A mandolin question..

Subject: A mandolin question..
From: GUEST,QRS
Date: 19 Feb 00 - 09:41 PM

I have a question for you catters:

When I listen to my planxty cd´s I can not really understand how Andy Irvine plays his lovley tunes on his mandolin. My knowledge of the mandolin is poor but I play some guitar, 5-string banjo and Tin whistle.(main instrument)

A friend of mine told me that Andy plays in Arpeggio scales (correct word??) but I still don´t get HOW he plays the songs and tunes..

The mandolin player in the group "Dervish" plays almost in the same way I think..

Can someone please tell me how it´s done or some tips,tabs, sites with information etc?

Thanks Mudcatters and

Regards

QRS

Subject: RE: A mandolin question..
From: Hardiman the Fiddler
Date: 19 Feb 00 - 11:06 PM

I am not a great mandolin player either; I'm mostly a fiddler. Sometimes I use a mandolin as a travel/practice instrument since it is a lot less particular than the fiddle.

I'm guessing that you are referring to a style of playing that is called "crosspicking," and I have seen some books around---possibly by Mel Bay---about that style of mandolin playing. I have been recently been looking at a book "Fiddle Tunes and Irish Music for Mandolin" by Dan Gelo, which features some pieces in crosspicking style. The book features a CD to play along with, but I won't pretend that I can play that fast. Hope this is helpful.

Hardiman the Fiddler

Subject: RE: A mandolin question..
From: Crowhugger
Date: 20 Feb 00 - 03:19 AM

Well, Praise be! *BG*

Subject: RE: A mandolin question..
From: MandolinPaul
Date: 20 Feb 00 - 09:03 AM

Hey QRS:

I've never heard of any of these guys before, but I can try to tell you about crosspicking. Basically, two things are happening in crosspicking, assuming that you are playing a melody:

1. Harmony notes are being struck on neighbouring strings, on the emphasis beats. So in 4/4 time, you will try to hit these harmony notes on the 2 and 4 beats; in 3/4 time, on the 1 beat.
2. Blank spaces, especially on the emphasis beats are also filled with these harmony notes.

This technique fills out the sound wonderfully, and can turn the mandolin into a solo instrument. At first, you will have to sit down with a pen and paper, to figure out the where, when and what of the notes, but eventually you'll be able to see them coming as you play along.

If you would like to see an example of this technique, I have transcribed a strictly melody version, and a crosspicking version of The Girl I Left Behind Me. CLICK HERE to email me, and I will send them to you as attachments.

Also, you should check out The Mandolin Cafe. There is a free set of lessons about crosspicking.
...and just in case this info isn't what you were looking for, there is a links to sign up to the COMANDO mailing list. There are many mandolinists from many countries there who would love to help you.

Always happy to find another mandolin player.
Paul.

Subject: RE: A mandolin question..
From: Willie-O
Date: 20 Feb 00 - 09:13 AM

The pioneer of mandolin crosspicking is Jesse McReynolds, of "Jim and Jesse and the Virginia Boys", still touring as of a few years ago. One of the surviving greats, catch him while you can. His style has been fairly exhaustively analyzed.

W-O

Subject: RE: A mandolin question..
From: MandolinPaul
Date: 20 Feb 00 - 09:17 AM

Here are a few other mandolin links:

The Mandolin Page

Mandolin chords

The Tao of the Mandolin

Mandolin licks

Bluegrass Mandolin Home Page

Paul.

Subject: RE: A mandolin question..
From: Midchuck
Date: 20 Feb 00 - 10:01 AM

[Pompous lecturing about things that one really doesn't know that much about mode: activate.]

"Crosspicking," on either guitar or mandolin, refers strictly to using a flat pick to create a close approximation of the Scruggs-style banjo "roll." This generally involves forcing a 3-3-2 arpeggio pattern over 4/4 time.

On the flatpick mail list, there are endless arguments, with threats of violence and derogatory comments about peoples' female relatives, over whether crosspicking can be done with a straight down-up-down-up picking motion, or necessarily involves a down-down-up-down-down-up-down-up pattern. I swear I am not making this up.

[Pompous lecturing about things that one really doesn't know that much about mode: deactivate.]

Oh lord, Cap'n! We can't shut her down...The switch is stuck...best sound the alert to abandon ship....

Peter.

Subject: RE: A mandolin question..
From: Chet W.
Date: 20 Feb 00 - 11:05 AM

I don't know if this will help, but he also played some lower pitched mando instruments on some songs, like mandolas, citterns, etc, and he sometimes uses alternative tunings, like DADA.

Chet

Subject: RE: A mandolin question..
From: Lady McMoo
Date: 20 Feb 00 - 11:07 AM

As a long time mandolin player I could SHOW you how to do it but I find it extremely difficult to explain the technique in words.

I would echo Paul S's recommendation for The Mandolin Cafe ...its a very good site with excellent explanations of some of the techniques.

mcmoo

Subject: RE: A mandolin question..
From: QRS
Date: 20 Feb 00 - 12:11 PM

Thanks to all of you for your fast replies!!

I´m about to explore those links you posted Paul right now.

Mandolin is a great instrument, and I hope that I will learn to play it well in the future..

Regards

QRS

Subject: RE: A mandolin question..
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 20 Feb 00 - 01:12 PM

Hi, keep in mind that "mandolin" means a number of instruments now, and a few years ago the term was probably limited to the "A" and "F" styles, popularized by Gibson. Many players use "octaved" bass strings on their "mandolin style" instruments and the sound produced can imply a completely different picking style than the one actually being used.

Rick