Irish Jig Mandolin Tips

Series Summary

The mandolin belongs to the guitar family of musical instruments. Considerably smaller, the mandolin has eight strings which are paired together in four courses that are strummed or plucked to produce sound. Mandolins are typically tuned the same as a violin, but can be tuned to produce the same fretting patterns as the standard guitar. Believed to have derived from Italian culture, the Mandolin is used in a variety of music genres including Bluegrass, Country and Western, Folk, and Rock and Roll. Even Greek and Indian cultures have incorporated the Mandolin into Kantades and Carnatic music. In this series of expert videos, you will learn more about the history and incorporation of the Mandolin. Watch as our expert introduces you to the parts of the Mandolin and teaches you how to play this stringed instrument. Learn more about the style of jig or Irish music from our expert. Hear the wonderful sounds of the mandolin and learn how to play this fun style of music. Get tips for double picking and basic picking. You will also find a basic scale lesson for the mandolin in this video series. Learn everything from the basic not structure to a complete song while viewing these educational do-it-yourself videos!

Video Transcript

"Hi, in this series we are going to look at two songs, both of the Irish tradition. One is a jig, and jig is three/four time. So, one two three, one two three, one two three, one two three, one two three, that kind of thing. A waltz is also in three/four time but it is slower, it is a different style music. And a reel is in four/four time. That kind of thing. And, they are both dance numbers, and they are both coming from the traditional bag that we pull from, the repertoire that we all learn. Learning different styles of music, and traditional music specifically on a mandolin, is helpful in you know kind of being free to create your own style of music eventually. The mandolin got a very traditional sound, so going to the drawing board with the traditional music is a great way of start learning how to play."