tjhilly - Posted - 10/28/2019:  13:19:47

Is there a really thorough method book out there? I don't want to just flail around on my own, but want a well planned A to Z method that will give me a solid foundation in everything I need to accelerate my playing. Please offer any recommendations you may have. Thanks.

MandoTom2 - Posted - 10/28/2019:  14:21:22

I've seen and owned darned near everything available for the mandolin in terms of 'method books' from Mel Bay and Hal Leonard publishing from the 1970s through the early 2000s and was not impressed. They have great books, but nothing I would call a 'true' well-planned method book or series of books.

You almost have to define what it is you want in a method book...

What are the IMPORTANT things to be able to do on a mandolin?

1. The ability to read, understand and write music in the treble clef in standard music notation.

• Learn to read standard notation in the 5 'guitar keys', i.e., C, G, D A and E.


• Learn to read in open position (near the headstock with lots of 'open-string notes' in those 5 keys.


• Learn 'closed-position' playing... The ability to play in all important keys (C,G,D,A and E) 'up the neck'...


•  Learn basic chord theory (how to construct 3-note major and minor triads from the 5 guitar scales, i.e., C,G,D,A and E)...


• Learn how to play Blues and Pentatonic Scales in those 5 guitar keys, Open and Closed-Position Scales...

2. Ear Training: Take a basic Ear-Training class from a local community college...

3. Take a basic music theory class from a local community college...

4. Learn to draw out your own neck diagrams and lay in (write in) the note positions (alphabetical) based on the standard mandolin tuning...

5. Make zerox's of your neck diagrams and use them to locate the Guitar Scale in open and closed positions.

6. Use you home made mandolin neck diagrams to find the locations of the Harmonized Scales: Harmonized Scales are the chord families that are associated and built from each of the major and minor scales. I always start with Major Keys to find the related Harmonized Scales (Chord Families)...

7. Obtain "Edly's Music Theory for Practical People", a great book containing more music theory than you'll probably ever need, but VERY IMPORTANT in terms of an 'easy-to-understand' book on music theory.

8. Start an intense collection of MANDOLIN and Bluegrass records, tapes, CDs, etc. Used Record shops and local public libraries are great places to start getting an idea of what is available...

9.  Practice writing in standard music notation, then tablature any and all simple melodies in as many keys as possible, beginning with the Guitar Keys: C,G,D,A and E. "Writing out melodies" in standard music notation is a great way to involve your brain in "reading music". When you were in grade school, junior high and high school, you had to write papers... Same idea here... Writing down melodies is a great way to make yourself learn to 'think music'...

10. Collect used books on the mandolin. Public libraries are always selling off discontinued books at cheap prices. Looking through these books will cause you to 'ask lots of questions'...

11. Attend concerts where acoustic music is performed, i.e., bluegrass concerts, local coffee shops, etc.

12. Make your own lists of all of the great mandolin players past and present...

13. Build your own "Method Book" by zeroxing pages from books that are pertinent to what you are trying to study: i.e., I like to copy open position scale exercises and related simple tunes in the easy keys out of guitar books and violin books and put them into my own self-created mandolin method notebook... Always be working on this project! Down load chord charts from Google Images (Mandolin Chords) and put them in your self-built mandolin method book...

14. Use your personal computer at home to study and read about "Music Theory"... Wikipedia is a great place to start. 

15. Build your own Music Glossary notebook by collecting terms and definitions and practice copying them into spiral bound notebooks. Writing things out is an important step in learning and studying as it forces YOUR PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT.

16, Take adult education English classes at a local community college and write all of your papers about the mandolin!

17. Collect mandolin and music-related memorabilia... Public Libraries, garage sales, use on line sources such as Craigs List and local newspapers to build your collection.

18. Always be in the process of transcribing music from recordings for your mandolin in your favorite guitar keys, i.e., C,G,D,A and E...

19. Arrange your own Chrostmas music for the mandolin (in those 5 guiitar keys)...

Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Every day, week, month and year that passes are vast oppotunities to be working on all of the things contained in the list above...

Build your own method...

Live it!

Enjoy it!

Hope this helps...

MandoTom

tjhilly - Posted - 10/28/2019:  18:09:10

Dear Tom, You are an amazing, generous man. Thanks for the time & care you put in your response. Many, many thanks.

MandoTom2 - Posted - 10/28/2019:  21:25:56

I started playing mandolin in 1983...

About three years after I formally took up my guitar studies as a young adult...

In 1983, I took up the mandolin first, followed by the banjo later in the same year...

Back then, there were still MANDOLIN WORLD NEWS issues available here and there.

I collected them and read them like there was no tomorrow...

I played in contests where memorized music (sheet music) was the main goal...

I took a few trophies (at beginner and intermediate levels) and kept going back for more...

I purchased and practiced out of the various Jethro Burns books published through Mel Bay...

I learned how to hum simple melodies (folk, gospel, Christmas, etc.) and write them down in the key of my choice, also figuring out the chords to accompany those simple melodies.

I wrote in standard music notation and tablature...

I studied music theory with my guitar teacher and applied the principles I learned to the mandolin and the banjo...

I collected records, met players at BG festivals...

Learned about the folks who were sort of outside the bluegrass community, i.e., David Grisman (his jazz stuff)...

There is no end to what is out there and and no end to what you can find and put together for yourself...

When you are actively involved in building this body of information, it will mean so much more to you!

Tom

Texasbanjo - Posted - 10/29/2019:  05:00:26

When I started on mandolin, I got Eddie Collins beginner book "Basics of Bluegrass Mandolin.... and a lot more".

It starts you off with tuning, picks, exercises and then goes into simple songs with variations. Goes into scales and standard music notation as well as tab. Moves on to various techniques and more songs in different keys. It's pretty thorough and easy to read and understand. It comes with 2 CDs so you can listen, learn and pick along.

DogHouseMando - Posted - 10/29/2019:  21:28:05

quote:

---

Originally posted by MandoTom2

What are the IMPORTANT things to be able to do on a mandolin?

1. The ability to read, understand and write music in the treble clef in standard music notation.

• Learn to read standard notation in the 5 'guitar keys', i.e., C, G, D A and E.


• Learn to read in open position (near the headstock with lots of 'open-string notes' in those 5 keys.


• Learn 'closed-position' playing... The ability to play in all important keys (C,G,D,A and E) 'up the neck'...


•  Learn basic chord theory (how to construct 3-note major and minor triads from the 5 guitar scales, i.e., C,G,D,A and E)...


• Learn how to play Blues and Pentatonic Scales in those 5 guitar keys, Open and Closed-Position Scales...

2. Ear Training: Take a basic Ear-Training class from a local community college...

3. Take a basic music theory class from a local community college...

4. Learn to draw out your own neck diagrams and lay in (write in) the note positions (alphabetical) based on the standard mandolin tuning...

5. Make zerox's of your neck diagrams and use them to locate the Guitar Scale in open and closed positions.

6. Use you home made mandolin neck diagrams to find the locations of the Harmonized Scales: Harmonized Scales are the chord families that are associated and built from each of the major and minor scales. I always start with Major Keys to find the related Harmonized Scales (Chord Families)...

7. Obtain "Edly's Music Theory for Practical People", a great book containing more music theory than you'll probably ever need, but VERY IMPORTANT in terms of an 'easy-to-understand' book on music theory.

8. Start an intense collection of MANDOLIN and Bluegrass records, tapes, CDs, etc. Used Record shops and local public libraries are great places to start getting an idea of what is available...

9.  Practice writing in standard music notation, then tablature any and all simple melodies in as many keys as possible, beginning with the Guitar Keys: C,G,D,A and E. "Writing out melodies" in standard music notation is a great way to involve your brain in "reading music". When you were in grade school, junior high and high school, you had to write papers... Same idea here... Writing down melodies is a great way to make yourself learn to 'think music'...

10. Collect used books on the mandolin. Public libraries are always selling off discontinued books at cheap prices. Looking through these books will cause you to 'ask lots of questions'...

11. Attend concerts where acoustic music is performed, i.e., bluegrass concerts, local coffee shops, etc.

12. Make your own lists of all of the great mandolin players past and present...

13. Build your own "Method Book" by zeroxing pages from books that are pertinent to what you are trying to study: i.e., I like to copy open position scale exercises and related simple tunes in the easy keys out of guitar books and violin books and put them into my own self-created mandolin method notebook... Always be working on this project! Down load chord charts from Google Images (Mandolin Chords) and put them in your self-built mandolin method book...

14. Use your personal computer at home to study and read about "Music Theory"... Wikipedia is a great place to start. 

15. Build your own Music Glossary notebook by collecting terms and definitions and practice copying them into spiral bound notebooks. Writing things out is an important step in learning and studying as it forces YOUR PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT.

16, Take adult education English classes at a local community college and write all of your papers about the mandolin!

17. Collect mandolin and music-related memorabilia... Public Libraries, garage sales, use on line sources such as Craigs List and local newspapers to build your collection.

18. Always be in the process of transcribing music from recordings for your mandolin in your favorite guitar keys, i.e., C,G,D,A and E...

19. Arrange your own Chrostmas music for the mandolin (in those 5 guiitar keys)...

Today is the first day of the rest of your life. Every day, week, month and year that passes are vast oppotunities to be working on all of the things contained in the list above...

Build your own method...

Live it!

Enjoy it!

Hope this helps...

MandoTom

---

I agree whole heartedly with this list of method techniques. These kinds of techniques have helped me develop my technique from going from chopping chords to finding my own voice on the instrument. I would add a couple to this existing list.

1. Archive.org is a great resource for downloadable live recordings of a lot of great artists. Tut Taylor's tape collections are located there when they were migrated from the Steam Powered Preservation Society. Just type that search into Archive.org and there are many gems available there.

2. When you see live music, talk with the players and have conversations with them. I have learned so much from just finding band members during set breaks or after the show. And most of the time they're pretty open to conversations after receiving compliments. :)

3. Jam circles. These are great to learn tunes and get into a local acoustic music community. Also helps to start bands if interested.