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Joe, looks like most are weighing in on Banjo. I borrow a Mandolin now and then and I always use this: http://www.mandolincafe.com/two.htmlYou can also tune the mandolin to 'guitar' tuning (bottom 4 strings or top 4 strings) and go to town. I fully realize that both of these methods are cheating in a way, but I'm usually just playing very simple stuff in a much larger band when I'm borrowing the two different mandolins that I do borrow. Also, don't be surprised if you need to place the bridge somewhere other than where it's at when you get the mando. One of those that I borrowed from a friend is a nice Tacoma model, and my friend didn't play it because he said the intonation was bad - which it was upon receipt. I played around with the placement of the bridge and found it was off by about 1/8" and after moving it, had no issues with intonation.
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You may be able to get a pleasant sound by using guitar fingerpicking technique on a banjo, but its not really banjo playing. Banjo players prolly told Scruggs his new style was "not really banjo playing" too! Just ignore such nonsense Joe! If you are playing and it is a banjo that's banjo playing!
Last edited by JohnJohnJohn; 12/22/14 10:01 PM.
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You can also tune the mandolin to 'guitar' tuning (bottom 4 strings or top 4 strings) and go to town. That’s the worst advice you can ever give to anyone tackling a new instrument. You’re essentially saying “don’t bother actually learning to play your new instrument. Cheat, so you can fool non-musicians into thinking you can you can play your new instrument”. How hard is it to learn new chord shapes?! Not hard at all. Following that advice also means you can’t avail yourself of the tons of TAB and sheet music written for mandolin. It would also mean you can’t actually play your new instrument. It blows my mind every time I hear such horrible advice. Why go through the expense and time of getting a new instrument if you’re not actually going to even try to learn to play it?
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Hey Bob - that may have come across as a little 'harsh' - not they I don't agree with your position. Live and let live. I'm mature enough to understand why these guys are saying not to be over-concerned with 'the right way to do it' - they just want to say 'if you enjoy it - then go ahead and use your guitar tuning'.
But I actually wholeheartedly agree that someone who wants to learn and understand about the true capability and intent of the instrument should go with the standard Banjo tunings. They far more lend themselves to the actual music that inspired me to want to buy a Banjo.
Peace (and tolerance) to all : )
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Joe, Hey Bob - that may have come across as a little 'harsh' It was meant to be harsh. That advice has screwed up a lot of people who pick up a new instrument. It's harder for a person to actually learn to play the instrument after they've imprinted a way to cheat in their mind.
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I was given a cheap, open back banjo a while ago and it is still the one I still use. I got a book/cd from Tony Trishka of fairly simple tunes and started learning the more "scruggs" style. I never really got any good at it -- it was before I got into recording and I never played with anyone. Then I lost one of the finger picks and now when I play banjo, I get the banjo chord sheet out and just sort of flail away with my fingers (ha, ha). Probably mostly guitar style fingerpicking, though. I think the best bet would to be try and learn the 3-finger scruggs style (open back is fine for that, too). It is a good place to start. Actually though, I think you have to use what you know and just do it -- do you really want to spend two or three years becoming a proficient bluegrass picker? Here is me stumbling along on banjo: https://soundcloud.com/kevin-emmrich/shout-it-outA ukulele is always a good idea for a new instrument, too. ... and why not, here is me on my daughter's uke -- I have played it maybe three times: https://soundcloud.com/kevin-emmrich/slightly-out-of-phase . Again, I just get the uke chord chart out and do the best I can. Edit: Of course then there is Scott Avett of the Avett Brothers. He started out with the 3 finger scruggs style, but now is sort of a hybrid player and mostly does stuff in support of the song. Here is a good example: Laundry Room. He is always tuning that dang thing, though!
Last edited by Kemmrich; 12/23/14 08:08 AM.
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>>>...You’re essentially saying “don’t bother actually learning to play your new instrument. Cheat, so you can fool non-musicians into thinking you can you can play your new instrument”....>>>
I strongly agree with Bob here. It is tempting to see only the similarities between guitar, mandolin and banjo. They all have strings and frets and bodies, right? If that's all you see, then you are missing big differences in method and application. Consider that the banjo comes from africa, the guitar from Spain and the mandolin from Italy. If you miss the characteristics that make them different, you miss a lot.
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.
So back to Joe V, the original poster. (Hi Joe!)
Just what do you mean when you say 'noodle'?
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As the person who has supposedly given the worst advice in this thread, I would also like to know what 'noodle' means, as I took it to mean something like: Not really serious about it, really would like to know if I like the sound and the size of frets, etc.
For this meaning, I stand behind my suggestion 100%. For the record, it is exactly what I did to fill in with a couple of mandolin parts in a larger band with about 1 week of exposure.
After that, I spent more time with the instrument that I was borrowing from Karl and tuned it the proper way and learned the 'normal' way to tune the instrument.
I also tune my acoustic and classical guitars in alternate tunings to achieve a sound that I normally can't get but that hasn't stopped me from learning the 'proper' tunings.
I always find such horror at suggestions like mine on this this particular company's forum quite humorous.
Had the word 'noodle' not appeared in Joe's post, I would not have made my suggestion.
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Scott,
I see the appropriateness of an answer much the same way as you.
If the tropic was HOW TO LEARN TO PLAY MANDOLIN CORRECTLY then tuning one like a guitar would be a very bad way to reach the stated goal.
On the other hand, if the topic was HOW TO QUICKLY PLAY A MANDOLIN PART INTO A SONG, then doing so might be the simplest and most practical way to meet that goal.
Ultimately, its up to Joe to decide which of the responses got closest to answering the question he intended to ask.
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
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Season's Greetings!
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy holiday season—thanks for being part of our community!
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Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: The Newly Designed Piano Roll Window
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You can see all the 2026 videos on our forum!
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