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| Open Tunings and chords for Mandolin - Mandolin - Other Instruments - ezFolk Forums | |||||||||||||||
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holleyhall Approved 
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Hi there! Happy New year to all! I hope 2008 will be a better year to get time in to really focus on the music. My sister just got a really nice new mandolin for x-mas and was very very kind to give me her old one! (I used to have one years ago until the neck snapped.) So this was very exciting and such a blessing! I can play standard tuning but I am looking for tips on alternate tunings and chords. I am also looking for informative websites as well. any help would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance! Holley 
____________________ http://ezfolk.com/audio/holleyhall |
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J M Fenton Approved 
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Hi Holley, A Guid New Year to you, too (when it comes, it's Ne'erday tomorrow). I've always used standard tuning, myself, and I don't play chords except for double stops. However, some of the Irish musicians, like Andy Irvine, started the use of GDAD. I've been trying this on my new 'zouk' but feel more comfortable with GDAE on that, as well; GDAD hasn't 'clicked' for me. Mandolin Cafe seems to be an informative web site: http://www.mandolincafe.com . Nigel Gatherer, who teaches mandolin all across central Scotland, has a good site (for Scottish/'Celtic', obviously): http://www.nigelgatherer.com/ Get going with that mandolin and put the results up on your ezfolk page! All the best, John http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/3100/
____________________ John http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/3100/ |
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holleyhall Approved
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Thanks John! I'll check them out. 
____________________ http://ezfolk.com/audio/holleyhall |
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Will Approved 
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Since this is a thread on alternate tunings for mandolin, how about one that guitar and uke players would immediately feel comfortable playing - DGBE? The late, legendary Tommy Tedesco, a session musician who played on hundreds of hit rock and pop records, used to tote a cartload of different string instruments like guitars, banjos, mandolins, etc., all tuned to DGBE or like a guitar, so if a pro like him could retune instruments, why can't you? It got him more session work than if he had played only electric and acoustic guitar. Some players who already play guitar and/or uke would like to try out another instrument sound without re-learning a new tuning; and some of us (like myself) already have a full plate with 2 jobs, a spouse and school-aged kids, and simply don't have the time to learn and practice a new tuning (I've tried on and off for a year, and I gave up.) The standard mandolin tuning is in fifths, GDAE, with a wider interval of notes between the strings. To make DGBE tuning work on a mandolin, you can't just re-tune the existing strings, because it would require raising the low G strings to an extreme amount up to D, and that will either break the strings or damage the mandolin neck. DGBE/octave guitar tuning, is in fourths, so a few strings have to be switched around and substituted to get the correct gauges. DGBE tuning will be compressing the range of the instrument, sacrificing the lower half octave. Here are the steps I took to retune the mandolin to DGBE: 1. Before you start, you should have a set of spare mandolin strings. (You will need to use an extra pair of A strings from the spare set.) 2. Remove the tailpiece cover (it should flip off by lifting the rounded end gently). You will see the mandolin strings with loop ends attached to "fingers" cut out of the metal tailpiece. 3. Slacken the pair of low G strings and remove them. (Don't slacken more than 2 strings or the floating bridge might slip out of position - only the string tension is holding the bridge in place.) 4. Loosen the second course D strings and remove them. Re-install these two D strings into the lowest course (formerly occupied by the low G strings.) 5. Take a pair of A strings from the spare string set, and install them into the second lowest course (the positions vacated in step 4 above). Tune these strings up only to G instead of A. 6. Slowly tune both of the existing A strings in the 3rd course up to the key of B. Leave the E strings alone or just make sure they're both in tune to E. 7. Slide the tailpiece cover back on and re-check the tuning of all the strings. If you're already used to a small ukulele neck, the familiar chord shapes will be one octave higher than a baritone uke. If you've played only guitar, the very tight fret spacings and double string spacings will take a bit of getting used to. Last edited on Tue May 6th, 2008 04:44 pm 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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Charlie Approved 
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I had a spare mandolin and followed Will's direction for retuning and folks it will work, I still play my main mandolin in 5ths, But this sure is a nice fix for anyone that has played the baritone ukulele and want a mandolin sound. Charlie
____________________ Yesterdays Tomorrow is Today http://www.ezfolk.com/audio/charlesculbertson |
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Tani Approved
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Hello there! Just a thought crossing my mind. According to your suggestion, Will, if you have in your hands a Tenor Mandola (tuned usually C-G-D-A) with your "swapping strings" system you will have... G-C-E-A!!! Our usual Ukulele Tuning, Low G, Metallic, Double Courses, Very loud sounding. I haven't tried it, but it might work. Take care! Tani
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Will Approved
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Tani wrote: Hello there! Just a thought crossing my mind. Tani: Yes, that re-tuning idea applied to the lower-pitched instrument sounds correct. But tenor mandolas (we just call them "mandolas" over on this side of the pond) are far more rare and a good deal costlier than mandolins. Octave mandolins and "bouzoukis" (meaning Irish style, not Greek style) seem to be more common in the U.S. than mandolas, but they usually cost about $400 or $500; too expensive for me to experiment on.
____________________ 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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holleyhall Approved
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This is great info! I will have to try the GCAE tuning see how it works out. thanks ya'll!
____________________ http://ezfolk.com/audio/holleyhall |
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Will Approved
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holleyhall wrote: This is great info! I will have to try the GCAE tuning see how it works out. thanks ya'll! My re-tuning idea for the mandolin was that of an octave guitar, DGBE, an octave higher than a guitar. It's basically the same tuning as the Brazilian cavaquinho, except with doubled strings. GCEA (ukulele) tuning as shown above will only work with either a longer scale instrument like a mandola, or with a completely different gauges of strings for all 4 courses on a mandolin. Last edited on Wed May 14th, 2008 02:39 pm 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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Will Approved
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Will wrote: Tani wrote:Hello there! Just a thought crossing my mind. Low-G GCEA tunng will work with regular mandolins, also. All that is needed to re-tune a mandolin from GDAE is to remove the high E strings, and replace them with another "A" pair of strings from a spare mandolin string set. Then, re-tune the second course from D down to C, and tune the 3rd course A strings down to E. In summary: 1st course: leave the existing low G strings in place 2nd course: lower the existing D strings down to C 3rd course: lower the existing A strings down to E 4th course: remove the pair of high E strings. Take a pair of A strings from a mandolin string set, and install them here, tuned up to A. If you insist on having a high-G, you will need a second set of mandolin strings; take the A strings and install them in the 1st course, but tune them up only to G. Last edited on Wed May 14th, 2008 06:58 pm 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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Tani Approved
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Will, you're Magic! Tani.
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Will Approved
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Tani wrote: Hello there! Just a thought crossing my mind. Hey, Tani: I noticed that Hobgoblin sells an affordable tenor mandola (called simply a "mandola" in the U.S.) for just $115 US (£59.00 Pounds). Normal tuning is CGDA, but can be retuned to low-G uke tuning, GCEA, by removing the low-C strings, moving the G strings to the low position, installing a new set of D strings in the second position (but tuning it only up to C), tuning the D strings up to E (hopefully that won't break the strings). You can capo at the 7th fret and get octave guitar tuning (same as a guitar, except an octave higher), with a slightly wider neck than a standard mandolin. http://www.hobgoblin-usa.com/local/product.php?ID=GR3205 GR3205: Blue Moon Tenor Mandola Pear shaped body, solid spruce top, natural matt finish. 485mm scale. Made in China  Complete with Case Price: $115.00 US Dollars Here's their UK web site page: http://www.hobgoblin.com/local/contentsframe.php?MS=mandola%5C  Last edited on Tue Jun 10th, 2008 10:40 pm 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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Will Approved
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I've ordered and received the $115 Blue Moon mandola (pictured in the above post) from Hobgoblin USA. I've had great fun playing it in the original CGDA tuning by experimenting with a few 2 and 3 finger chords and playing chord melody style. It's about the size of a baritone uke, and will fit inside a baritone uke bag (but it comes with its own gig bag), with a similar scale size of about 19." With a solid spruce top, it has a sweet and loud sound, and a much longer sustain than a mandolin. The sound hole is oval instead of F-shaped, and the bridge is fixed (glued) in place. The action is a bit high (the nut can be reduced perhaps 1/16"), but I'm used to playing 12-string guitar. The workmanship is not flawless, but excellent at this price. It is easier to play with a guitar or mandolin strap, so you'll need to install a metal strap button on the bottom (a hole is already drilled in the metal tailpiece anchor. You can even put a capo at the 7th fret to get GDAE tuning and play it like a regular mandolin, but the wider mandola neck will make the fingering easier. If you already play mandolin, this instrument will give you familiar fingering, and a richer low end and sustain. for a great price. This Blue Moon Mandola ranks up there with the Amigo baritone uke for "best bang for the buck." Last edited on Sun Jun 15th, 2008 05:40 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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Jim Yates Approved 
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I tune my octave mandolin DGAD, a great tuning for a droney sound and for playing in D or G, similar to DADGAD on guitar. I once bought a cheap mandolin to tune the G and D strings in octaves like some of the old blues and jug band musicians did. It was interesting, but I didn't play it often enough to keep it. It was like a high pitched 12-string sound.
____________________ Jim http://www.myspace.com/jimyates http://www.myspace.com/kirbyandyates http://www.myspace.com/kirbyyatesmazurek |
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| ezFolk Forums > Other Instruments > Mandolin > Open Tunings and chords for Mandolin | |
