Lindyhopper - Posted - 05/14/2016:  10:42:51

Hello first post on here :)

I’ve always had a goal of playing in a Jazz/ Swing amateur band group and taking that first step towards that goal, I'm realizing why should I keep putting it off… I’m weigh up if I should take up Mandolin or Plectrum or Tenor Banjo. Just don’t want to start an instrument that I can’t actually play that certain style of music with a group of cool people.

I'm a lindyhopper and Balboa dancer so I'd love to play the music that I love dancing to so much. Big band swing.

Any help would be great :)

UsuallyPickin - Posted - 05/15/2016:  06:39:58

Well .... you can tune a Tenor Banjo and Mandolin both in fifths so one set of chord forms can be used for either instrument. Plectrum is generally tuned CGBD or DGAE like a guitar and called Chicago tuning. It is more associated with Dixieland Jazz rather than Swing. Mandolins and Jazz have an association and significant following. Listen to some Don Stiernberg or his teacher Jethro Burns. Insofar as Swing is concerned listen to the guitar work of Eddie Lang and Django Reinhart. Lots and lots and lots of chords ....... Play what calls to you because any music can be played on any instrument with sufficient range to cover the melody...... R/

TeachinMandolin444 - Posted - 05/26/2016:  17:53:30

Which instrument do you feel the most comfortable on?

Beanzy - Posted - 09/25/2016:  00:30:58

I'd go for tenor guitar in CGDA then buy a tenor banjo for earlier jazz styles.

Using the Melbay tenor banjo method & later the chord melody book and some solid backing tracks on iReal Pro.

I'd recommend focusing on becoming a solid part of the rhythm machinery in any group as an initial priority, as this will get you playing out there with others more rapidly, then grow into being a tune player as you grow.

Edited by - Beanzy on 09/25/2016 00:36:14

phiddlepicker - Posted - 02/26/2017:  00:02:25

Fiddle is the KING of swing

I also play mando and as was already brought up Tenor Banjo in Irish tuning....given only a choice between banjo and mandolin I'd go to mando without hesitation.