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| ukulele & Mandolin tuning - Beginner Questions - Ukulele - Ukulele - ezFolk Forums | |||||||||||||||
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artcrocker Approved
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Someone told me that the Mandolin is tuned gCEA just like the ukulele, is this true? Does this mean that the chords are all the same and that any tune one knows on the uke can be played on the Mandolin. I suppose there is some getting used to the double steel string thing.
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senior Approved
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 I play both Ukulele and Mandolin. The Mandolin is tuned GDEA.
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senior Approved
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 Sorry. I really blew that. The mandolin is tuned GDAE.
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artcrocker Approved
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Thanks, I thought that sounded too simple, both tuned the same with same chord fingerings. I really don't need to dabble in another instrument since I have much work to do to get the ukulele sounding better.
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Neal Approved 
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Art. I spent 2 years learning the mandolin because I was bored with the guitar. Then I found the uke. What was I doing for the last 35 years playing guitar? It did help with the uke, but not at all with the mandolin. Both beautiful instruments, one(mandolin) is actually respected when you pull it out. My job, and others just like me and you, is to make it so with the uke.
____________________ http://ezfolk.com/audio/NealPaisley http://www.youtube.com/nealpaisley http://www.myspace.com/nealpaisley |
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artcrocker Approved
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Thanks, it gives me renewed interest.
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Will Approved 
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The mandolin's tuning is spaced more widely between strings, in 5ths, rather than 4ths with a uke or a guitar. This allows 4 strings (on a mandolin, each pair is doubled, and are referred to 4 "courses") to span a wider range of notes than a 4-string tuned in 4ths (uke or baritone uke). Coming from guitar and uke, besides getting used to a different fingering pattern for chords and melody notes, the paired strings and very tight string spacings take quite a bit of practice to get used to.
____________________ Will http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/ Loose Change & Friends http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/ http://loosechangeandfriends.com The Earth Tones http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/ A Bunch Of Coconuts http://abunchofcoconuts.com |
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hrlarson Approved 
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I used to play mandolin, guitar and violin but never got any good at it. For a number of years all instruments had a long rest. I didn't play one note. Then last year I was lured to try ukulele. Got hooked on the "first fix". Suddenly I felt I was really playing an instrument, not just memorising single tunes. Nowadays my mandolin is tuned as an ukulele (well, taropatch/open D: ADF#A). This works pretty well. Playing this I get the metallic attack that an ukulele cannot deliver. Then again I hear that the lead player in The Ukulele Player of Great Britain has tuned his ukuele as a mandolin, to get the wider range. My point is: standard tunings is not a must. If you like the sound of an instrument, why not force it to play the way you like? :-D MY next project is to fix my old violins and figure out what tunings I prefer on them ...
____________________ I'm not addicted. I can stop playing anytime I want. |
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mike81 Approved
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 How do you tune a ukulele like a mandolin? And once you do, where do you find chords to play? Can you just play from mandolin chord charts? I want to learn the mandolin but I can't afford one yet, and since I don't know any stringed instruments yet, I recently bought a cheap ukulele to get some practice while saving up for a mandolin. If I could use mandolin tuning on it that would make my eventual transition much easier. Right now the only instrument I can play well is the harmonica, which you don't have to tune at all!
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hrlarson Approved
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To tune an ukulele like a mandolin you'll need a set of struings for that tuning. A mandolin is tuned GDAE, if you play it with four strings, otherwise (with four double courses) it's tuned GGDDAAEE. It is probably better to try and find a dirt cheap old mandolin and an ordinary set of mandolin strings. Maybe somethinglike this: http://global.ebay.com/gbh/viItem?ItemId=230258002309 or http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Rogue-RM100A-AStyle-Mandolin?sku=519193&CJAID=10381297&CJPID=1568363 Chords: http://www.mandolincafe.com/cgi-bin/chords/ch.pl
____________________ I'm not addicted. I can stop playing anytime I want. |
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Will Approved
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mike81 wrote:
4 nylon strings on a tenor ukulele (the approximate size of a mandolin) really won't give you the mandolin sound of 4 pairs of steel strings tuned GDAE. A mandolin neck is narrower than almost any ukulele neck, so playing a uke doesn't necessarily help to play a mandolin (it didn't help me until I retuned the mandolin from GDAE to DGBE). You can't put steel strings on a ukulele - the additional string tension will destroy the bridge and top. I'm not even sure a ukulele won't suffer damage when tuned with nylon strings in fifths (GDAE), or if such nylon strings are readily available. Just as hrlarson suggested, it might be best to learn on a decent starter mandolin - one of the mandolins that I own is the Rogue RM100 (jet black) that is very playable, sounds good, and is sold by Musician's Friend for $50: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Rogue-RM100A-AStyle-Mandolin?sku=519193  Last edited on Mon Jun 2nd, 2008 01:04 am by Will ____________________ Will http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/ Loose Change & Friends http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/ http://loosechangeandfriends.com The Earth Tones http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/ A Bunch Of Coconuts http://abunchofcoconuts.com |
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hrlarson Approved
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Aquila really makes ukulele strings for fifths (mandolin) tuning as well, but that won't turn your ukulele into a mandolin. On a mandolin the much higher string tension and double courses of metal strings gives the mandolin quite a different ring. Ukulele strings for fifths tuning is for players who want a wider tonal range, or who plays mandolin and want to play uke without learning a new instrument. If you like the sound of the mandolin try and find a cheap used one or a "budget"- mandolin. The playing differs quite a bit from ukulele. And by the way, I returned to fifths on my mandolin. Turns out I like both instruments after all. Mandolin has wider use in a way; you can play single string melodies, chords or double string melodies. In a way it's like a fiddle (same tuning) that can play chords. The mandolin is a lot louder than most instruments (played with a plectrum) and has an enormous "attack": the notes really "hit" you. Hope you find that affordable mandolin and start playing. It's a beautiful instrument. And loud. And more prestigious than our beloved ukulele.  Last edited on Mon Jun 2nd, 2008 08:58 pm by hrlarson ____________________ I'm not addicted. I can stop playing anytime I want. |
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| ezFolk Forums > Ukulele > Beginner Questions - Ukulele > ukulele & Mandolin tuning | |
