I recently started learning the banjo and find it a lot easier than when i was starting to learn the mandolin. The obvious volume difference helps compared to struggling to hear the mandolin over other instruments. The mandolin was my first instrument so obviously i will find the banjo a bit easier, but i think it's more than that. I find the mandolin very awkward to play, and am wondering how other people faired when taking up the a new instrument.
thanks
Celtic1234
Ok I think the Mandoline can sound very good when
its played with a light touch but unlike the Banjo
it is very forgiving. You can be late or early on
a beat but it won't show that much.
The Banjo OTOH is a very exact and you have to be
spot on for every note. I found Guitar Picking
exercised to be very helpful in preventing those
horrid little mistakes that ruin a good tune.
I took up the mandolin after playing the guitar(in a limited fashion)for a few years, then fiddle and octave mandola. I have been playing the tenor banjo for a couple of years or so now and did not find it too difficult. However, that's probably because I've played these other instruments first.
The main areas that needed the most attention were triplets and getting that "birlly" sound. I've actually found that my mandolin playing has improved, in this respect, after working on the banjo.
Another issue is whether to use the same fingering as the mandolin or, as with the guitar, a separate finger for each fret and involving using the "pinkie". Players seem to vary in their approach here-depending on the size of their fingers and the scale length of the banjo neck. I tend to use a finger for each fret (guitar style) as Gerry O'Connor suggests and now don't find it a problem changing my fingering when I return to the fiddle/mandolin and vice versa.
Unfortunately, I don't take the tenor banjo to sessions that often as it is heavy and I don't have my own transport. Also, I like my mandolin and fiddle too much. Wish I could manage to take all my instruments with me each time!!!!
Last but not least. The tenor banjo is a lot easier if it is tuned Irish style GDAE rather than the conventional tuning CGDA but you'll all know that already. Incidentally, Gerry O'Connor actually plays CGDA a lot although his tuition books/videos are geared towards the GDAE tuning.
Another fine tenor banjo player worth checking out is Eamonn Coyne http://www.eamonncoyne.com/
originally from Edinburgh now residing Edinburgh.
The *secret* to using CGDA tuning is to capo at the second fret. That gives you DAEB, the bottom three strings now the same as the top three strings in GDAE. Just move your fingers over one string. Of course you've lost the low C and B (forget about the low A and G) but the high A and B (much more commonly used), as well as the high C are now easy. I've seen Gerry O'Connor do this many times. This gives your playing a big *throaty* sound because you will be playing a lot on the lower 2 'wound' strings
Thanksall,
I use the same fingering as on the mandolin, even though it's a bit of a stretch. With this in mind i bought a short scale banjo, as my tiny hands found the 19 fret to big. I like Eamonn Coyne's album "Through the round window", and lately i got Enda Scahill's "pick it up" which is brilliant. Funny that you mentioned it John J , but i also found my mandolin playing has improved a good bit since i bought the banjo. As for changing tunings etc i think it's already difficult enough so i'll stick to the GDAE.What about string gauges, what are you guys using?
String gauges are tough to recommend because it has so much to do with the actual neck 'scale' as well as the setup (bridge height, type of tailpiece). I'm always more concerned with how the strings respond physically to my picking strokes than I am with tone of the instrument. (I mean 'all' banjoes are loud, after all). You certainly need to go heavier than regular tenor banjo strings. I'm currently using .012, .016, .026, .036. You could definitely go heavier than that. I wouldn't go any lighter.
Haven't messed with strings yet - but I used
have heavy guage on a previous setup, it was more
ronky than dingy. Since that time I picked up a
better picking technique from Guitar. Ie use a
heavy pick on lighter strings... suits me fine
I usualy play a Martin.
It is a lot easier as well, the picking hand
moved about midway between the bridge and
fingerboard. With lighter strings it appears
to be harder but isn't.
My irritation with the heavy strings begun on
noticing that softer picks seemed easier but
were inclined to wander round in a circle
between thumb a finger.
I did consider a piece of plumbers pipe, al la
Sully's method, but chose instead to adopt the
easier course.
Yikes!! Picking at the strings halfway between the bridge and the fingerboard??!! I'd thing it'd be impossible to get your 'triplets' working because the strings are too 'floppy' that far from the bridge. Oh well, to each his own.
How can you compare. I first heard a mandolin played on R.E.Ms 'Losing my religion' song, fell instantly in love with it and am now trying very hard to teach myself.
I don't reckon the two should be compared as they are both fantastic in their own way. My father plays the banjo, which I did not find overly inspiring, but then I went to a Sharon Shannon concert and her sister (Mary Shannon) played this amazing banjo solo piece which blew me away and changed my attitude towards the banjo.
mandolin Versus tenor banjo
mandolin Versus tenor banjo
I recently started learning the banjo and find it a lot easier than when i was starting to learn the mandolin. The obvious volume difference helps compared to struggling to hear the mandolin over other instruments. The mandolin was my first instrument so obviously i will find the banjo a bit easier, but i think it's more than that. I find the mandolin very awkward to play, and am wondering how other people faired when taking up the a new instrument.
thanks
Celtic1234
# Posted on August 23rd 2003 by Celtic1234
Re: mandolin Versus tenor banjo
Ok I think the Mandoline can sound very good when
its played with a light touch but unlike the Banjo
it is very forgiving. You can be late or early on
a beat but it won't show that much.
The Banjo OTOH is a very exact and you have to be
spot on for every note. I found Guitar Picking
exercised to be very helpful in preventing those
horrid little mistakes that ruin a good tune.
# Posted on August 23rd 2003 by sorefingers
Re: mandolin Versus tenor banjo
I took up the mandolin after playing the guitar(in a limited fashion)for a few years, then fiddle and octave mandola. I have been playing the tenor banjo for a couple of years or so now and did not find it too difficult. However, that's probably because I've played these other instruments first.
The main areas that needed the most attention were triplets and getting that "birlly" sound. I've actually found that my mandolin playing has improved, in this respect, after working on the banjo.
Another issue is whether to use the same fingering as the mandolin or, as with the guitar, a separate finger for each fret and involving using the "pinkie". Players seem to vary in their approach here-depending on the size of their fingers and the scale length of the banjo neck. I tend to use a finger for each fret (guitar style) as Gerry O'Connor suggests and now don't find it a problem changing my fingering when I return to the fiddle/mandolin and vice versa.
Unfortunately, I don't take the tenor banjo to sessions that often as it is heavy and I don't have my own transport. Also, I like my mandolin and fiddle too much. Wish I could manage to take all my instruments with me each time!!!!
Last but not least. The tenor banjo is a lot easier if it is tuned Irish style GDAE rather than the conventional tuning CGDA but you'll all know that already. Incidentally, Gerry O'Connor actually plays CGDA a lot although his tuition books/videos are geared towards the GDAE tuning.
Another fine tenor banjo player worth checking out is Eamonn Coyne
http://www.eamonncoyne.com/
originally from Edinburgh now residing Edinburgh.
John
# Posted on August 23rd 2003 by Johnny Jay
Re: mandolin Versus tenor banjo
The *secret* to using CGDA tuning is to capo at the second fret. That gives you DAEB, the bottom three strings now the same as the top three strings in GDAE. Just move your fingers over one string. Of course you've lost the low C and B (forget about the low A and G) but the high A and B (much more commonly used), as well as the high C are now easy. I've seen Gerry O'Connor do this many times. This gives your playing a big *throaty* sound because you will be playing a lot on the lower 2 'wound' strings
# Posted on August 24th 2003 by Tusong200
Re: mandolin Versus tenor banjo
Oh Sandy,
I use the low G and A quite a lot in some of my tunes. You've just given me an excuse to buy a second banjo.
John
# Posted on August 24th 2003 by Johnny Jay
Re: mandolin Versus tenor banjo
5 String Capo on Fret 5, D G A F#
# Posted on August 24th 2003 by sorefingers
Re: mandolin Versus tenor banjo
Thanksall,
I use the same fingering as on the mandolin, even though it's a bit of a stretch. With this in mind i bought a short scale banjo, as my tiny hands found the 19 fret to big. I like Eamonn Coyne's album "Through the round window", and lately i got Enda Scahill's "pick it up" which is brilliant. Funny that you mentioned it John J , but i also found my mandolin playing has improved a good bit since i bought the banjo. As for changing tunings etc i think it's already difficult enough so i'll stick to the GDAE.What about string gauges, what are you guys using?
# Posted on August 24th 2003 by Celtic1234
Re: mandolin Versus tenor banjo
Enda Scahills album is brilliant - another great banjo album is by a fellow called Brian Kelly well worth a listen.
# Posted on August 24th 2003 by bb
Re: mandolin Versus tenor banjo
String gauges are tough to recommend because it has so much to do with the actual neck 'scale' as well as the setup (bridge height, type of tailpiece). I'm always more concerned with how the strings respond physically to my picking strokes than I am with tone of the instrument. (I mean 'all' banjoes are loud, after all). You certainly need to go heavier than regular tenor banjo strings. I'm currently using .012, .016, .026, .036. You could definitely go heavier than that. I wouldn't go any lighter.
# Posted on August 25th 2003 by Tusong200
Re: mandolin Versus tenor banjo
Haven't messed with strings yet - but I used
have heavy guage on a previous setup, it was more
ronky than dingy. Since that time I picked up a
better picking technique from Guitar. Ie use a
heavy pick on lighter strings... suits me fine
I usualy play a Martin.
It is a lot easier as well, the picking hand
moved about midway between the bridge and
fingerboard. With lighter strings it appears
to be harder but isn't.
My irritation with the heavy strings begun on
noticing that softer picks seemed easier but
were inclined to wander round in a circle
between thumb a finger.
I did consider a piece of plumbers pipe, al la
Sully's method, but chose instead to adopt the
easier course.
# Posted on August 25th 2003 by sorefingers
Re: mandolin Versus tenor banjo
Yikes!! Picking at the strings halfway between the bridge and the fingerboard??!! I'd thing it'd be impossible to get your 'triplets' working because the strings are too 'floppy' that far from the bridge. Oh well, to each his own.
# Posted on August 26th 2003 by Tusong200
Re: mandolin Versus tenor banjo
How can you compare. I first heard a mandolin played on R.E.Ms 'Losing my religion' song, fell instantly in love with it and am now trying very hard to teach myself.
I don't reckon the two should be compared as they are both fantastic in their own way. My father plays the banjo, which I did not find overly inspiring, but then I went to a Sharon Shannon concert and her sister (Mary Shannon) played this amazing banjo solo piece which blew me away and changed my attitude towards the banjo.
# Posted on August 30th 2003 by Fingal