Phenomenal - thank you. Primarily a fiddle player, in my 20's I struggled with picking technique and pretty much gave up since there were no mandolin teachers within driving distance. Admittedly I'd been using a small pear shaped (though flatback) mandolin (that - fun fact- "Dawg" David Grisman bought off me on eBay). In my early 60's now, I picked up a Loar f-style, and your right hand advice has transformed my playing.
What I wish I knew when I started playing instruments in general is that it's an individual experience and nobody's method is the absolute correct way to do things. You can still be excellent at an instrument without knowing how to read sheet music as long as you are passionate and dedicated to your craft. I think everyone should experiment and try to learn to do setup work too because a good setup is the difference between a great experience and misery. Inexpensive import instruments can sound and play great for the money given a good setup.
The Phosphor bronze has such a warm tone to it, which is great for softer pieces! I love the Nickel Bronze because it rings out, almost like it has reverb. I would prefer to use this for pieces in which I'm supporting other instruments or in a band. And the Monel! Just wow, It's so bright, clear, and concise! This is definitely great for solos and etudes. Personally, it's hard to choose haha, but I would have three mandolins each with their own set. As of right now, I think I'll go with the Nickel Bronze strings! I'll let you know when I get more mandolins to try the other strings! You can gear the difference best around 2:27 - 2:50
Awesome video. Two things - one, I just bought a mandolin whose action was so insanely high, notes bent sharp about a quarter tone at the 12th fret, just from pressing down - you can imagine how unplayable it was! (Someone had thrown on a bridge pickup and aside from using the highest setting, never fitted it to the instrument, huge gaps underneath; your sandpaper trick is great, I was resigned to chalk or a contour gage.) Plus, for years I accepted as gospel, but never actually understood, why necks need relief. This past year, in my role as a Physics teacher, I played around with a strobe light to "freeze" a vibrating guitar string (standing waves, nodes etc.) and it was instantly obvious - the string is locked in place at the ends, but the middle is where it oscillates the greatest distance, and needs clearance from the neck/frets. "Seeing is believing," I guess, to see the "bend" in the string just frozen there is pretty cool.
That Mando sounds so good! I just got my first Mandolin. I'm a Luthier at Bourgeois guitars and won a mandolin in a raffle. Been a guitar player all my life but always wanted a mandolin. Loving your channel man!
Born and raisd here on Vancouver Island, He named it after SaltSpring island. Beautiful place. Great video! I'm a big fan of Johns and the Jay Birds. Crazy how far this tune has made it!
Thanks so much. As a guitar player working on fretboard fluency with CAGED, my brain definitely responds well to consistent patterns. And it doesn't get any more consistent than perfect fifths on all strings! I went from wtf how do I play the mando to being able to solo/play along to all kinds of things (mainly in the key of C but we'll get there :) with just your video so thank you so much 🙌
I love these men so much. They are my two favorite mandolinists. John has taught me an immense amount with his albums and video recorded Peghead Nation lessons which I subscribe to --both of his melodic ond old-time mandolin channels, and David's RU-vid and Patreon channel which I also subscribe to, all of which I consider truly the budding young, serious mandolist's lifelines. I've only been playing about seven months, but I have advanced so much faster during the seven months on mandolin that I ever did over 52 years playing my guitars. Thanks guys......for truly being so incredibly inspirational and frankly awesome.
All great contributions David, but I would like to point out Baron’s amazing approach as an improvisation of this tune. He is so enjoyable to hear his explanation, breaking it down so that average guys like me can grasp it. Thanks for this wonderful survey of some of the best in the world!
This is one of your coolest ask a great player ………… , walk around surveys ever, David! “Great snippets of personality interactions” is an approach you have that highlights your tremendous social intelligence aspects. I am so glad I was able to be one of your pandemic era students so I could have the opportunity to get to know one of the most perceptive, kind, and giving people ever. And I haven’t even covered your talent as a musician or instructor, two tremendous giftings, as well. Thanks for this licks feauture! Dan Brooks, CA
I’m in Asheville for a few weeks and just wandered around Swannanoa Gathering for the first time a couple of days ago. What a treasure of a place! It was great to see many of my favorite musicians in the video.
John Reischman and David Benedict are such great influences on all of us. I haven't been playing long, but I have learned more from John's sense of melody and his lessons on Peghead than anywhere else. David Benedict is a brilliant teacher. Thank you David and thank you John and all of you guys on this video.
