I just ordered a mando this week (Collings MT) that should arrive in a few days. Never having played the mando (guitar guy) what do you all recommend to start me down the path? I have always loved the sound of the mandolin and thought - "what the heck" let's give'r a try.

If you have not already done so go to www.mandolincafe.com. You'll find loads of information and advice. It's a wonderful site, friendly folks and postings on all aspects of the mandolin family of instruments. If you are looking for direction you can't go wrong.

Be careful. I used to think of myself as a guitar player. I sill do but the mandolin has taken over first place. It is very addictive.

Ditto on The Mandolin Cafe. It's a great site - lots of good information here. Just remember if you're trying to figure out a chord on the mandolin that it has the same relationship as the bottom 4 strings of a guitar - just backwards. So just imagine where your fingers would be on the bottom four strings of your guitar and then reverse them. It's simple.......

Thanks gents! I actually found the mando on the Mandolin Cafe website, from Kevin at MandoMutt. I have already down;loaded a chord sheet and a few song sheets. I'll be back for adive often. Thanks!!

Hey Alberta guy. Welcome! I followed the same progression you are.

Figuring out what you want do with the mando helps. If it is bluegrass band vs BG-Old Time "duo", vs Irish, vs just Old Time, vs classical, vs choro, etc. Each has it's own style, yet the styles interchange very well. I have been doing the BG-Old Time duo thing playing both guitar and mando (plus harmony vocal) and cannot believe how much fun it is; should be illegal.

You probably know all this, so sorry if this is basic.... Chords obviously are a big part of the mando, and they sort of begin with two finger variety (there are basic ones, then 'double stops' up and all over the neck... ridiculously cool!). Then there are three and four finger chords; these, especially the four finger, used most often with Bluegrass for the "chop" sound. You will find most all these on the MandoCafe and other sites as well as purchased instructional material, which net users (available free material) often overlook because it costs money, unfortunate. I like to support the artists by purchasing their CDs and instructional material, most these folks work their fingers off for very little money, have no health insurance, etc.

Then you will want to practice single note melody, such as fiddle tunes; later work in double stops and tremelo. Learn how to "chop" including using the four finger chords. If you flatpicked before, it will give you a huge leg up for the pick hand during melody work, but learn to loosen your pick grip right away.

For picks, it varies, but many of the good players use thick and rounded. Wegen M, Golden Gate, Dawg, Pro-Plec, Dunlop Ultex and Jazz 207-208, and Red Bear are a few examples. But you can start with the shoulder of your everyday teardrop. Lots of other folks use more pointed variety, so try lots of different types. I use Wegen M150, the shoulder of a Jazz 208, and a custom rounded Donlop Ultex 1.14; it is a very personal thing.

I found John McGann's mando rhythm DVD to be excellent. I also have Ronny McCoury's DVD which is not as instructional as it is a bunch of VERY cool tunes that he goes over in the Monroe style. Chris Thile's DVD (as a young pup) is incredible, advanced, and for a novice more entertainment than instructional (but wow).

If you ask on the Mandolin Cafe discussion forum or even here, will provide you with must have CDs. I really like these not in any order:

Tone Poems I
Butch Baldassari Old Town
Compton, Grier Climbing Walls
Johny Staats, Wire and Wood
Skaggs and Rice
Grisman's untitled first "Quintet" offering (with instruments on the cover)
Mandolin Extravaganza
Miller, Reischman, The Singing Moon
Any of Monroe
Any major BG band

Good luck, and you picked a great instrument to start with (and maybe finish, but you know all about GAS, there is also MAS).

Wow! Thanks Tom, this is great info. I love to listen to the straight-up BG (Bill Monroe, etc.) but will set my bar a bit lower...lol. I also love the BG-Old Tyme stuff and will start there. Your post is anything but basic and actually helps alot. I am planning ti take some lessons to get started on the right foot and like you, I will buy the DVD's to support all those great musicians. Here in Calgary we have a great bluegrass club that I think will also be a great resource. Plus they have 2 jams per week. I just wish it would get here!!! Thanks again Amigo!