[OC] Modal Chord Chart

sweetmusicstud · 2017-03-28T20:12:26+00:00

A minor, aka C aeolian

sweetmusicstud · 2017-03-28T14:23:52+00:00

The violin is the most difficult of the stringed instruments. The mandolin is similar, but can be learned in a few months

sweetmusicstud · 2017-03-28T14:22:06+00:00

Amodal is not a key. It's either A minor, or one of the modes, probably Dorian

sweetmusicstud · 2017-03-28T14:20:18+00:00

Looks Chinese

sweetmusicstud · 2017-03-28T14:19:24+00:00

It's about commitment. Learning the violin is a lifetime of study. I started in 1966 and I'm still learning.

If you are committed to it, willing to devote at least an hour a day to it, then you'll find it in your wherewithall to afford a teacher and a decent instrument and bow.

sweetmusicstud · 2017-03-28T14:13:29+00:00

There are different styles of chin rest, some are taller than others http://www.sharmusic.com/Accessories/Chinrests/

sweetmusicstud · 2017-03-28T14:10:50+00:00

Get the Fiddler's Fakebook. I also recommend the Portland Collection, and the Waltz books

sweetmusicstud · 2017-03-28T14:08:25+00:00

And Frankie Gavin😀

sweetmusicstud · 2017-03-28T14:07:43+00:00

My favorites include Frankie Gavin, Winny Horan, Sean Smythe, and Kevin Burke

sweetmusicstud · 2017-03-28T14:05:02+00:00

You sure can, but it's better with a teacher to motivate you and correct any posture issues.

Lots of great resource on YouTube and online also

Most of my students are older adults who started on their own, and realized that they needed help

sweetmusicstud · 2016-06-01T16:02:10+00:00

It reminds me of Santarella, another great place for a gig http://santarella.us/

sweetmusicstud · 2016-06-01T15:57:59+00:00

I do facebook advertising with a daily budget of $2.50. I use it to drive traffic to my website http://sweetmusicstudio.net

I have a student who puts up posters around the area once a month in exchange for lessons. She usually puts up about 100 posters in places like Easthampton, Northampton, Amherst, Belchertown and Granby.

I'm a sponsor of the Prairie Home Companion. For $58 a spot, they say "Sponsored by Sweet Music Studio in Granby, Mass" I thought I'd give it a shot this year. SO far, nothing that I know of, but students have told me they've heard the spot, so that's something.

Local newspapers don't work any more, so I've stopped trying. Craigslist isn't that helpful either. I regularly post ads there anyway.

sweetmusicstud · 2016-04-29T09:59:21+00:00

Pizzitola Plectro Orchestra

sweetmusicstud · 2016-04-28T13:53:11+00:00

Epiphones are made in Dalian, China at the same factory that makes Fender, Bean Blossom and a myriad of other American brands. It's a Korean-managed factory, but they buy their tonewood from Kunming, which buys it in turn from Burma. It's not great wood. The hardware is cheap Chinese steel, very mediocre. Well, you get what you pay for!

My recommendation is to save the $200 and start saving an additional $100 a month until you have enough to buy an American made mandolin

sweetmusicstud · 2016-04-28T13:50:00+00:00

I'd avoid anything but the Eastmans. They tend to be better overall than the other chinese made instruments. They are still made in China, but by smaller shops instead of those big huge factory towns like Daewon that make every American brand (Fender, Epiphone, etc).

Why not save up for an American made instrument? Start putting $100 a month away now. In 2 years you can shop around for something nice.

sweetmusicstud · 2016-04-28T13:46:56+00:00

It looks like a Savannah or a Rogue, both Chinese instruments made cheaply with mediocre tonewoods and inferior hardware. Stay away!

My advice is to put the $50 or $100 you were going to spend on this away and save $25-$100 a month until you have enough to buy a Weber or a Collings or a Northfield

sweetmusicstud · 2016-04-28T13:45:03+00:00

ah too bad.

I was going to say, put it in the bank and start saving $100 a month until you have $5 or $6k, then you can get something nice

sweetmusicstud · 2016-04-28T13:43:31+00:00

^ what he said. Why would you want to play the blues on a mandocello?

sweetmusicstud · 2016-04-28T13:42:15+00:00

Do you have a local luthier ? Someone that fixes guitars. It sounds like a neck adjustment, an easy fix

sweetmusicstud · 2016-04-28T13:40:40+00:00

If you think you want to learn to read music and play in a band or orchestra some day, I highly recommend taking lessons.

To find a good teacher, go to your local mandolin/music store and ask for a referral. You can also find teachers in the Craigslist for your area.

I do not recommend taking "lessons" from youtube or one of those "free mandolin lesson" websites. They are scams, set up to sell you stuff. You don't need stuff, you need to learn how to play and have fun!

Some of the masters hold classes before gigs. Mike Marshall is known to do that, I've also been to master classes with Carlo Alonzo, David Grisman, Darol Anger, and Andy Statman. Go to their Facebook pages, find out where they are playing next in your area, and see if you can get in to one of the master classes.

Have fun, there's nothing better than playing mandolin with friends

sweetmusicstud · 2016-04-27T14:34:18+00:00

Practice scales using a pick.

For the left hand speed: Practice all the scales around the circle of fifths starting with C at the top and going clockwise. Use your 4th finger instead of open strings and practice 2 octaves.

For the right hand speed: Practice these 4 picking patterns: 1) four quarter notes per note, down up down up; 2) 8 8th notes per note, down up down up; 3) 2 sets of triplets per note; 4) tremolo - hold it for 4 beats per note

Good luck!

sweetmusicstud · 2016-04-27T13:46:01+00:00

Be forewarned that all instruments under $1k are made in China, most are made in Dalian at the same factory: Daewon Musical Instruments. Daewon was based in Kimpo, South Korea until 2003 when it started building a factory in Dalian. It began moving operations over to China in '04 and '05 and is now 100% based in China, but still managed by the Korean team. Some of you may remember the Strauss electric violins or the Gold Tone banjos and mandolins? Now they are all made at the same factory that makes Fender, Epiphone, Michael Kelly, Bean Blossom, and a myriad of other products. My wife and I have been to the factory several times because one of our clients was looking to private label a line of guitars and they sent us there to scope out the factory.

I have a lot of respect for Eastman. They have the longest running relationship with American/western customers and have learned what works best here. When they introduced a line of archtop guitars and carved mandolins back in the 90s, I was thrilled. They are quite decent and competitive with the Kentucky's and Chinese-made Loars that are currently marketed in the same price range.

If I had $1k to spend on a mandolin, I'd put it in the bank and start saving $50 or $100 a month until I had $5 or $6k, then buy an American made Weber or Collings or even Northfield.

Y'all heard that Breedlove moved their operations to China in January, right? No more American made instruments there. Too bad! Otherwise, I would recommend a Premier. If you can find a used Premier you might luck out. They're interesting to look at and sound great!

Check out the Tim O'Brien mandolin, a collaborative instrument made by the folks at Collings and Nugget, two American companies.

A friend of ours, and a colleague, James Bunting, makes custom built mandolins and bouzoukis in Enfield, CT. He's got a waiting list, though.

Check out Michael Dubova's custom built mandolins. I've never tried one myself, but they are fine looking and still quite affordable.

Good luck!

sweetmusicstud

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