Category: Mandolin Playing Tips

Choosing your first mandolin can be daunting. There are so many colours, shapes and prices to choose from. You don’t want to spend your hard earned cash one not suitable for you! Hopefully this guide will help you in your quest to find the perfect mandolin. What type of Mandolin to choose? The A and…

So you’ve got a new mandolin and would like to tune it. Here’s how …. The mandolin has eight strings arranged in four pairs of two (a pair of strings is known as a course). The stings are tuned G D A E (G being the lowest tone). This can be remembered by the rhyme Good Dogs Always Eat.…

Playing notes on a mandolin is known as picking. Here’s a quick guide on how to pick notes on the Mandolin. Picking notes on this beautiful sounding instrument is all about getting those strings to sing! What thickness/guage of pick/plectrum to use? The mandolin is typically played with a pick, also known as a plectrum.…

Make sure you’re sitting in a comfy position while playing your mandolin. Slouching or sitting awkwardly can totally mess up your neck and shoulders, and that ain’t gonna be fun or cheap to fix! I find it most comfortable to hold the mandolin at about 45 degrees with a strap as shown in the picture…

Just started with the mandolin? Playing scales can really help you get the hang of where all the notes are. Check out this video tutorial on how to play the G Major scale on the mandolin. You’ll find links below the video to download the sheet music which includes mandolin TAB, and finger placement. There…

Are you new to playing the mandolin? Practising scales is very helpful to get a feel for where the different notes are. Check out this video tutorial on how to play the D Major scale on mandolin. You’ll find a PDF with the music notation, TAB and fingering in the links below the video. Plus,…