Musical intrument learning hacks?

July 1, 2008 12:39 PM

How should I go about learning to play the Octave Mandolin?

I just recently purchased an octave mandolin from the Olde Woods Luthiers in Newfound Land.

I'm not so interested in bluegrass (what the instrument is most known for). I'm more interested in learning to play folk and celtic music.

I know a few guitar chords, and can play piano at an intermediate level.

What is the most effective way of learning an instrument like this? Lessons right away? Learn some chords, try to play guitar songs? Learn tabs? Just mess around with it every day?

Note that there isn't very much out there for books on the octave mandolin, and that it cannot be played the same as a regular mandolin - too much stretching of the fingers.

posted by mjewkes to media & arts (6 comments total)

If you haven't already, visit Mandolin Cafe.
posted by Martin E. at 1:14 PM on July 1

This DVD might be what you're looking for.
posted by tdismukes at 1:37 PM on July 1

Get some Mick Moloney CDs and run them through the Amazing Slow Downer. Learn by ear, the old fashioned way.
posted by billtron at 4:12 PM on July 1

The way you learn should possibly/probably be influenced by refining your goal somewhat--do you want to play by yourself, join an established performing/recording band, join an established folk-jam-session, or back up yourself while singing.

For example, if there is a group playing regularly near you they may be quite happy for you to join in and play simple back-up. In which case you could learn a handful of chords and picking or strumming patterns, use them to learn to play back-up on a dozen tunes, and be up & running pretty quickly. But if that's not challenging enough, or if they have too many people playing chorded back-up already, you might want to dive right in to learning to play melodies.

Either way, learning basic chord shapes won't hurt. Neither will working on scales. If I'm not mistaken, Celtic music sessions where a fiddle leads will be mostly in A and D, so practice A and D scales (major, Dorian and Aeolian) all over the fretboard.

The longer scale may mean you can't play exactly as an expert might play a standard mandolin, but you can get pretty close if you're willing to work at it. You can put a capo down at the fifth or seventh fret and learn tunes on an easier, shorter scale. Once you know a tune pretty well, move the capo back a fret, then another and another until you're playing it open. You may also have the option of detuning your instrument (loosening the strings a half-tone or whole-tone) and putting a capo on at the first or second fret and enjoying a slightly shorter scale. Depending upon your instrument this might affect the tone in a way you do or don't like.
posted by K.P. at 5:44 PM on July 1

Thought: if it's tuned in 5ths, and has a longer scale, see if you can find anything for tenor banjo, which is often tuned GDAE and used for folky stuff.
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen at 6:28 PM on July 1

Someone asked something similar this one time - although it was for the standard mando.
posted by Jofus at 5:36 AM on July 2