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Date: Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:19:50 -0600
Subject: Re: Mandolin parts

I recently purchased mandolin just like the Savannah Mandolin: SA-120N. The person I bought this from said it was a mandola but from what I can see it is a mandolin. It looks exactly like the on on your site.

Thank you,

George C.

Hi George,

Now, as far as it being a mandola or a mandolin is easily determined by measuring the scale length (from the bridge to the nut).

A mandolin's average scale length is 14" or under ... seldom over.

A mandola's average scale length is 20.25".

All my best,

Mickey Cochran

Folk of the Wood
Mystic West Products
Acoustic Music Instruction
PO Box 2810
Alto, New Mexico 88312

http://www.folkofthewood.com

http://www.mysticwestproducts.com

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Subject: mandolin and mandola
Date: Wed, 19 May 2004 10:51:45 -0700

Hi,

Greetings Jim,

Glad to assist:

I really enjoy your site. I have played guitar for a long time but am just now starting to have an interest in mandolin family instruments. My question is...can a mandolin and mandola be played effectively together in a group that includes also a keyboard and two guitars. The music we play is not bluegrass but more of a folk style music and also Christian praise songs.

Most definitely...the mandolin and mandola will complement each other very well...that's why they had mandolin orchestras in the early 1900s that consisted of mandolins, mandolas, octaves, mandocellos and even mandobasses... The tonality between the two allows for some separation...while the mandola can be carrying the low end harmonic support, the mandolin can interweave melodic phrases...even as a duet, this process works very well...

A second question is how does it work for children to learn two instruments from different instrument families simultaneously...such as classical guitar and mandolin. Would it be better to focus on one until it is mastered and then add a second.

I believe it's best to focus on one at a time...otherwise, they can have proactive interference...trying to relate one to the other simultaneously...once they've reached intermediate level on one, then following up and learning another becomes easier as opposed with the overwhelming prospect of learning two at the same time...Mickey

Thanks,
Jim in Poland