Originally Posted By: Mac
The late great Tommy Tedesco, at one time the first call Studio Guitarist in Hollywood, used to tune all sorts of stringed instruments to the higher pitched string bouts of the standard guitar tuning to bring whatever stringed instruments called for by the composers and arrangers into play.

Mandolin, Tenor Banjo, Bazouki, Balalaika, etc. - were all part of his arsenal.

They did not sound quite authentic, though, for that reason, and I find it to be fun to be able to identify him when viewing older movies, because the instrument parts, while sounding like the target instruments more or less, were full of dead giveaways as to the lack of authenticity. I always say, "Hi Tommy" when I detect that and my wife is still wondering who the heck I'm talking to at the time. It is much like detecting MIDI in a more modern underscore. A Bazouki layin' down rather simplified Chuck Berry lead licks in the middle of a Western...


--Mac


I agree completely with your statement that a mando tuned to match a guitars bottom 4 strings doesn't sound "authentic".

About 35 years ago I played with a musician who tuned his mando and fiddle that way and it just didn't cut it. It was even more glaring when someone showed up with a properly tuned instrument.

My friend would switch back to guitar when a "real" mando or fiddle player showed up so he wouldn't embarrass himself. I never understood his reluctance to learn those instruments in std. tuning since he was a pretty good guitarist and a decent banjo player.

It would only have taken him a few days to get accustomed to the tuning but he was never willing to put just a little bit of effort into it.

Bob
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http://soundcloud.com/bobcflatpicke/music-in-the-mountains