Customer Reviews

Mel Bay Deluxe Encyclopedia Of Mandolin Chords

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've been playing about two years and I refer to this book often. It has just about every chord you will ever need (and many that you will never need).

I like that it shows different inversions of chords in different positions. It helps you find a chord form in the current position you are playing in.

Also includes helpful tips on movable chords.

An excellent volume at a good price. It has a logical layout and provides much needed information for a beginner like myself or a more advanced player. There are a few fingering forms not included, however, and that's why I gave it four stars.

An excellent resource for the novice player (like myself) for both mandolin and violin chords, scales, and more. I highly recommend this book, especially for those who, like myself, play sliding scales on the guitar but need a quick reference to sliding scales on mandolin for blues, bluegrass and jazz. You can also apply the information directly to the violin, if you're like me who's trying to learn both instruments. Also, check out Mel Bay's Mandolin Scales and Studies for scale tablatures.

Showing Bluegrass , Jazz & moveable chords - excellent for beginners to intermediates, with contributions by Scott Tichenor (chord types) & John Bird (practice tips).

The following tips are by a layman for the layperson.

So where do you start ? Why use chords, which chords do you use, why so many variations, what is the best way to practice, what chords go together, why cant I get a simple answer to my questions (the Russian Doll syndrome).



USE OF CHORD TONES:-
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You may wish to embellish a melody (especially slow airs) to avoid `typewriter' style by exchanging a few melody notes with chords.
A Triad chord is made of 3 notes, with 4 strings you can have up to 4 notes in your chord.

Start with 2 finger chords (see on MandolinCafe website), which use 3/4 strings.
The FFcP or 4FcP (four finger closed position -i.e. no open strings) allow you to go up the neck in a Chord scale, mainly used in Jazz.
Double Stops (two strings) give a short-cut effect of a chord when playing a fast tune.

You use chords to provide backup harmonies/melody to a singer. See the Nashville Numbering system for a systematic approach to playing by ear.
Listen to a recording of a good bass player/guitarist and practice against their style. Get a form (variation) that you are comfortable with.
Variations of the same chord occur due to ease of chord shapes, harmonies, ascending and descending melody notes (included in the chord).
For the absolute beginner - try 'Fun with the Mandolin' below.



PRACTICE:-
-----------------
Practice each day starting with 30mins/day.

Relax the fingers and think of where to move.
1st move the `Luidin' (pinkie), then slide along any using the same strings, then place the other fingers on new strings. If a finger is crossing more than one string make sure your thumb is providing the counter pressure opposite the location of that finger (to give it added strength).

Practice the different groupings (starting with the KoC/KoG below - GCD or other related chords from the Circle of Fifths).
Do 4 strums in a steady `Tick Tock - grandfather clock' rhythm with a steady right hand arm movement and maintaining without a pause while you change chords on the 5th strum.
When more proficient go clockwise and then anticlockwise around the Circle of Fifths.

Practice chord progressions from the Delux Encyclopedia'' (Mc Cabe and Music theory pages 70 & 71).
Practice your personal chord variation list to hear the differences in each chord variation (see below).
Practice the Perpetual Motion chords (lessons on MandolinCafe site).

You will find a sound and finger configuration that will be comfortable.
You should DRAW out a TAB diagram of the stings with the notes upto at least the 12th fret.
Start collecting the chords you use and note the sequence (1,3,5,7 and other notes).
Google your favorite tune name and chords to find a starting point for the chords.


KEYS:-
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The key of the melody, is the most important note of the melody and is usually the last note and with the chord of the same name.
In the Key of G (KoG) there are seven melody notes, without the sharps/flats, the KoA seven notes are A, B, C#, D, E, F# and G.
Most melodies will finish on the key note this then becomes the Key Chord.

For American music the key notes frequency order is GACDEFB.
For Irish tunes the KoC will comprise of 80% of folk tunes and will finish on a C note and 90% of them will have a group of 3 related chords or chord set (CFG) for the key of C.



THE MAGIC NUMB3RS:-
---------------------------------------
5 - 'Pentatonic Scale' - (5 Notes) the ancient 5 note scale (a, c, d, f, g) - the same scale in ancient Celtic, Greek and Chinese music - the black-keys on the piano.

7 - 'Natural' notes - the Harmonics frequencies found in nature from which A to G notes were developed. You have seven days a week, seven primary colors, seven letters ('naturals'- frequency notes without flats/sharps in a scale- A to G) - the white-keys on the piano.

12 - 'Chromatic Scale' - includes subdivisions on the Naturals that Western ears can distinguish (Eastern music has upto 24) and includes the sharps/flat notes - all the keys of the piano.


DOUBLE STOPS:-
---------------------------
When only two strings are strummed (giving a short-cut to chord effects). A proper chord has three notes in it.

For Example (see Nigel Gather's site and mandolin Cafe for others) -
KoG (Key of G) - using 2 Strings from GDAE (with the fret number - 0 = open string) notation,as in a scale:-
G(4) D(5) - G(0), D(4) - D(5), A(2) - D(2), A(3) - D(4) , A(5) - A(3), E(0) - A(5), E(2) - A(2), E(3)

See 'Fretboard Roadmaps' below.
Note (see top page 14 - the black dots are fingered notes, the white dots are open strings. The two strings strummed together are shown as linked. Each of the 5 distinct double stops, as shown in the dots & tab, are shown together in the diagram to the left to display a pattern).


CHORD SHAPES:-
----------------------------
Using 1, 3,5 sequence of the note. for example if 1 is 'C', then 3 is 'E' and 5 is 'G'.

Your chord can have 3 main variations (also others) -
Using 4 strings - variation1 is 1,3,5,1octave (as above), variation2 is 3,5,1octave,5octave and variation3 is 5,1octave,3octave,5octave
(Remember those Arpeggios ?).
The chord 7th is another variation with the 7th note (will be `F' if in this case if `G is 1) and hence `G7'. Usefull to bounce back and forth as a holding pattern if a singer cannot remember the next line of a tune.
So from the melody note you can substitute a variation of the notes (1,3,5 & Extensions 7,9,11,13) or octaves.

If your melody note is `G' for example (this becomes 1 or root), your 3rd note is `B', 5th is `D' and 7th is 'F'.
So then with the four strings try various combinations of (Notes: 1,3,5,7 or 'x'-not used) on the strings to see which compliment the melody note being replaced.
Note that some chords are the same (Bb=A#, Eb=D#, Ab=G#, Db=C#).


CIRCLE of FIFTHS:-
---------------------------
The chord set relationship of chords is called the 'I-IV-V' chord progression (major chords built on the 1st,4th & 5th note).
So if the chord progression is in the Key of G - you most likely will have cords G,C, D or D7 (1,IV,V).

So from the Key of `G' (KoG) to the Key of `A' (KoA), you can think of seven main groups of chords that go together (depending on the Key).
In terms of frequency of use: KoC-CFG, KoG-GCD, KoD-DGA, KoA-ADE, KoE-EAB, KoB-BEF#, KoF#-F#BC#.


A pattern of Chord relationships with the previous and past chords emerges as follow -
This relationship of the 7 Natural groups of chords can be expressed in the circle of chords (12 major chords including flats/sharps and double this for the minors).

In an alpha order (not the circle of 1/5ths) starting with KoA to the 7th being KoG showing how the last note relates of one key relates to the first one following (this relationship is expressed in the simpler diagram form)
KoA 1-ADE, KoE 5-EAB KoB 2-BEF#, KoF# 7-F#BC#, KoC 3-CFG, KoG 4-GCD, KoD 5-DGA.



Rag Time Chord Progressions usually follow -
3-6-2-5-1.
For example if in D (1='D') - then 3-6-2-5-1 becomes F#,B, E7,A7,D

Folk Music chord progressions usually follow -
1 - 3/6(minor) - 2 (minor/major) - 5 - 1



Suggested Reading :-
----------------------------
(Top Class Overview DVD) 'How Music Works' by Howard Goodall [...]; Howard Goodall's Big Bangs [2008] [Region 1]DVD ~ Howard Goodall ASIN: B0017HEY98; Big Bangs: Five Musical Revolutions by Howard Goodall 070116932X;
Reference booklet `Music Theory 101' by Larry McCabe ISBN:0786659491;The AB Guide to Music Theory Vol 1 by Taylor, Eric ISBN1854724460; Evolution of the Art of Music by Parry;

The Nashville Number System by Chas Williams 0963090674;
Mike Marshall Mastering Chords & Theory DVD ASIN: B0013UQUV4;
Niles Hokkanen's GUIDE TO MANDOLIN CHORDS ( AND HOW TO USE THEM) by Niles Hokkanen . ... ISBN:
Mel Bay Deluxe Encyclopedia Of Mandolin Chords by John Baxter 0786647973;
The Mandolin Chord Book by James Major 0825622964(possible chord sets for each key);
'Fun with the Mandolin' by Mel Bay (9780871664501-without the CD, 2 finger chords);
Fretboard Roadmaps [Hal Leonard] 0634001426
Developing Melodic Variations y John McGann 0786650990

Also -
Folk Harp music Arrangements' by Silvia Woods ISBN:093666102X; Celtic Backup for all Instrumentalists by c. Smith [MBay] 9780786640652;
Chord Tone Soloing (Guitar) by Barrett Tagliarino 0634083651; Absolute Beginners: Guitar Scales by Cliff Douse 0711987726; The Irish DADGAD Guitar by Sarah McQuaid 0946005931; Irish Traditional Guitar Accompaniment
with Gavin Ralston DVD[Waltons]B000HKCSUI ; Understanding DADGAD For Fingerstyle Guitar by Doug Young 0786676418

4 Stars because I use some chords that the book doesn't list. However, I still consider it an essential for any mandolin library.

The real treasure for me, however, are the pages of practice tips in the back. They are inspiring and brilliant. They turned around my practice techniques.

This book should be intended for any mandolin player who wants to get serious and learn various forms of music. I must say because there is such a big variety of chords, you even have jazz chords. I recommend it :D

Got a Ebay mandolin and I needed a chord book. I bought this one and it's great.

I have been selling all sorts of Guitar, Mandolin, pubs., and CD's as well as DVD's by Bert Casey, Mel Bay, and I must say that I am very advanced in playing strung instruments and am now starting on "harmonica blues playing".
I used "CVLS" or "WATCH and Learn's Introduction to Mandolin Beginners by Bert Casey", then went immediately to a DVD "PRIMER with Geoff Hohwald and Bert", and now I bought and this book gave me one of the best "KICKS" in the can as to improving playing the Man'lin(as Bert says).I learned many things that as a pro, I had learned the basics wrongly, as I now use a stool, or drummers throne called "Rock & Sock", and I have learned my SCALES which is a "MUST" to playing correctly, no matter how basic the media, get it and use it thouroughly and when you are done sell it here on Amazon.
I NEEDED these CD's, and DVD's as I never thought I needed them though I have played professionally in groups for years, now I teach, and rebuild, and understand music as I never had before, as I also bought the "Chords book" by James Major and "FUN w/ the Mandolin" by Mel Bay..the more you learn, the better you will be, as I play in front of anyone at anytime, and have sing-alongs, as we sing "CITY of New Orleans"..I play BASS, 6-Strings, 12-strings, Mandolins, Octave or the Bass Mandolin, but, now I play "Rock" "Metal" "R&B" on the Mandolin along with Blues, and have a wide range of amplifiers that give me the sounds that I want.

The best thing was when I decided to sell them, as I put the CD or DVD into my player, I couldn't help but strap on my Fender FM-SE61 "Mando" into my new-"Fender Princeton 65 DSP", which never got beyond 1-1/2 on the Vol.dial.

The necessity of these books is more than not...understated, as one must learn, the relationships of the strings, the notes, the scales and where they are on each string, then your chords, then try singing a fav. tune, and then your hands stop working as you cannot concentrate on singing and playing at the same time, but, as I said, do NOT ever, ever give up or throw your hands up in defeat, the best is coming!
START NOW with these valueable books from MEL Bay, John Baxter, James Major, CVLS, Watch & Learn..keep'em comin'~!~!~!!
Richard "STRINGS" Lauzon
"fourstrings"