Wonderful video. Eastman and Kentucky are really good solid brands. Check out Marla Fibish to get an idea of the sound of a 20's Gibson oval hole A style. Flat fingerboards but if they're set up well they are super easy to play. I can't imagine needing more mandolin than my 1921 Gibson A2.

Thanks for your info

@AskZac

2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure

That Breedlove sounds good. I play a Gibson F-5G, and I play bluegrass and gospel most, but I really enjoy playing blues and jazz too. I’ve been thinking about learning to play the guitar.

@AskZac

4 жыл бұрын

Do it

A great video. I picked up a mandolin a few years ago out of curiosity. One thing I really enjoy about it is that you can take it anywhere. I didn’t really like it when players would strum so I just played folk tune melodies. But after a spontaneous performance where I had to play chords on it I became interested. I found you could play rhythm as long as you kept it choppy as you mentioned. Also if you play a different rhythm to what you would as a guitarist, it seemed to help.

Jim Messina's use of mandolin deserves mention, too.

Happy Birthday!!

You're like the Bob Ross of fretboard work! That's a good thing...

@AskZac

4 жыл бұрын

LOVE IT!!!

Sam Bush is the man! I'd like to see an analysis of his right hand technique. Andy Wood is another jaw dropping musician who plays guitar and mandolin, but I think he actually played mandolin first. Thanks for all the work you put into these videos, and happy birthday!

@AskZac

4 жыл бұрын

THANK YOU

Hi Zac, do you know of a source to get the specs of your mandolin neck, such as width at the nut, string spacing , string hight above 1st and 12th fret, fretboard radius, string spacing at saddle. I made a neck for an old 1930's harmony and made it the same as the broken one I replaced and then found it was too small for my hands. I should have checked first. thanks for the inspiration

Top notch!

Thank you for the mandalore.

@AskZac

2 жыл бұрын

This is the way.

Happy Birthday!

I love the Mandolin, but find it very small to fret. Have you had an experience with the Spanish lute or Puerto Rican Cuatro. Like a Mandolin, but just a bit bigger. They do have 10 or 12 strings

Awesome!!!

@AskZac

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks!!

Jessie McReynolds is credited with the development of mandolin cross picking. At that time he and Jim traveled with one of the great early 3 finger style banjo player, Alan Shelton. As the story goes, being trapped in many hotel rooms, Alan and Jessie swapped licks often just to pass the time. The innovative McReynolds cross picking blended wonderfully with the smooth Shelton style.

@AskZac

4 жыл бұрын

thanks for more of the story

I play mine through my amp live. Works great with compressor and delay!

@AskZac

2 жыл бұрын

Nice!

I love the sound of the mandolin. But like ukes my fingers always seem to big or it felt too small . But appreciate mandolin players

Are the frets the same as Guitar i.e the 3rd being G on the bottom 5th A on the bottom?