Why Guitarists Should Play Mandolin - ASK ZAC EP 25
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- Опубліковано 23 кві 2020
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I bought a mandolin after seeing two of my favorite guitarists, Albert Lee & John Jorgenson play mandolin on TV in the early 90s. I loved the sound, and the real change of color and tone they offered the bands they were playing in by putting down their electric guitars and picking up the mandolin. Wanting to be like my heroes, I bought a mandolin and began a long and fruitful journey that I hope you too will consider going on. In this Ask Zac, I cover a few essential techniques for the guitarist to know when they begin playing mandolin, and some mandolin features to look for that make a huge difference in their playability for guitar players.
My Spotify Playlist for great Mandolin tracks
open.spotify.com/playlist/39b... #askzac #guitartech #mandolin
I picked up a mandolin about 3 weeks ago and I love it. It is a great instrument to sing with. You can learn G C and D and just walk around the house with it an hum tunes. I’ve discovered it just a damn good little friend. She will sing with you
Remember, you don’t have to play bluegrass to love the mandolin although I do, but it’s great for playing old time fiddle tunes as well. The mandolin taught me more about music theory then I’ve learned on guitar over the last 55 years.
Oh yeah mando! There a lot less mando players than guit players! Even tho I am a blazing guitarist!, I have chosen to play bass and mandolin, one of the biggest revelations for me was after learning how to play and buying an old round back mando and playing it the store owner asked me if I was interested in auditioning for his friend whose mandolin player had quit. I got the gig and the revelation was walking into the gig with my tiny little instrument and not lugging giant bass rig and making more $$! That was in 1972. It definitely improves my playing to change up on instruments from acoustic to electric etc.. Thanks for another informative video!
Grew up around Blue Grass but never really appreciated Mandolin until John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin powerfully interjected the instrument into songs like Going to California and Battle of Evermore. The mandolin made what would've been pretty good songs into amazing songs. Somewhat spell-binding would be a good description of his mandolin effect.
Same here with JPJ but I didn’t know anything about bluegrass at the time. I only got a mando because I was a zep obsessed guitar kid. It wasn’t until years later when I started playing guitar for singer songwriters that I started getting familiar with bluegrass and roots music and finally learned some proper mandolin technique. Never would’ve happened without all that great mandolin work from Jones though!
Blair Hogan - yea JPJ was the glue for LZ, his bass work was flawless, timing like a Swiss watch. Paige was no fool when he put that band together.
Check out Mandolin Orange.
Or the Ronnie McCoury version of "Loser".
Or a real mandolin player like David Grisman or Chris Thiele.
Fantastic Zac! As a guitarist who is just getting into playing the mandolin, I've learned more from you in your 20-minute video than I've learned from anyone else in hours.
I've played guitar most of my life. 1 year ago i got my first mandolin. I have been intrigued by its sound for years. Never regretted this. Love playing mandolin.
Go for it!
I’ve owned a Gibson A type mandolin for about 41 years now. It had its 100th birthday in 2014. Sadly it sits in the case.
tomcoryell play it !👍🇬🇧
If you don’t play it, sell it, It may be worth a lot…somebody will love it.
This is great advice! Several years ago I was in a bad accident and it took about 2 years to recover. I wasn't able to pick up a guitar at first but could sit in a comfortable chair and play the mando that I had bought and neglected. After hours of breakthrough instruction on UA-cam I had learned enough to entertain myself jamming with CDs like I do to practice guitar. It's a wonderful instrument with a wonderful voice and very satisfying to play. BTW I bought an Eastman after my starter and they are also first rate for the money! Thank you!
I added the mandolin because I'm left-handed with right-hand instruments. Picking, to me, is like writing with the wrong hand. It's nearly impossible to play the mandolin without a pick so I've improved my picking immensely.
I’m gonna need another stimulus check if I keep watching your videos!!...great as always and Happy Birthday!
I bought a mando with same mindset of style, country Rock, blues and rock. Awesome contribution to any jam
I like your wholesome, generous style Zac, nice work!
Thank you
Love the Waterloo guitar in the background.
It is a killer acoustic!!!!
@@AskZac +I live in England, many years ago from a secondhand bookshop which also sold secondhand vinyl and cassettes I picked up and bought a cassette entitled 'mandolin allsorts'.
It cost 30 pence.
It had no other writing on it apart from the title mandolin allsorts.
It's cover was drawn like a physechedelic picture with which appeared to be felt tip pens.
No copyright details... Nothing.
I turned it on my cassette player layed back on the bed and went on an hour long trip in another world which softened my anger and floated my soul.
I'm not lying, I still have the cassette and believe me I'd rather keep it than give up a first edition of pink Floyd's dark side of the moon or almost any other recording.
I have absolutely no idea who made it.
Have you heard of the name of such a recording?
I could try to record a 'recording of it or record it via the Internet and send the recording to you and the photos of the cassette cover and inside and out.
It's up to you.
But its a piece of music that is the cheapest I've ever bought and yet wouldn't part with it for nothing.
It starts slow and sends you on a journey.
A good journey.
What do you think?
@@johnbicknell4748 can you record some of it somehow, and then send a song to me? zac(at) askzac.com
@@AskZac +yes, I will.
I'll try the best recording samples I can and send the best one and see if I can send you a photo of the cassette cover and cassette.
Give me some time to do it right and I'll send it.
I laughed to myself when I saw your mandolin....just like mine. Of course....
Happy Birthday brother!
Muchas Gracias, hermano!
Just bought one!
Hey Zak, I played rhythm guitar and fill ins in a couple semi- informal bluegrass bands in the late '70s. Now, with mandolin, I play fiddle tunes, Irish and original tunes, mostly composed by others more talented than myself. Not interested in playing standard bluegrass stuff, tho it still is probably my favorite genre of music, but you know, having picked up mandolin, it has keened up my ear to listen to and appreciate most other forms of what passes for music these days. There is another retired gent I have encountered on UA-cam that I have enticed to try mando. He'll be a beginner, so I told him to get a "decent quality" mandolin to even consider starting. A $100 chunk of plywood would not do. Told him about the Eastman M 305 as a good bet, or a Northfield A model of some sort in an acceptable price range. I've taught a couple tunes at a fiddle festival workshop a few years ago and the folks where grateful I had something other than Cluck Old Hen or Old Joe Clark to offer. There is just so much great music playable on mandolin, it staggers the imagination. Cheers, my friend and thanks for letting me indulge myself a bit here. Bob (a UA-camr in Montana)
Try listening to the Cowboy Junkies; you'll be blown away!
Hey Zac. Happy Birthday man! Great vid as usual. Great to see you. Been down with for a while and have to to catch up. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and showing that even us olds can still learn.
Some great tips here, Zac. I haven't finished the video yet, so I apologize if I repeat or "step on" something you've covered, but I would say something to folks who are intimidated by a mandolin's tuning......it's the same as a violin, so (low to high) G, D, A, E......you can also, (if you're not playing mandolin often) tune it to a ukulele-type tuning......(low to high) D, G, B, E.....just like a guitar. With the high register and double course of strings it will always sound like a mandolin. I've heard stories of session guitar players who tuned this way for ease in switching back and forth.
I once played in a (more or less) classic rock cover band, but our "schtick" was we used guitar, bass, drums and mandolin/acoustic guitar. Yeah, we were a little different, and audiences didn't always appreciate our "artistry". :-(
I have had a mandolin for years, and play it once in a while, but never considered trying to tune with guitar intervals. It seems like you might get closer to the proper string tension by sticking as.close as possible to GDAE.
By keeping with the 4th intervals of the thicker guitar strings, it seems like you could keep better string tension by using tunings like ADGC or BEAD, then chord shapes and scales would be like the 3rd to 6th strings of guitar, with the strings as close as possible to their original mandolin tuning. In other words, it would be like guitar bass strings with capo at 5 or 7.
Tommy Tedesco in his book "For Guitar Players Only" discusses his rationale for tuning the mandolin to dgbe which makes a lot of sense to me.
I got turned on to the mandolin by watching Marty Stuart on tv a long time ago when he was just a kid playing bluegrass (I was a guitar player and wasn't into bluegrass). I was able to see him live with the Fabulous Superlatives several times with Kenny Vaughan. What a great show. Thanks for your videos and stay safe and well.
Happy Birthday, Brother! Thanks, so much, for all you share with us.
I got bored with guitar so i picked up a fidle...it was slow going, but i dropped in by chance at the bean blossom bluegrass festival and they had a raffle...10 $ for a ticket to win a new mandy....i bought a ticket, and yep you guessed it!! Got me a 10$ Kentucky mandolin, and I had no idea it fingered the same as a violin! My fiddle playing improved,and i agree with you on the not just fer bluegrass anymore!! I love it!! I havent touched my guitar in a year!! Great tip on the cooder thing! Thnx!
Happy Birthday Zac! I enjoyed this show, didn't know much about the mandolin, I'm learning a lot from watching both you and Tom B. Thanks for everything and have a great day. Take care..
Happy Birthday Zac! Thanks for all the videos and you're kind and gentle style in these troubling times. You're a champ.
I appreciate that!
I LOVE mandolin!!! But that tuning brings me great frustration after guitar tuning for so many years!
Happy Birthday Zac, hope you have a great day. I've had several mandolins over the years and your right about having a frequency nobody plays in.They round out the sound of a combo group. Drums ,Bass ,acoustic guitar either a banjo or fiddle .Thanks for you videos.What got me started was when I went to a Rod Stewart concert ,when they played Maggie May .That was it I wanted one.Hahaha. 🎸
Great video! Thanks Zak! My first mandolin was one I hand built in 2001 in a class/workshop in Front Royal VA. I still have it and it plays great and sounds better each year. I’m a guitar player and fell in love with the mandolin listening to the Steve Earl / Del McCoury record called The Mountain. Love your Breedlove!
Great advice - thanks Zac! I've had a cheap Fender mandolin for awhile, but Guthrie Trapp's videos have recently motivated me to get it back out and try to become a little more proficient. I feel like working on speed and technique on the tiny mandolin fretboard definitely helps my guitar playing (while probably not as much the other way around), so even if one never uses the skill publicly, it can be a great practice tool.
Thanks a lot and happy birthday! Appreciated your comments on bluegrass...am in the same boat. Cheers
The mandolin always brings up images of red checkered table cloths and wine bottles holding candles. I can almost smell the garlicy marinara sauce...'specially when you do that tremolo picking thing. That laminated axe sounds pretty sweet to me. I'll start checking the Corpus C-List classifieds. Maybe a diversion would be nice. thanks for posting , and best o' luck from the mud flats.
I've been watching too many Chris Thile videos and I am thinking of getting a mandolin. This is a good video to help me.
I love it when you play the Mandolin!!
Nice one Zac, I've come to a similar epiphany regarding the mandolin!
Zac, happy belated birthday. Thank you and appreciate all the knowledge, History & experience, you give and share!
It is today! Thank you
Happy Birthday Zac! God bless you! You play the mandoline pretty good. Well done :-)
Thanks Zac! I dabbled with it about 30 years ago, in fact I think I have a couple in "the room". Being grounded here you inspired me to dig them our! --gary
That is awesome!
Just learning some chords on my Tanglewood mandolin....Zac's post was very informative. 👍🎵
Happy Birthday! My first public performance was on mandolin in church. We played an instrumental version of What a Friend we have in Jesus. My second public performance was on guitar at a highschool fund raiser. We played Hank Jr's Old Habits. I'm sure my parents were thrilled!
These videos are always well done and informative. One of the very best on the internet 👏. Thanks 👍
So nice of you
That was great, Zac. I too am starting to play the mandolin. Yeah, you go to a music jam and it seems like everyone pulls out a guitar to play. Therefore you have to wait your turn. Pull out a mandolin and you are the man. So much so, that they don’t want you leave. Anyway Zac, I hope to do a few more videos on that special little instrument.
I have played lead/rhythm guitar for 50 years and took up mandolin about 15 years ago. I played in a gospel bluegrass band for 12 years or so. Your ideas and techniques are right up my alley. Thanks for sharing this!
yeah Zac! You made me want to take out my mandolin and try. The "Cooder" part sounds like John Hiatt's "Crossing muddy waters" album. That's a very fine one! thanks
Great video, I've been wanting to pick up a mandolin & you gave lot's of great info.
Glad it was helpful!
Cool! Just came across this vid. Got myself a mando also about 2 yrs. ago. Great fun instrument to have around and jam on.
Not ever gonna be a Chris Thile or Sam Bush, but it's very, very fun!
I highly recommend for anybody who may be interested in playing guitar to also check out the mandolin. They are such a cool alternative, or an additional instrument to the guitar. What musical concepts you learn on them do carry out to understanding guitar. They have a cool sound. They are quieter if you want to just play around for enjoyment. Also they are small which means it doesn’t take up too much space. They’re also not a “fancy ukulele”, although ukuleles are cool too if you take it seriously and learn more than just chords.
Great stuff, thanks so much.
Watched from Canada, that's exactly introduction I was looking for. Subscribed to your chanel.
Welcome aboard!
You're so right about the compliments! I normally play guitar in church but when I play with another guitarist I'll often play mando and so many love hearing it!
Exactly!!!
Love all your videos! Thank you!!
You are so welcome!
Looking forward to it! But it’ll go to air at 1.00 am here, I’ll sleep for a bit and watch later!
Happy Birthday Zac!
Yes, I agree, Guitar player's ought to at least give a Mandolin a try. I bought a Cheap one years and years ago, and I never liked it much because it too was just too difficult to play. As you said, after 30 minutes or less, my fingers really hurt!
Years go by, and I was starting to again look at picking up a Mandolin. My wife noticed, and so for a Christmas gift, she surprised me with a pretty nice Mandolin. And after working on it for a while, I fell in Love with the thing. It is really a Blast to play, and very very Expressive. It is a Happy sounding Instrument, and people tend to like Happy Music, at least the ones I hang out with do.
So, if you've been on the fence about getting a Mandolin, I'd suggest get one, but make sure it is comfortable to play. You are already a Guitar player, so you should have enough experience to know when an instrument is resisting in a Bad way.
And it doesn't really matter if you buy an "F" Style or the "A" Style Mandolin. I have an "F" Style, but my next one will be an "A" Style, mostly because I like the sound of the "A" Style slightly better. But, that's my ear, yours may decide differently.
Mandolin's are like Guitars, It's better to have more than one, at least that is what I tell myself.
Thanks for the video.
I had a mandolin (sold it now) and my approach was exactly like yours: it's like the low strings of an upside down or left-handed guitar. That made it fairly easy to work out chord shapes. I'll probably get another one, but it's not something I'd use in a band, really.
Inspiring to listen to this.. im a Gypsy jazz mandolin player . Improvisation is my big thing but i never really liked too play the comp. Feel that i disturb the guitar, seeing this video inspired me to use the single chop or find other ways not to disturb the guitar boot cooperated with him .
Just turned 60 and I'm seriously considering getting a mandolin or a guitar to learn as a hobby for retirement, so far I'm leaning towards the mandolin, great video 👍.
Zac, a belated happy birthday. Dude I loved this video and I had to laugh when you said that guitarist Albert Lee was one of your influences to pick up the mandolin. I had the exact same experience. Watched a StarLicks video of him about 15 years ago and he threw in a few minutes on the mando. I was blown out of the water and promised myself to learn how to play. A few years after that I saw Albert Lee playing at a club in southern California and made it a point to meet up with him and have him autograph my Tele. He could not have been more gracious! I told him he was the reason I learned mandolin and thanked him for being such a great influence. You might want to check out some of the old Bill Monroe recordings. I know he's bluegrass, but he was about the fastest, baddest, bluesiest mando player I've ever heard. Keep the great videos coming!
Albert has an interesting, guitarist approach to mandolin that I like.
Hey Zac ! if it's your birthday i wish you 1000 of these days ! :) can't wait to see the video !
The song 'Avalon' by The Dreadnoughts has an excellent mandolin solo!
I just picked up a used Breedlove Am OF. Lot of fun!
Great topic, Zac.
07 I finally buy a Telecaster, Squier 20th Anniversary Fat Tele. ok, worked up and in love with some titles, Rickey Skaggs Roy B Live Stock, Greg Kihn Again,,, then settled on Rickey Skaggs "Highway 40 Blues".Ray Flacke.
Not only digging the Solo but RS's mandolin bit before.
had a hankerin' for a mandolin;.
btw, never copped Flacke's solo. some things better left unsaid,
Liked and followed for the groovy intro,rock on brother
Great! (immediately think of ABBA's start of "One of us"!!) Love it!
Thanks! A nice, interesting and honest video ☀😎☀
Jim Messina's use of mandolin deserves mention, too.
Great video, Zac. I picked up the mando about four years ago and have rarely put it down, since. My guitars are getting jealous!
Go for it!
I don't wanna play Bluegrass, I want to play Dangdut and Rock on the mandolin, ever since I heard a band called "Soneta" from Indonesia that managed to merge the genres and incorporate mandolin into their repertoire, and it sounds amazing!
It is something of an 80's/90's band that my dad liked, but their lead, Rhoma Irama, really rocks; and their songs are full of positive messages.
Back in the late '80s till they shut down the shop and moved to Nashville in about '94, I had the distinct privilege of working in the Flatiron factory, where I was able to build for myself a nice low end A-5. It would retail for over 1200 bucks, at the time, but I got it for $250 with a good hard case. That's my main acoustic mando to this day. I have since put Grover tuners on it and replaced half the frets. Later on I built a couple E- mandos. If I had a decent amp, I would play them in a jam situation, with 10 or 12 guitars on stage, half a dozen banjos, and an overwhelming number of fiddlers. ( And probably be frownd upon! ) So I can pick an E- mandolin in my living room without an amp when the Frau is sleeping without waking her. All great fun, my friends. Bob
I enjoyed this video. I'd bought and sold a Fender mando a few years ago. I didn't appreciate the narrow 1 1/8" nut and neck width. But all the wider-nut mandos that I could find were too pricey for a testing-the-waters beginner. I recently bought one (via Craig's List) with 1 3/8" nut for $25. So I am starting out on it all over again. 🙂
Going to have to get one. Great video. Thanks.
Right on
The fun thing about mandolin is it's portability and versatility. I've done adaptations of Hendrix, Beatles, Stones, Chuck Berry, Roy Orbison, etc. Angie, Wind Cries Mary, Little Wing, Hey Joe, Pretty Woman, Norwegian Wood, Blackbird, Memphis. Figured out Losing My Religion, Godfather Theme, Pirates Of The Caribbean.
Years ago I did a 2 month cycling tour of Ireland and Wales. Took a mandolin with me and it was perfect. It also helps my guitar playing alot.
EDIT: Btw, I play a Richwood RMA-110-VS Pro Series mando.
Mandolin taught me about relative minors, which was a theory concept that did not stick in my head befor learning mandolin. Also, I play a lot of jam sessions where there are already 7 or more guitars mostly doing the same thing, so mandolin really stands out. I also learned Dobro for the same reason because we have a fair number of mandolin players here in norther Minnesota as well. Dobro taught me about major and minor scales in a way that made sense to me.
I am a 3 and 4 chord country/rock kind of guy. Mandolin and Dobro brings a lot to the table on any style from Hank Williams to Waylon Jennings, to the Rolling Stones, CCR Dire Straits or Bruce Springsteen and current artists I know nothing about..
My favorite mandolin players; Tom Cohen, Avi Avital. 2 great mandolin players that a lot of mandolin players in north America have never heard of.
Avi is fantastic.
I must have got one of those older mandolins because my hands fatigue very quickly. Other people have mentioned that you don't want to force it, but I figure, if I'm careful, I can use it to build strength and precision in the left hand.
Very nice sound and demo of the Breedlove K5 mandolin. Thank you and Happy Thanksgiving.
Happy holidays!
Just discovered that I can play the mandolin it seems to really compliment my Waylon sounding voice , I think it's the way the chords are stacked
great episode.
Many thanks Zac, really appreciated, very useful indeed. Hugh
You're welcome!
A great video. I picked up a mandolin a few years ago out of curiosity. One thing I really enjoy about it is that you can take it anywhere. I didn’t really like it when players would strum so I just played folk tune melodies. But after a spontaneous performance where I had to play chords on it I became interested. I found you could play rhythm as long as you kept it choppy as you mentioned. Also if you play a different rhythm to what you would as a guitarist, it seemed to help.
What a good video. Really good
Thank you Zac; this is the tutorial I have been searching for! I am also coming to the mandolin from guitar and you say EXACTLY what I do. I don't mind a bit of bluegrass to listen to now and then because it's all part of that roots music that I like, but it's not me. It's blues and folk that I want to play and above all else I want that Ry Cooder sound. He's been one of my favourite musicians since Into The Purple Valley. Do you have any other tutorials on how to play in that style? Could you do one? How do I get on that particular road? Thanks and keep up the great work.
Sam Bush is the man! I'd like to see an analysis of his right hand technique. Andy Wood is another jaw dropping musician who plays guitar and mandolin, but I think he actually played mandolin first.
Thanks for all the work you put into these videos, and happy birthday!
THANK YOU
Thanks for your info
My pleasure
You're like the Bob Ross of fretboard work! That's a good thing...
LOVE IT!!!
That Breedlove sounds good. I play a Gibson F-5G, and I play bluegrass and gospel most, but I really enjoy playing blues and jazz too. I’ve been thinking about learning to play the guitar.
Do it
Top notch!
Happy Birthday!!
Thank you. This Video is very helpfull!
I'm so glad!
Been playing guitar for 50+ years , picked up a mandolin learnt the chord shapes , in about 10min I was playing Bluegrass.There's some classical music I would like to learn as well e.g Vivaldi's Concerto RV93 in Dmaj although for lute it can be playe with a manolin.Once I find the sheet music I'll start playing.
Wonderful video. Eastman and Kentucky are really good solid brands. Check out Marla Fibish to get an idea of the sound of a 20's Gibson oval hole A style. Flat fingerboards but if they're set up well they are super easy to play. I can't imagine needing more mandolin than my 1921 Gibson A2.
Awesome!!!
Thanks!!
Happy Birthday!
Jessie McReynolds is credited with the development of mandolin cross picking. At that time he and Jim traveled with one of the great early 3 finger style banjo player, Alan Shelton. As the story goes, being trapped in many hotel rooms, Alan and Jessie swapped licks often just to pass the time. The innovative McReynolds cross picking blended wonderfully with the smooth Shelton style.
thanks for more of the story
Love your work Zac, I play guitar in a four piece,where the singer/songwriter always plays ( often the full part he uses when he’s out solo), so I’m always looking for “room” in the arrangement- I’ll definitely use some of this home time we have to get out my mandolin, give it some love, and hopefully take it to rehearsal as soon as we’re allowed! Thank you 👍🎸🇬🇧
I've got a knock off tele that I really love. I want to get a 5 string mandolin neck and route the upper bout of the tele out and make it a double neck(Ala Grady Martin.)I'd love to try out bottle neck on an electric mandolin!
I love Mandolin, I’ve payed guitar my entire life but as I get older I realize how many people play it and it kind of loses its appeal when you realize you are one of several million players worldwide. Mandolin is way more unique though!
Thank you for the mandalore.
This is the way.
An interesting story about the migrant Mandolin makers of the early 20th Century in the USA. A new fad was created with the sale of Hawaiian Ukeleles on sale everywhere. Those mandolin makers quickly caught on, and made them as fine instruments. An early one with pearl inlay will cost you heaps. Mandolins of themselves, are beautiful creatures, and a lot of Guitarist and Ukeleles owners keep one as part of their collection.
I bought a $100.00 "Artist Guitars" spruce top mandolin and I don't know how they do it for the $$. It wasn't as hard to learn as I play violin/fiddle as well (GDAE same tuning) and I agree Zac that it's a great compliment to just playing guitar or fiddle etc. It's a great instrument and I'd say that the channel "MandoLessons" is a great place for a beginner mandolin learner to go to.
Once again a great helpful episode for the aspiring musician. Thumbs up !!
I love the Mandolin, but find it very small to fret. Have you had an experience with the Spanish lute or Puerto Rican Cuatro. Like a Mandolin, but just a bit bigger. They do have 10 or 12 strings
This is excellent. I started playing mandolin more seriously about 2-3 years ago. I got a '69 Gibson EM-200 solidbody with a P90 (4 pole). It's like a miniature Les Paul. I love it.
John Kelley I agree. I built an entry level A5 when I worked at Flatiron back in the 90s. I've been playing it many years since. Recently put better tuner machines on it and it holds tuning better. I just love the mandolin. Don't play it as much as I should due to other pressing activities, but I'm always looking for new and interesting tunes that I can music sheets for. Have a ton of tunes by now that I've shared with other fiddler/ mando players. Even "taught" at workshops a few times at local fiddler jams in early summer. I consider my self a semi advanced beginner, as I'll never be a great player, but having fun playing tunes is what it's all about for me anyway. Cheers, my friend and thanks. Bob in Montana