Mandolin Learning Update

Here’s an update on my mandolin learning progress.

As a few of you will remember I began mandolin last June after I bought a Washburn M1SDL Mandolin.

Well, I definitely have made some progress, both in playing chords as well picking, but I’m not going fast mainly because I have little time to practice.

What does help me, however, is that my daughter is learning fiddle, and it turns out the fingering is identical between the two instruments, as they are keyed the same … four strings, EADG.

This means if she figures out a song, then I can learn it, and vice-versa.

My first “public” playing was on January 25th at a friends’ Robert Burn’s Night celebration, and it went well. Although we only played one song, we turned it into a fun “dueling mandolin and fiddle”.

My kids band, Wren Song will possibly be performing at the St. Louis Tartan Day in April, and so if I plan on helping on any songs I better get up to speed!

Anyway, the Washburn Mandolin is excellent. It has nice tone, holds its tuning well, and is fairly loud for a mandolin.

I was at first concerned about the narrowness of the neck, but have since learned it is an advantage, as I can hold down two strings (okay, really four), at once with a single finger, something that would be harder if I had bought one with a wider neck.