HOW TO PLAY MANDOLIN BLUEGRASS STYLE

How to Play Bluegrass Mandolin

View previous lessons HERE!

This article is for the musician that knows basically nothing about playing the mandolin. The mandolin is a very easy instrument to learn; however, nothing comes without a lot of practice.

But I can't read music! I can't either. I have never seen a bluegrass band on stage reading music. Play what you hear and what your idea of what it should be. That's what makes it fun.

Click here to print off a picture of a mandolin neck to make notes on. You will probably use this as a tool forever. Bluegrass Mandolin

A word about Bluegrass music! Bluegrass can be as simple or as complex as you make it. It can be a lot of fun for friends getting together just playing basic chords or a five piece band of jamming talent. Bluegrass is a type of music that has basically no electric instruments or drums. Occasionally you might see a bass guitar or washtub bass. PA systems are used to reach more people; however, the best sound is without. Bluegrass is a type of music that is centered around country and back woods life, fresh air, old times, hard times and the simple life that we all wish we could live assuming that we could live without the modern conveniences. It is an escape for the mind as well as an exciting rush; it is also much safer that jumping out of an airplane. The instruments are acoustic and people seem to make better singers if they have a severe nasal problem. On the Andy Griffith Show, the Darlins played Bluegrass and were the image of typical poverty stricken, backwoods bluegrass pickers. For a musician it is hard to imagine the Darlins as poverty stricken with instruments costing thousands of dollars. It's kind of like doctors and lawyers pretending to be rough, tough Harley riders for the weekend. It's just fun. When the music is right, your hair will stand up and chill bumps will form all over your body. Bluegrass music excites the listener by emphasizing notes and just plain good picking. If you are already a bluegrass fan, then you know how great it is. It is a lifestyle in itself. It's fun! Bluegrass Fiddle / Violin

The Mandolin is tuned E A D G starting with the smallest string. Tune With Me!

If your computer does not have the software to open my examples, download a free program at one of these places.

http://www.real.com/player/index.html

http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/

Can I teach you to play just in this article? I can give you the tools and basic understanding to play, but you will have to teach yourself. Remember, you are not into this to be discovered next week. It is supposed to be fun and if you do break to show business, then that is extra. If it's your life dream, I hope I was able to inspire you. I wish you the best. Bluegrass Mandolin

Let's talk about the types. There are basically two types of mandolins used in bluegrass music. The F-5 and the A-5. The F-5 is much more fancy and the A-5 is pare shaped. Though both sound basically the same, the F-5 is preferred mainly because of its Bill Monroe look. The instrument is small but can have a very high price. Six thousand dollars for a Gibson is not uncommon. You can buy cheaper ones and they will work fine. You can build your own with a kit from www.stewmac.com
Good mandolins are carved not laminated.

F-5

A-5

Learning the Mandolin The first thing to do is listen to some mandolin music. Hearing the sounds over and over is like loading a computer with software; your mind works the same way. It is easiest to listen on the way to and from work. If you drive 30 minutes per day then you will have listened to 2-1/2 hours in one work week. Bluegrass Mandolin

The mandolin, when played as a backup instrument, has a sound that is described as a chop. The chop is the stroke between bass notes. It is an off beat that is deadened after it is played so that each chop can be distinguished separately. Some pick with an up stroke for this and others use the down stroke. I will play the guitar as a backup and add the mandolin chop. Listen to my example. It can be played so that the chord rings out or it can have more of the deadened sound. Experiment with it and you will find your own style.

Lets try a run that can be used in just about every song. This "walk-in" run is done like the picture to the right. Example Tip! The first note, pick down, the second note pick up and so on. The is where your speed comes from. The number 7 is done twice, that that is the chord you are playing in.
The scale to the right is a "G major" scale that you need to learn. Play it in the order that you see it and then play it backward to get back to where you started. This will get you familiar with the neck. Then find it in another key and see what you can do.

Now let's play a little more. When playing lead on a slow song, play the melody notes and add the chord so that you can move back and forth to fill out the space. This example is played in the key of "G". Example.
As you do this exercise you will be able to hit notes more clearly, and if you have learned the scale where your music is being played, then you might try to find some of the notes in the scale. With a little practice you can sound as badly as I do. Bluegrass Mandolin

View my favorite Bluegrass picture!

The chords for the key of "G"

These are the easiest and most basic ways to hold each chord. If you will look at the "A" chord, you will see two notes that the "G" and "C" do not have. Complete this pattern on the "G" and "C" and you might find that they work. The complete chord is more like the Bill Monroe bluegrass sound

Lets take a look at the way to play a song. This example can be a number of songs but they all work close to the same. Try to hold the chord and and pick out the melody at the same time. If you need to release one of the chord notes long enough to pick a melody note, then do it. It will sound something like this. Example. In this example, the chords are "G" and "C". Now see if you can hear the arrangement labeled "How to use it" in this Example.

Now lets look at the way to put in all of the extra notes that never seem to make sense. In many cases you might be hearing the "G minor" scale even though you are playing in "G major. The pattern to the left is for the most part, the "G minor" pentatonic scale. Playing this style is a combination of holding the chords, picking out the melody notes, and playing the minor scale. As the chords and melody changes, so do the scales. There is no rule that you must follow except that if it sounds good, it is good.


"G minor" scale	How to use it!

This is a section from a song called, "Greens Fees" by Dan Tyminski is in the key of "A". There is a slide from 2 to 3 in section 1. The pattern hear is very much the way that a mandolin lead is played through out most any song. I can not stress enough the using the Transcribe program is the way to understand what you hear. Click here and hear an example.

Carry Me Across the Mountain

Section 1

Section 2

Section 3

Now listen to my example.

This doesn't sound much like the radio to me. No, and it won't for a while either, but until your brain can tell your fingers what to do and your fingers can tell your brain what they did, then you need to practice to build your coordination skills. You are not just playing and instrument, you are learning to play your body. Bluegrass Mandolin

I just don't have it in me. Give it ten or forty years, you might be surprised. Think about this, you know more now than you did before you started reading this article. Just learn some tomorrow and you will be there faster than you think.

Tablature is a form of sheet music that can be read without knowing how to read music. It simply shows the string and fret with the order played. The internet is full of it. The down side is that there is normally no audio to review what you must learn, so you might not know if it is worth learning of not. Bluegrass Fiddle / Violin

Now that you probably have a headache, take a break and read my section on "How to Learn Astronomy". I promise that one is not very complicated. For more on music, read the section about my Washtub Bass, it only has one string. Remember where you read this and come back soon.

Warren Yates www.projectsandhobbies.com Bluegrass Mandolin

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