The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #46607 Message #2475147
Posted By: mandotim
24-Oct-08 - 03:19 PM
Thread Name: What mandolin do you play?
Subject: RE: What mandolin do you play?
Hi Marylin; there are lots of arguments about terminology, but the best rule of thumb is to initially follow the violin family, as the mandolin family correspond closely to this. Mandolin orchestras still exist, having been very popular in the 1930s and 40s.
Mandolin/violin; tuned GDAE
Mandola/Viola; tuned CGDA a fifth below the mandolin/violin
Mandocello/Cello; tuned CGDA an octave below the mandola/viola
Mandobass/Double Bass; Tuned EADG, waaaay down there!
It starts to get complicated when you build in some 'hybrids'. What you have is (I think) an Octave mandolin, tuned GDAE an octave below the mandolin. This is sometimes (confusingly) called a mandola, or sometimes a tenor mandola, or even an octave mandola, which it isn't. To further complicate things, some people put lighter strings on a mandocello and tune it GDAE, making it an octave mandolin with a mandocello body. Still with me?
Ok; still more people take an Octave mandolin like yours, and instead of having four pairs of strings with each pair tuned in unison, the two bass pairs are octaves, similar to a 12 string guitar. This is usually known as a bouzouki. (or Irish bouzouki, to distinguish it from the Greek original, which often had only three courses of strings.) This can be tuned GDAE, but other tunings are often used for particular playing styles; GDAD and ADAD are common ones. Some of these have a guitar type body, and are known as a Bouzar. Bouzoukis often have a longer scale length than octave mandolins, and are very good for mixed chordal/melodic accompaniment.
(Takes deep breath...) There are also instruments with five courses of paired strings. One sort is a mandolin with an extra bass course, tuned CGDAE, producing a mandolin that can also be played as a mandola. These are rare, as the bass string on such a short scale length tends to be a bit floppy. The second major sort is a long scale instrument with five courses, some of which may be octave pairs like the bouzouki. These are usually known as Citterns, and tunings for these are many and varied, though they tend to be around the same register as bouzoukis.
That's a potted description; don't get me started on Cuatros, bandolims, tiples and waldzithers!
Enjoy the Fylde; Roger Bucknall makes fine instruments.
Tim