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The World Wide Web is a very big place with thousands of web sites to sift through on every imaginable subject known to man. In regards to the mandolin, there are many great sites, and many that don't say anything worth reading. While ultimately the choice to read what is given to you is up to you, I have compiled some link-ridden information from my searches. This is by no means everything there is to read on the subject and I encourage you to search for yourself and see what you can dig up. If there is anything you think should be included in this resource section, feel free to contact me.
Learning New Songs If you are looking for some tunes to learn, I encourage you to check out the Mandozine Tab Archive. There are literally thousands of tabs that can be searched for and downloaded. Reading the tabs requires TablEdit (available for both Mac and PC). The TablEdit Software allows you to listen to song being played and to read the music in both tablature and standard notation formats.
Tab vs. Standard Notation As a bit of a side note, I would highly recommend that you not get to be solely reliant on tablature. I myself learned to play the mandolin by reading the tablature I found on sites like Mandozine and the Mandolin Cafe. While tablature is a great way to easily visualize the connection between your fingers and your fretboard, there are some downsides. The main downside is the fact that tablature is instrument specific. The sheet you read your mandolin tabs off of cannot be read and understood by a flautist. However, if both you and the flautist can read standard notation, you both can share the same music, as well as anyone else on any other instrument. Even worse, once one gets used to tablature, it is extremely difficult for them to subsequently learn to read standard notation. There are books out there dedicated to helping those addicted to tablature (Standard Notation for the Tab-Addicted Mandolinist). Do yourself a favor and get comfortable with Standard Notation, it's here to stay.
JazzMando.com Do you feel like the mandolin is a hillbilly instrument that only toothless geezers play on their front porch? Or perhaps do you yearn for something new and exciting to pop up in the realm of modern mandolin technique and style? Or is it a combination of the two? Well, my friends, look no further than JazzMando. This site is bursting at the seems with great information for the budding mandolinist. While it caters towards those beyond the basics of mandolin technique, there's no harm in checking it out and maybe even learning something (I learn something every time I visit). A few of my favorite aspects of JazzMando are the Tips & Tricks and the FFcP Exercises.
The Mandolin Cafe The Mandolin Cafe, alongside JazzMando, is one of the greatest mandolin web sites in existence. From its simply incredible Message Boards to its high class Classifieds Section, you really cant lose by visiting this site. Whether you want information on buying a sub $100 mandolin or a $20,000 mandolin, or how to build your own mandolin, the Message Boards are teaming with knowledgeable (and extremely friendly) experts waiting to assist you. This site is a prime stop on the mandolin tour of the web.
*Note: I am not compensated by the companies I refer to, I merely respect these companies and wish them well in business. The only advertisements you see are along the sides and top of the website.* |
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