alexislaurenxoxo - Posted - 07/19/2014:  16:59:01

I'm just beginning to learn mandolin and I have learned the simple chords. What would be a good first song to learn? I am also trying to teach myself , so if you know any good places for me to watch videos, that would also be highly appreciated. 

Susan H - Posted - 07/19/2014:  18:53:33

One of the easiest songs is Boil (also known as Bile) Them Cabbage Down. Here is a link for it. nigelgatherer.com/tunes/tab/ta...ilec.html You don't need to do the double stops though. Good luck.

UsuallyPickin - Posted - 07/20/2014:  04:25:23

OK ....... here's the thing ..... you can learn any song you can hum or sing the melody to.... eventually the tone / note and the fingering become the same thing because you know where "it" is ..... learning by ear is good, learning to read tab and notation are also good. Fiddle tunes , like " Bile them Cabbage Down", are the standard starting place for an aspiring mandolinist . There are many books available and many YouTube how to videos available.Good Luck in your mandolin journey. It can last a lifetime....... R/

SteveZ - Posted - 07/20/2014:  09:24:19

What kind of music do you like?  When you turn on the car radio, what genre do you predominately listen to?

Most rock songs involve anywhere from 3 to 6 chords.  Some classic country follow a standard 3 chord (G, C, D) pattern.  

If a song gets into my head, I usually just google "song-title chords lyrics" and see what comes up.  Quite often I get what I want, practice it as written, and go from there.  If the song uses a chord I don't know, I look it up, try it out and add it into the "tool-box" through practicing the song.  

clachanmusic - Posted - 07/20/2014:  12:11:31

Okay, shameless plug coming up. Why not go to thecelticmandolin.com , have a look at the free stuff page and try a couple of the free Slow Session tunes there. You could also try one of the Tunes of the Month which are packs of audio files that support you learning a tune - also free. If they are still too difficult try the Complete Beginners book - so cheap it's ridiculous, but I know it works well with beginners (very good recommendation from Nigel Gatherer).

Shameless plug over.

Johnny

winterstom - Posted - 07/24/2014:  12:54:19

If you can read music, and if you can find it, I recommend the Mel Bay Folk Fiddle book for beginners.  It has some good basic melodies in nice melodic versions.  After playing for 40 some years, I find I still fall back to some of these versions.  One recommendation, when starting out, do not worry about being fast.  Concentrate on being clean and rhythmic.  After time, speed will take care of itself.  I just did a quick google search and found ardenwebsales.com/general_stor...ddle.html so it is still available (other sites also).

aldocruise - Posted - 07/29/2014:  13:53:43

Have a look at traditionalmusic.co.uk there's some great very simple tabs there. My favorite is You are my sunshine and also Londondaerry Air..

Victoria - Posted - 08/07/2014:  11:01:54

Simple fiddle tunes like "Cripple Creek", "Old Joe Clark", and a song called "Bile them Cabbege Down" are great for first songs on the mandolin. They help you as you learn pick strokes. You do not have to play the  double stops. (:

Edited by - Victoria on 08/07/2014 11:02:35

alexislaurenxoxo - Posted - 08/11/2014:  13:59:39

Sorry for the really late reply. I haven't been on the computer much. I just finished learning Boil Them Cabbage Down. Thanks for suggesting! I'll look into some of the other songs suggested. I would like to learn a lot of Gospel tunes. My dad plays banjo and there are 2 kids in my youth group. one who plays guitar and one who plays violin and we are starting a sort of bluegrass worship band. I'm completely new to this and I have no previous musical experience, so if you guys know anything to help me learn, it would be much appreciated.

TSSN - Posted - 08/12/2014:  04:34:01

traditionalmusic has been suggested above...

Amazing Grace, and  How Great Thou Art  are easy to learn.  These are good to strum behind or tremolo over.

alexislaurenxoxo - Posted - 08/12/2014:  04:58:03

quote:

---

Originally posted by TSSN

 

traditionalmusic has been suggested above...

Amazing Grace, and  How Great Thou Art  are easy to learn.  These are good to strum behind or tremolo over.

 

---

Thanks! I'll look into that! :)

Jim Yates - Posted - 08/12/2014:  08:02:50

Here are three songs that use only three chords and sound great:

Down In The Valley To Pray  (Doc does it unaccompanied) youtube.com/watch?v=CMtrIH6tvmM

I'll Fly Away   youtube.com/watch?v=1BPoMIQHwpo

The Man In The Middle   youtube.com/watch?v=AISiZuOPBr4

Edited by - Jim Yates on 08/12/2014 08:10:32

Jim Yates - Posted - 08/12/2014:  08:12:52

Here are some links to chords:

Down In The Valley To Pray  russell-lawson.com/musi...ToPray.cpm">russell-lawson.com/musi...ToPray.cpm" target="_blank">chordie.com/chord.pere/rus...oPray.cpm

I'll Fly Away  tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/m/mis...y_crd.htm

The Man In The Middle  traditionalmusic.co.uk/gospel-...ntain.htm

Edited by - Jim Yates on 08/12/2014 08:18:28

IanGwyther - Posted - 10/04/2014:  13:44:39

Has anybody got any advice for learning and practicing double stops finding I can get a clean down stroke but feel a bit restricted with my upstroke and going past fifth fret but this could be my mandolin set up which has a pretty high action.