aldocruise - Posted - 07/05/2014:  14:24:47

Hi. This is my first post and I hope I'm in the right area. I'm a 72 year old retired guy who has decided to learn the mandolin. I've never played any instrument before this and I have a question. Should I try to find a one on one teacher or would I be better off with one of the online teaching courses?

Joe Mangio - Posted - 07/05/2014:  17:19:36

Save your money; scour the net for lots of free valuable information.

phiddlepicker - Posted - 07/06/2014:  04:58:38

When I started playing you had to find another player, booze him up or otherwise satisfy his ego and hope he would take time enough to teach you something useful. lol

Even taking lessons can be a bit of a head game since the person giving the lessons often teaches you as little as possible in a session to keep you coming back for the next payment...err....I mean lesson.

The internet has changed that.....there's so much out there now for free or for what amounts to pocket change per song that anyone that really wants to play can can learn in months what used to take years and miles.

Get to pickin!

TSSN - Posted - 07/06/2014:  05:23:42

I have had luck with one-on-one lessons (and without the booze!  Phiddlepicker that was funny...)  They were worthwhile, and cost effective too. 

If you want to go "whole hog" and make the mandolin your entire life, then find a teacher.  If you want to enjoy it on your porch and noodle and maybe jam with some folks, then time and patience and electronic materials should do pretty well. 

Most stuff from Homespun is pretty good.  Also, Brad Laird's materials are pretty good too. (NFI on either.)

Texasbanjo - Posted - 07/06/2014:  05:23:55

Find a good teacher.  You will learn more faster and with fewer bad habits to break.   If you've never played an instrument before, internet lessons can be confusing as you can't ask questions as to why you do this or how you should do that. 

It will be well worth the money for lessons.  While some teachers may try to lead you on by not teaching you properly, most do NOT and are more than happy to show you how to play correctly.  

If you can't find a good teacher, then the second option would be online Skype lessons.  Almost like one on one and at least you can ask questions of your teacher.

If that won't work, find a good beginner book and take it from page 1, slowly.  Don't jump around in the book or you'll miss some important information you'll need later on.

Whatever you decide, good luck.  Mandolin is fun to play so relax, enjoy!

phiddlepicker - Posted - 07/06/2014:  05:26:49

ah...bold font validity. welcome to da interwebz. lol

UsuallyPickin - Posted - 07/06/2014:  17:14:49

Mandolin for Dummies by Don Julin if you decide to go the book route amazon.com/Mandolin-For-Dummie...119942764 ....... A teacher that is actually a competent mandolin player may or may not be easy to find in your home town. SKYPE lessons are also an option. Check out the tabs and lessons button in the top right corner of the main page here at MHO there is a find a teacher listing ..... Mandolin is a lot of fun to play and light to carry, two thumbs up. .. Enjoy.... R/

Edited by - UsuallyPickin on 07/06/2014 17:19:08

aldocruise - Posted - 07/06/2014:  19:41:17

Thanks for all the great advise. I've been searching the net and there appears to be lots available. I have decided to spend a few dollars with a teacher and then combine that with internet stuff. I should have mentioned I live in Australia and mandolin is not very popular here so teachers are a bit hard to find close to home. The nearest to me is about 80 kilometres from home. (50 miles).

phiddlepicker - Posted - 07/07/2014:  04:08:59

Wo0t! Australia...I've fiddled a bit down under when I was active duty.

I think your eclectic approach is a fine conclusion.

Get on skype and you can always contact your mandolin playing friends and share information and opinions.

I'm vesaliuscomhs on skpe if you ever want to ping me. The world is much smaller these days.

UsuallyPickin - Posted - 07/07/2014:  05:06:18

Some of the finest mandolins in the world are made down under ......... the music camp I go to each summer often has visiting Aussies...Luck .. .R/

Ben Venuti - Posted - 07/07/2014:  20:49:34

Where in Australia? If your back of Burk you could have trouble but I'm betting that in the cities you'll find some fine players. I spent time in Australia,years ago now,(my wife is Australian) but I was always able to find good people to play with.

SteveZ - Posted - 07/08/2014:  04:57:25

Skype and other sites have made lessons easily available.  Mandolin for Dummies sits in prominent place in the living room and gets its use.  

I'm presuming you are not preparing for a career with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.  If that's the case, learning a few chords "A, Am, C, D, D7, Em, F, G, G7"  will handle a plethora of tunes to start.  Also, while the purists will scream, starting out with the two or three finger versions of some of the chords are okay.  My gnarled hands can't form a classic F or G, but I've survived all right on anything tuned 5ths.  

If the goal is self-satisfaction, making some music for personal enjoyment, then do what works for you and not the purist.  You can always expand and modify as the comfort level with the instrument grows.

Edited by - SteveZ on 07/08/2014 04:58:36

TeachinMandolin444 - Posted - 07/08/2014:  11:34:03

I sent you a PM- I teach online. :-)

aldocruise - Posted - 07/09/2014:  19:52:36

Thanks again for all the advice. I've managed to find a reasonably close to home teacher who is available 30 minutes per week. I start tomorrow. Bought my first mandolin yesterday. It's a bryden a shape. Hope it's good enough to learn on.

SteveZ - Posted - 07/10/2014:  05:32:32

Anything set up half decent with relatively new strings of the correct tension will do fine.  Buying a relatively expensive instrument at this time may be a waste.  Within a short while you'll get to discern the differences and make wise choices on future mandolin "upgrade" purchases.  There are some great instruments out there at very reasonable prices, and with some "shopping knowledge" they are not hard to spot.

aldocruise - Posted - 07/10/2014:  15:33:36

quote:

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Originally posted by oldtimebluesgirl

 

I sent you a PM- I teach online. :-)

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aldocruise - Posted - 07/10/2014:  15:35:32

quote:

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Originally posted by aldocruise

Thanks for that but I've decided to go with a local teacher.

quote:

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Originally posted by oldtimebluesgirl

 

I sent you a PM- I teach online. :-)

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