This was perfect for an absolute beginner to get started. I literally have never played an instrument and while I know it’s not a big deal, now I can play three chords. I bought my mandolin to give my mind something to do during covid time. I’m going to spend more time strumming and less time scrolling. I like the way you encourage us to just relax and just start messing around and see what comes out. Thanks so much for doing this video.
I am 59 and finally able to work part time.I always wanted to learn and got a mandolin - I'm ging to watch this today and start to learn too...So I believe 3 chords is AWESOME!!
Hello from England, I'm a 77 yr old guitar player who has just bought my my first mandolin. I've just subbed, your information is very useful to me. Thank you.
Just ordered my Mandolin. I've been playing the Ukulele for some years and love the sound of the Mandolin. I'm 72 and live in a town called Southport in Merseyside UK. Stanley.
Hi Stanley, thanks checking out the video :) It’s always so great to meet people from all over the world! Welcome to the mandolin club and cheers to you :)
You’re too kind - much appreciated :) I highly recommend checking out a video of mine called “How to Play Music on the Mandolin Right Away” for something fun you can do today. Thanks so much, have lots of fun and feel free to shoot me any questions that may come up. Welcome to COMANDOLIN-land and have a great day!
Every time I tune my mandolin or play it I can't help but imagine that orchestra inside it tuning up in the pit 'cause that's exactly what it sounds like to me now that you mention it. Brilliant.
You are an amazing teacher. You can really tell you also take a student approach. I was plucking and noodling after a half hour. My son is a big string kid. I played sax and have never taken a string seriously. I love the sound of this instrument. Thank you for all your effort.
Thank you so much - I appreciate the kind words :) I highly recommend checking out it’s companion video called “How to Play Music on the Mandolin Right Away” to give your plucking and noodling a little fun direction. Thanks for checking out the channel and have a great day!
Thanks man, I'm 32 and never played an instrument. Decided on mandolin and it's been so hard to find a complete beginner video. I still need to learn some of the mor ebasic things but I think I'll need a book on basics of music
Hey there - thanks so much for checking it out. I’d highly recommend finding a video of mine called “How to Play Music on the Mandolin Right Away”. It has a very fun next step and is kind of the follow up to this video. Have fun :)
I love how you put emphasis on just enjoying the sound and the instrument, and spending time with it. I played mando in my teens and spent alot of time "practicing", by that i mea nsitting around noodling on the instrument and just enjoying trying to come up with little songs. Kudos to you sir.
Your video tutorial was truly helpful. I'm a guitar player who wants to incorporate some mandolin when I play with other people. Basics is exactly what I needed and your video with basic chords, scales...at a pace that's not too fast, was very helpful!
Thanks so much - glad it was helpful! I’d recommend checking out its companion video called “How to Play Music on the Mandolin Right Away” that kind of goes along with this. It’ll get you going on the pentatonic scale and improvising. Hey, have a great night :)
Thanks much - Hey, when you get it, check out my video called “How to Play Music On the Mandolin Right Away” to get going on some fun. Have a great day!
Thank you, I really enjoyed watching your lesson, the way you spoke of it you love looking at it and playing around with it you seen so passionate about the mandolin. I can hardly wait to find your ext eson.
Thank you that was a very helpful video. I have played guitar since the 1980s and just got my first mandolin so the setup and scales were exactly what I was looking for.
Hey there, thanks so much! I have a video on my channel somewhere called “Mandolin for Guitar Players” that you might want to check out. Should be right up your alley and you can probably master this thing in about 15 minutes :)
Such a great tutorial! Your voice is so soothing as I was getting so impatient. ha ha I used to play the mandolin when I was a kid, but have forgotten so much. I inherited my grandfather's 1931 mandolin and want to play it so bad! Your video is great. Thank you for doing this.
Got the Hal Leonard Mandolin Pack on Wednesday. The mandolin had foam under the bridge. Thanks to you I was able to work it out and start playing without frustration.
Hello, Thanks for approach in teaching, you make it look fun and easy just like you said. Will work on the basics you showed. I watched this video couple weeks ago but picked up my mandolin today and started. Bought an Ibanez F-style and I love it. Thanks Todd-Phelan, Calif
Hey there - thanks so much for watching! I’d highly recommend the follow up video called “How to Play Music on the Mandolin Right Away” to give you something really fun right away. Thanks and have a great day :)
Hi Terri - thanks so much :) Be sure to check out the follow up video somewhere on my page called “How to Play Music on the Mandolin Right Away” for some fun things you can do right off the bat :) Have a great night!
I just found you as I have been looking for a true beginners vid. this is perfect. thank you for taking the time to make it. Appreciate your time effort and smooth calm encourageing voice.
Hey, thanks so much for the kind words - I appreciate it :) I’d highly recommend checking out the follow up video to this somewhere in my list called “How to Play Music on the Mandolin Right Away” for some really fun stuff that you can do right off the bat. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and thanks for checking it out :)
Looking back at this, it seems like far too short of a response on my part, but I was at work and wanted to get a quick response out to when I could. But, thanks for the nice comment, I appreciate you following the channel and I’m glad you’re around. Have a great day :)
Hey there - thanks so much. I’m glad it helped out. Hey, if you’re just starting out and want to have some fun be sure to check this one out as well. The link won’t work, but it’s called How to play music on the Mandolin right away! Plus my#1 tip for getting better Have a great day and happy playing :)
Brilliant...I am a complete newbie...just learning C...G...and D...I just wish that you were my neighbour...I'd be over in your garage everyday...perfect pace and tips for an ole'guy! Thanks!
Thanks much, if I had a garage, you’d be welcome in it :) Hey, I’d highly recommend checking out my video called “How to Play Music on the Mandolin Right Away” that will go great with this one and be a lot of fun. Thanks for checking out the channel and have a great day :)
Just ordered a mandolin, something to take with me when I have no room for my banjo or when I need to be quiet. I suspect this new hobby is going to bite me in the rear as I believe you can never have enough guns, banjos or mandolins! Great video, thanks for taking some of the mystery out of this wonderful instrument!
@@noname1st139, I bought a Loar F style mandolin. It was around the $700/800 price range. Loar, Eastman and Kentucky also make mandolins that don’t cost so much if that price scares you. Good luck with your new hobby, you’re going to love it!
Greetings Yorkshire - thanks so much :) I’d highly recommend following this one up with a video called “How to Play Music on the Mandolin Right Away” that would be the next step. Thanks again for checking out the channel!
Hi there - thanks so much :) After this one, I’d recommend finding my video called “How to Play Music on the Mandolin Right Away” and having fun with that. Have a great night!
Hey, thanks so much! I’d highly recommend checking out it’s companion video called “How to Play Music on the Mandolin Right Away” to really start having fun. Thanks for checking out the channel, happy playing and have a great day :)
Please,please make some more basic strum/chord exercises you are the only I can relate too,stay safe,thanking you in advance,all the best from Portugal.
Hi there - I certainly will. I’ve been meaning to do some more basic videos. I appreciate you watching and will have something up for you soon. Have a great day. :)
@@wandafeeneyMaker - How fun! If you haven’t, I’d suggest scrolling way down my page and looking for a video called “How to Play Music on the Mandolin Right Away”. It’s a great, fun thing to do that can eat up the rest of your afternoon :) Cheers!
I think I need to see a professional to tell me more about+adjust my action bar height, cause my strings are very buzzy despite being in tune, and I feel like I have to press harder than I could. This video really helped me understand a few more things like action position (yay at least mine is in the right spot), and then led *right* into a surprise! Super simple teaching that I could actually MEMORIZE, and follow along as you taught - aka GREAT PACE! Thank you! I'll be seeing if you have any recent vids when I'm more confident with these current chords. They've already greatly ranged my practice sessions for my home audience LOL!
I just inherited a mandolin. How can I find out if it’s a good one? I see videos on the brand (Regal) but most seem to like the oval cut out rather than the f. 🤷🏼♀️ I know mine needs new strings big time, and the bridge needs a little repositioning, but what can I do about the fret board? The strings start getting so high that my fingers are screaming! What are the two little gear spinny things on the bridge, for? Is this where I might lower the strings so I don’t quit what I’ve learned already? I hope so. Thank yo so much! Excellent teaching!! Exactly what a beginner needs to know, and even start playing. 😁
Hey there, thanks for checking out the channel :) The round spiny things do indeed raise or lower the strings. To lower them, turn it clockwise. On most mandolins, you may need some needle nose pliers and maybe a little squirt of WD40. If you raise the strings, be sure to listen them first. Don’t have to worry when you’re lowering them. Good luck!
Thanks much. I hope it was helpful in some way. There’ll be more coming, but hopefully here, folks can learn to start exploring the sounds of the mando without worrying about getting all worked up about learning a specific song or melody yet. Happy playing :)
Hey there :) Cheap mandos are notoriously hard to keep in tune. The best thing you can do is make sure the intonation is set correctly. There are many videos about how to do that. It’s just positioning the bridge a little forward or back. It doesn’t sound like much but makes all the difference on being in tune. Now, granted, that doesn’t really help it stay in tune, but is essential for everything to sound good. The only other thing I can think of is to check the tuners themselves - anything loose anywhere that needs to be tightened? Other than that, fighting the tuning is part of the game - especially on lower quality mandos. I drive the folks in my band nuts with my constant tuning :) Hey, thanks for watching and have a great day!
Wonderful - thanks so much for watching. I would highly recommend following this with my video called “How to Play Music right away” to give you something fun to get going. Have fun and have a great day :)
Found almost brand new levin that looks like its from the 40's, it has 2 f-holes on the sides...anyways...I dont think i have any talent for music but maybe some brute force determination will get me somewhere. Thanks dude!
Thanks bud, good luck with your mandolining! Hey, there’s a companion video somewhere on my page called “How To Play Music on the Mandolin Right Away” that I’d highly recommend as a follow up. Have a great day :)
Everything is more fun in the matrix! Also, the walls of my room are green and the lamp is an amber color. I use a sort of saturation filter the winds up kind of highlighting that. Of course, this video is years old and I’m always messing with the look :) Have a great day!
Hi there :) I don’t think they muffle the sound in and noticeable way - I just prefer the look without them and sometimes, I hit them with my pick. It’s mostly aesthetics for me. Have a great day!
Then what could be the cause of muffled sound of my mandolin?I have tried with picks of different thickness, but the results are same. Would you advice please?
It’s hard to say without much info - Maybe it’s just a muffled sounding mandolin. I had a Gretsch New Yorker that was just a quiet sounding instrument. By all means, see if removing the pick guard and see if it helps. You can always put it back on. Be sure to play as close to the bridge as you can get away with for as bright a sound as possible. But, it may just be how it sounds :)
Oh man, did I say it wrong in the video? I haven’t actually seen this in a good year and a half or more. It’s definitely flat/forward as you say - I hate to think there’s a mistake in my most popular video. Maybe I should do one specifically on intonation and try to correct myself :) Thanks for watching and have a good one!
hi, I#ve been playing tenor banjo (badly) for about 6 months but I have to go quiet due to family complaints (as I said, I play bad), so I've bought myself a cheap mandolin to soothe my hurt. I do have a couple of stupid questions: 1. for a single note, do you pluck the top string on the down stroke and the bottom string on the up stroke? or both strings both ways? 2. when you play a chord, are all 8 strings struck? thanks
Hi there - thanks for checking out the channel :) For the first question, you’ll always hit both strings no matter which way you’re picking. Although there are eight strings, it plays like a four stringed instrument. You’ll never separate them. As for chords, it’ll vary depending on the chord. The musical definition of a chord is three or more notes (two is a harmony, three is a chord). Many chords will use all four sets of strings, many will use three. Hey, you might want to check out the companion video called “How to Play Music on the Mandolin Right Away” for a really fun thing you can do next. Thanks much and have a great day :)
@@COMANDOLIN I'd also like to say thanks for the tip about holding the neck at an angle up from horizontal. In all the tenor banjo tutorials I've watched, nobody else has mentioned this. (it helps to make the plectrum slip off the strings more easily) especially helpful for tremelo/triplets 👍.
@@COMANDOLIN I did - only bought my mandolin 2 days ago and came across your lessons - fingers cramped and sore today. must be doing something right...lol...maybe not....will keep looking for your lessons, so cruisy yet so informative - thank you so much
Diana Dekker - That's awesome. Hey, I have one called "How to Play Music Right Away" that you should certainly check out as you get going. Hope you're having a great night :)
@@COMANDOLIN Yes have found that lesson and it's awesome too...my night has just got better as I' home from work now and can have a play around with my new mando....thanks again for sharing your knowledge :-)
Thanks bud - if you haven’t, be sure to check out the “How to Play Music Right Away” video as a follow up to this one. Have fun mandolining and have a great day :)
Hi, I am so interested in buying my first Mandolin. My question is probably answered somewhere in this thread, what brand names do you recommend? And for a first time buyer, what would the price point be? I know a lot depends on the wood and construction. If you could just give me a direction to go in......I would be most appreciative.
Hi there, thanks for checking out the channel :) Here’s a few that I like. First off, I’d avoid the $79 super cheap mandolins. They won’t sound good, they’ll be hard to play and aren’t going to stay in tune. If you start around the $200 range, I like the Gretsch New Yorker series. They’re not sonic marvels, but not bad and are very playable and look nice. If you step up a bit, the Loar makes some decent lower priced models. Guitar center carries one for $350. I’ve had a LM-375 and used it for a couple year’s worth of gigs. Anything by Kentucky is going to be really nice and they have several models south of $500. I’ve never owned one, but always blown away when I’ve played them at stores. Lastly, the Eastman MD-305 might just be the best “entry level” mandolin out there. Retailing right about $500, they are fantastic. They sound great and are works of art. I have one and sometimes, I just hold it up to the light and stare at it. It and a Gretsch Park Avenue are my main gigging mandolins. They’re all expensive and I always buy used when I can. I paid $250 for my Eastman off Craigslist. Also, an A style will always be so much less expensive than a comparable F style. Just a few thoughts, I hope that helps. Have a great day :)
Long answer short: those G, C and D shapes can move around like barre chords on the guitar and be in any key depending what fret you’re on. I have a video called “Mandolin For Guitar Players” that explains this in detail :)
