kp - Posted - 02/28/2015:  11:50:31

Hello folks.  I was wondering if anyone knew immediately off the top of their heads of what I'm looking for:  just a video or series of videos of someone playing songs (or just chord changing exercises) strumming the chords on a mandolin?

I'm not actually learning to play the mandolin, but there's a particular folk session where I'd like to join in just strumming my banjo.  I could do this really easily on tunes I don't know by following the strumming mandolin player and watching his fingers for the chord shapes.  But I'd really like to be doing my homework beforehand instead of asking him to teach me and flubbing my way through.

I have tried looking on YouTube for such things but either people aren't just strumming, or the camera doesn't stay on their fretting hand, or I just get distracted listening to the music...

So...YouTube videos of people just strumming the chords so I can learn to follow on sight (the way I can with guitar chords, where I'm familiar with the shapes already)?

Much appreciated if anyone can help!

bradlaird - Posted - 03/01/2015:  05:24:33

Off the top of my head. No. However, since you brought up the whole subject I hope you'll indulge my two cents worth on the "reading guitar hands" concept.

I agree that the visual skill of recognizing hand "signals" (chord shapes) can be a very useful tool for surviving in jam sessions. I do it sometimes. But, I think it is really only useful when all other information fails you. When suddenly an oddball chord pops up I may instinctively look at the guitar player's hands to see (literally) if I can tell what it is.

This technique works pretty well at times in a bluegrass setting. But, when I hang out with rockers or jazz dudes I don't know their hand language at all! This leads to my point I want to make about the mandolin. There are MANY possible chord shapes possible for any particular named chord. Take D major for example. It may be played 2 0 0 2, 7 4 5 x using index, ring and middle only, 7 4 5 2 using that extended 4th finger, they might play 7 7 9 10, and that's not even considering "color chords" when 6th, 7th, 9ths, etc get tossed in. Those are a lot of "mental chord pictures" to learn and file away. Seems quicker just to learn the chord progressions first... by hook or crook.

Here is another thing to consider. If you are determining the chord progressions by watching someone else's hands you are doomed to be late. A certain amount of visual and mental processing must take place and by the time you play you are way behind. I think it is better to do everything you can to know the chord progression before you play. I know, that's not always possible, but when it is possible, I think it makes more sense.

Then there is the issue of how could you know if the mandolin hands you are following know what they are doing? Maybe by the sound? Well, add the time to process the sound of their chords, compare it to what you think might be correct based on what the other players are doing, cross check that with your visual chord hands input, decide what to play and... I think you can see that this is becoming absurd.

I think a better plan and use of your time would be to hang out at the session a few times with the sole goal of learning what songs they are likely to play. Write them down. Write down the keys. Then, spend your research time, looking up the chord progressions to those tunes. Practice. Then go back and have a whack at it. (I actually did this with a mandolin student of mine. We went 3 weeks in a row to a local bluegrass jam and wrote down everything. Then I helped him prepare some cheat sheets to practice from and carry to the jam. That process helped him a lot and eventually turned into this: bradleylaird.com/survival/index.html Bluegrass may not be your "thing" (or maybe it is) but check it out, if for no other reason than for ideas to consider.

And, PLEASE DO ask the players for help. (A good time if right after you offer to buy them a round.) Don't bust up a hot jam, but when the right moment appears, ask for help. If they are like me they'd much rather take a minute to "throw you a bone" by spitting out some chord names than suffer through watching you struggle (I mean HEARING you struggle). If I notice someone hanging out in a jam and hitting a wrong chord here or there I will almost always try to help them out if I can do it without breaking up the flow of the session or making them feel like an idiot.

By the way, I like your question you posted. I read it yesterday and almost responded, but thought I should not just pipe up with the first thing that comes to mind. This morning, since nobody had responded yet, I thought I should go ahead and chime in.

One last thought... what if no mandolin player shows up? All that YouTubin' would be for naught. : D

MysTiK PiKn - Posted - 03/15/2015:  21:09:24

Agree, it won't work. And worse, where's the fun? And where's the musician? I would just hack around and contribute what I can, when I can. And if I can't then just listen.
I was at a few jams where people had books of songs, and people would intro new songs on paper, printed, maybe a dozen copies to share w others, so everyone could play great "follow". That's feasible. But even then, if it's supposed to be rehearsed, or like that, then people should do a 5 minute rehearsal, then just go for it - and it if's good, then play it again, etc etc.
But if it's a folky jam, it can't be that hard, assuming you know how to play banjo - just be that musician that you are. Let it fly.
I also noticed that often an innocent jam is a way of people finding new members for a new band. Or sometimes guys attend jams just to find out who "she" is. It's just people having fun. So have some fun. And if music isn't fun, then why would you even go there. Jams are happy places. Mandos are happy instruments.
Works for me, eh.
Also, if you are the only banjo guy, people want to hear that thing roar.