Reasons for Learning to Play Mandolin

Subject: Question About Bluegrass Music
Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2003 12:02:39 -0500

What is the easiest Bluegrass Instrument to LEARN TO PLAY?

My estimation that the easiest of all bluegrass instruments to learn to play would be the mandolin...for the following reasons:

1. Chords can be played using only two fingers...in fact, an entire chord progression can be played with all three chords using only two fingers per chord.

2. A mandolin requires a flatpick to play...which is quite easy to handle as compared to using fingerpicks or a fiddle bow. Hence, the mechanics are relatively simple.

3. I believe the size of the mandolin also contributes to ease of play...its small enough for anyone to pick up...there's never an issue of: it's too large to reach around, I can't reach the frets at the open position, the neck is too large for me to play a chord on, etc.

4. There are only four choruses of strings...making it simpler to tackle as compared to a 6-string guitar or a 5-string banjo...less strings equate less effort to learn all fret positions.

Another instrument that would be considered easy to learn would be the Dobro...no real fretting is required...however, the difficult part would be learning to pick with fingerpicks and a thumbpick.

Now, this all holds true on mandolin; however, be aware, it may be easy to learn...guaranteed, as is true with all the rest of the bluegrass instrument ensemble, it's very difficult to master.

My suggestion would be to buy a couple of intro videos on learning to play...for banjo, mandolin, guitar...and maybe Dobro...any of the ones you are serious about learning, and view them to determine what you feel would be the easiest to tackle.

Wishing you the best in your research efforts, Mickey