Which to Learn: Mandolin or Banjo?

Date: Mon, 8 Mar 2004 18:21:04 -0800 (PST)
Subject: banjo or mandolin

hi, i was wondering if you could give me some beginner
advice. i have always loved the sound of bluegrass
banjo & mandolin, but i have no musical experience. i
was wondering which you thought would be easier for a
beginner to pick up and learn. im interested in buying
one so the advice would be greatly appreciated.

thanks jesie

Glad to assist:

The mandolin is by far easier to learn than a 5-string banjo...there are less mechanics to getting started...a banjo requires learning to pick with three fingers...a mandolin only requires that you learn to hold a flatpick...to start out on a mandolin, many of the open-position chords only require two fingers to play...and, if properly tuned, most beginners can be playing a simple chord progression within their first lesson...

Be sure to check out our free lessons section at:
http://www.folkofthewood.com/page3.htm

This way you can mix and match both the banjo and mandolin lessons youself...

Hope something here helps...Mickey

Date: Wed, 01 May 2002 22:45:08 -0500
Subject: Old Time Music Instruments

Mickey,

I love the Folk of the Woods website. I'm a harmonica player and have been primarily playing blues until recently. However, I've grown interested in old-time music and have started to play fiddle tunes etc. on the harmonica as well with some success. I'd like to pick up another instrument in the old time family but also would like to find the least difficult learning curve. I've narrowed my interests down to the clawhammer banjo and the mandolin - which would you say is the easiest to become proficient on? Thanks.

Mark

Greetings Mark,

Hey...I used to play quite a few fiddle tunes on harmonica myself...it's pretty challenging...especially when trying to achieve speed. I also added the chording behind the melody with a tonguing technique...it was lots of fun...

Between the Clawhammer and the mandolin, I'd have to say that mandolin would be easiest to start playing chords and melodies...clawhammer banjo requires a little more technique on the picking hand than does holding a flatpick on mandolin...

Both instruments and approaches can take a lifetime to master...however, if you're just starting out, and you want to apply the instrument directly, mandolin would be the way to go.

Hope the above helps...Mickey