On Learning to Play Mandocello

Subject: Mandocello
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 11:15:17 -0500

Mickey,

Would the mandola instructional video (DVD) work for a beginner mandocello player?

Thanks,

Barry

Greetings Barry,

We've been asked this many times...and, yes they're tuned the same...and yes, the overall technique, on positioning and foundation would apply. Pick control and developing skill would apply...

The only real difference would be the some of the chord inversions and some of the fingering on melodies and scales. You may have to find other ways to play the passages taught in this video...such as finding which fingers are most comfortable to you for the melodies and scales being taught.

Mickey

Subject: Mandola / Mandocello
Date: Mon, 7 Mar 2005 10:10:24 -0500

Mickey: I'm thinking about ordering (among other things) your DVD on the mandola. I'm wondering if it could be useful for the mandocello as well (or is there a mandocello DVD available or in the works I overlooked)? Thanks.

Stephen W. G.

Hi Stephen,

Sure, it would be useful...however, you'll have to differentiate the noting to ensure that you find the best inversions...that befits the mandocello. For instance, some passages would be impossible to accomplish on the mandocello when using the same finger pattern offered up on the mandola DVD.

You can use the technique, theory and most positioning...only, again, you would have to come up with some new patterns for your mandocello to accomplish the studies and pieces. Could be a good thing though since it will force you to explore the fingerboard instead of learning things by rote.

Thanks for tuning in, Mickey

Subject: Workshop/Mandocello

Mickey

Greetings Richard,

I'm planning to go to a folk music workshop (SAMW) again next summer, and wanted to participate in the dance band and other ensemble playing. The workshop is mainly guitar, mandolin, and fiddle. I am an ok guitar player, but freeze onstage by myself, even in taking solos in a jam. So I'm looking for a spot in the back...

I understand...and am glad to assist if I can:

I was wondering what you thought of the idea of my bringing a mandocello to add some bottom end to the mix. Of course I don't own one, and I would have to learn how to play it, but those are small hurdles. There's undoubtedly a whole world of mandocello parts in the old time music played at the camp. And I'll dive in to learn them, but it will take some time. My question is whether you think there's a place for a relative beginner in ensembles that tend towards fiddle tunes, playing the chorded guitar rhythm parts, lightly strummed, or even Travis picked.

Of course there's room for the relative beginner to back-up a fiddle-type band. And, really, it's quite a bit of fun. By having the motivation to learn back-up, and to assist a performing band, you're going to grow much faster as an accomplished musician. I would suggest that you focus using a flatpick and learning bass strums for backing up...once you're comfortable with this process, and have learned good meter, then experimenting with Travis-style back-up will come even easier.

Am I crazy for thinking of picking up a mandocello first? What would be your recommendations for learning to play one?

Mandocello is very challenging...it has a very long scale neck. Chording can be quite difficult in certain keys. I would recommend sticking with the guitar for now...or, if you want to add a different voicing to your jam sessions, you might consider an Octave Mandolin. These still offer a nice low tone while still being somewhat reasonable on the stretches.

Hey, thanks for reading this, and I hope you'll have a chance to respond sometime. Peaceful holidays to you.

Glad to have helped...be sure to check out our resources below for lessons on learning to play Octave Mandolin...sorry, I do not know of any mandocello instructional material. We do have some video samplers up on mandocellos of which might shed more light on their tonal range. All of these links can be found below...

Best of luck to you in your research efforts, Mickey

Richard Kane

Date: Sat, 04 Dec 2004 13:40:28 -0500
Subject: Re: Fwd: Workshop/Mandocello

Thanks Mickey.

Your website is a research library! I really liked the video samples of you playing the mandocello and octave. I've been playing fingerstyle guitar for a long time. I do four finger four fret stretches on a guitar, which has a similar scale, and the fretboard is thinner. I'm going to dive in!

Richard