In Irish music the mandolin is recent, but it has a longer history in Scotland. In the 1600s/1700s, the mandore (ancestor to the mandolin) was fairly popular and there were early versions of many popular Scottish tunes written for it.
Great chat. Thanks a lot lad. As a middle-aged crisis facing newbie to mandolin I'm not going to be messing with other instruments. Sticking to mandolin exclusively.
Fascinating interview! It occurs to me that Marla's description of how she learned the mandolin, and particularly how she adapted phrasing from other instruments in Irish music, is exactly how jazz guitar players have always adapted saxophone and piano conventions to the guitar.
The discussions on jigs and the emphasis on the third jiglet was a real eye opener for me. I didn't play like that before, but thinking about it, it really is fundamental to the jig feeling. Marla is a huge inspiration, and her album Morning Star is probably a good reason I got very invested in mandolin playing. Amazing that she worked out so much on her own.
I know I already committed but now I've watched the whole video and now I feel even stronger about playing mandolin and music as a whole thank you for sharing this with us
When I used to play pipes, my favorite tunes were the 6/8s. Just the swing of the music made it danceable. I gave them up a few years back, and just recently picked up the mandolin, wanting to play irish/celtic/trad. Its nice to recognize a lot of the tunes I used to play, being played in the same genre. Granted, a lot of pipe tunes migrated over from fiddle and harp tunes, but, it makes the transition SO much easier, as its recognizeable!
Nice discussion & good advice about letting the mandolin be a mandolin... more history: In 1968 Mick Moloney & Paul Brady were both playing mandolin in the Johnstons. Mick's 1978 "Mick Moloney with Eugene O'Donnell" album and "Strings Attached" '80 got me started, along with lessons from Jim Cowdery of the band How to Change a Flat Tire (lp "Traditional Music of Ireland & Shetland" 1978).
Very enjoyable for someone deep in the mandolin weeds such as myself. I also attended the Mandolin Symposiums. Some of my favorite memories. Especially seeing the amazing kids there. You were one of them! What a tickle.
Thanks you David for providing this pot of gold from Marla! As an american that grew up with old time and bluegrass mandolin styles, I'm now beginning my Celtic journey and Marla's experience and musical wisdom really resonate.
Great interview, so great and reassuring to hear all this. When I was in Ireland recently I met Macdara Ó Faoláin who's an amazing Bouzouki and Mando player (as well as being a great Luthier) he was bucking the trend with a thicker style pick and such an individual sound, worth checking out!
This is wonderful. What a great conversation, I learned so much about Irish trad, the mandolin and music in general. Really great connection between the two of you. Thanks!
Great conversation and technique lesson! Just want to do a shoutout to the guys who first got me into mandolin in Irish music 50+ years ago and led me to the music of Andy, Paul, Mick (RIP) and David (RIP), The Dubliners. Even though Barney McKenna is the progenitor of modern Irish tenor banjo, he, John and Cieran recognized and used the distinct voice and technique of the mandolin both for instrumentals and to support the ballads leading directly to Planxty and Mick's "Strings Attached" LP.
If you are interested in more detail about changes in Irish music in the 70s and 80s, Paul Brady's autobiography Crazy Dreams came out in 2022 and is a good read.
I figure out how to do Long & Short Cranns , Long & Short rolls on the 10 String Irish Cittern Ornaments is pretty easy it's basically pull off & hammer with picking the notes at the same time. Long roll is the easiest pick the main note pick the higher note pull off onto the main note . then pick the lower note then hammer on onto the main note. You picking triplets and putting pull off & hammer ons This book really help me to figure out how to do embellish these Irish tunes and Old Time fiddle tunes on the Cittern , Concertina & Button Box. Essential Guide to Irish Flute and Tin Whistle by Grey Larsen Playing a tune straight all the time is BORING .......................................embellishing the tune make it interesting for every body..
It made me laugh out loud when your intro went right to "down up down" jigging! I immediately knew I was beyond the usual American mandolin territory. And then, Marla goes on to give so much insight! These technical possibilities that she so coherantly describes are just unknown to less specialized mandolinists! It's so wonderful that you have corralled this woman and gotten her to specifically describe what can be done! This is a great video! Loved ..... "Anything less than an eighth note is an ornament" RIP - David Surrette ..... such a fine player from here in New England!
hei buddy, Brazil also has their mandolin. Sometimes it is a 10 strings mandolin, widely used in jazz (see Hamilton de Holanda) or choro music. If you like I can arrange an interview with onte bi mandolinist in BRazil, called Marcos Moraes. Let me know.
She really is. I sometimes wonder whether it takes players like her to show how well the mandolin can work in Irish music and help establish it better. As she says, the mandolin isn't actually new in Irish music, but few have it as their main instrument.
Thanks for mentioning Paul Brady, he's such a versatile player and great mandolin player, you can see how he manages to do playing melody lines and singing at the same time here - ua-cam.com/video/KHbPJEkmZwY/v-deo.html.
brian mcdonagh of dervish is a brilliant mandolin accompanist , what he is doing loses me, rarely he will play the tune straight, id love for him to do a workshop of some sort id be first in the queue!!❤
irish guitar players on the whole always stum down up down down with accompaniment but najo play dont with melody, on guiat not hitting all the string for some of the strums adds to the qccents
In Irish music the mandolin is recent, but it has a longer history in Scotland. In the 1600s/1700s, the mandore (ancestor to the mandolin) was fairly popular and there were early versions of many popular Scottish tunes written for it.
so charming. Thank you for interviewing this lady
I could listen to her talk (and lilt) all day.
I could listen to this lady talk about music all day.
Great chat. Thanks a lot lad.
As a middle-aged crisis facing newbie to mandolin I'm not going to be messing with other instruments. Sticking to mandolin exclusively.
Fascinating interview! It occurs to me that Marla's description of how she learned the mandolin, and particularly how she adapted phrasing from other instruments in Irish music, is exactly how jazz guitar players have always adapted saxophone and piano conventions to the guitar.
An absolute class lady with class playing
The discussions on jigs and the emphasis on the third jiglet was a real eye opener for me. I didn't play like that before, but thinking about it, it really is fundamental to the jig feeling.
Marla is a huge inspiration, and her album Morning Star is probably a good reason I got very invested in mandolin playing. Amazing that she worked out so much on her own.
I know I already committed but now I've watched the whole video and now I feel even stronger about playing mandolin and music as a whole thank you for sharing this with us
I didn't realize the order and timing of the mandolin and banjo was so recent. Great discussion David and Marla!
The Ye Vagabonds reference is one not to miss by the way. I've been listening to them the past year and its awesome stuff.
Fantastic interview. Thank you
Awesome interview David ! Marla is such an inspiration !
When I used to play pipes, my favorite tunes were the 6/8s. Just the swing of the music made it danceable. I gave them up a few years back, and just recently picked up the mandolin, wanting to play irish/celtic/trad. Its nice to recognize a lot of the tunes I used to play, being played in the same genre. Granted, a lot of pipe tunes migrated over from fiddle and harp tunes, but, it makes the transition SO much easier, as its recognizeable!
Nice discussion & good advice about letting the mandolin be a mandolin... more history: In 1968 Mick Moloney & Paul Brady were both playing mandolin in the Johnstons. Mick's 1978 "Mick Moloney with Eugene O'Donnell" album and "Strings Attached" '80 got me started, along with lessons from Jim Cowdery of the band How to Change a Flat Tire (lp "Traditional Music of Ireland & Shetland" 1978).
Very enjoyable for someone deep in the mandolin weeds such as myself. I also attended the Mandolin Symposiums. Some of my favorite memories. Especially seeing the amazing kids there. You were one of them! What a tickle.
Great stuff. Mick Maloney is another early mandolin picker in the Irish style. Also Sean Casey, son of the great Bobby Casey played some mandolin.
Declan Corey in Galway is a great mando teacher. He plays in a session at Tig Coli’s too. Thanks for putting a spotlight on this topic.
Thanks you David for providing this pot of gold from Marla! As an american that grew up with old time and bluegrass mandolin styles, I'm now beginning my Celtic journey and Marla's experience and musical wisdom really resonate.
Great interview, so great and reassuring to hear all this. When I was in Ireland recently I met Macdara Ó Faoláin who's an amazing Bouzouki and Mando player (as well as being a great Luthier) he was bucking the trend with a thicker style pick and such an individual sound, worth checking out!
Oh, he's a fantastic bouzouki player -- I didn't realize he also plays mandolin. I will have a look!
This is wonderful. What a great conversation, I learned so much about Irish trad, the mandolin and music in general. Really great connection between the two of you. Thanks!
Great conversation and technique lesson! Just want to do a shoutout to the guys who first got me into mandolin in Irish music 50+ years ago and led me to the music of Andy, Paul, Mick (RIP) and David (RIP), The Dubliners. Even though Barney McKenna is the progenitor of modern Irish tenor banjo, he, John and Cieran recognized and used the distinct voice and technique of the mandolin both for instrumentals and to support the ballads leading directly to Planxty and Mick's "Strings Attached" LP.
"Strrings Attached" was the album that opened my ears to Irish mandolin.
Dude, you have such great content. I freaking love your channel, and I am learning a ton.
Thanks for sharing, marla is very inspiring
Great Video! Thank you Marla!
I love Irish Mandolin, especially Irish Jigs!! Great interview David and Marla!!
Wonderful conversation with a great mandolinist or uh, 2 great mandolinists. :)
First learned the DUD DUD pattern from Roger Landes, another big name in Irish mandolin.
Definitely! A great player and influencer!
Wonderful chat 😊
Man I love your channel. Thanks for sharing.
I learned down-up-down jig picking for guitar from the great guitarist Chris Newman. He doesn't do d-u-d for accompaniment, though.
Wonderful interview!
Marla’s the best!
I love Celtic music and play a little mandolin and would like to know what do I start with learning? Notes or rhythm
If you are interested in more detail about changes in Irish music in the 70s and 80s, Paul Brady's autobiography Crazy Dreams came out in 2022 and is a good read.
I figure out how to do Long & Short Cranns , Long & Short rolls on the 10 String Irish Cittern
Ornaments is pretty easy it's basically pull off & hammer with picking the notes at the same time.
Long roll is the easiest pick the main note pick the higher note pull off onto the main note . then pick the lower note then hammer on onto the main note. You picking triplets and putting pull off & hammer ons
This book really help me to figure out how to do embellish these Irish tunes and Old Time fiddle tunes on the Cittern , Concertina & Button Box. Essential Guide to Irish Flute and Tin Whistle by Grey Larsen
Playing a tune straight all the time is BORING .......................................embellishing the tune make it interesting for every body..
It made me laugh out loud when your intro went right to "down up down" jigging! I immediately knew I was beyond the usual American mandolin territory. And then, Marla goes on to give so much insight! These technical possibilities that she so coherantly describes are just unknown to less specialized mandolinists! It's so wonderful that you have corralled this woman and gotten her to specifically describe what can be done!
This is a great video!
Loved ..... "Anything less than an eighth note is an ornament"
RIP - David Surrette ..... such a fine player from here in New England!
Awesome!!
hei buddy, Brazil also has their mandolin. Sometimes it is a 10 strings mandolin, widely used in jazz (see Hamilton de Holanda) or choro music. If you like I can arrange an interview with onte bi mandolinist in BRazil, called Marcos Moraes. Let me know.
❤❤❤❤❤
O man she's so cool
She really is. I sometimes wonder whether it takes players like her to show how well the mandolin can work in Irish music and help establish it better. As she says, the mandolin isn't actually new in Irish music, but few have it as their main instrument.
Thanks for mentioning Paul Brady, he's such a versatile player and great mandolin player, you can see how he manages to do playing melody lines and singing at the same time here - ua-cam.com/video/KHbPJEkmZwY/v-deo.html.
Anything smaller than an eighth note is not necessary. Good to know !!
brian mcdonagh of dervish is a brilliant mandolin accompanist , what he is doing loses me, rarely he will play the tune straight, id love for him to do a workshop of some sort id be first in the queue!!❤
irish guitar players on the whole always stum down up down down with accompaniment but najo play dont with melody, on guiat not hitting all the string for some of the strums adds to the qccents