Mandola vs mandolin

[@jeremytrieloff]

Came here to find out about differences in tuning and playing patterns between the mandolin and mandola and this totally answered all of my questions. I also really enjoyed Bryan's casual playing that actually sounds pretty brilliant as usual.

[@chiron14pl]

I agree that an advantage of the mandola is playing pieces 1/5 lower with same fingering as a mandolin. As a recorder player we often play same tune on an F recorder (alto) that is played on a C (soprano) in same fingerings. But playing a tune in the same key as the mandolin requires transposing it. Either way, it's fun

[@emmanuelleleroux500]

Thanks for the informations !

[@merlesking]

Great job of explaining the difference. Answered a lot of my questions. Thanks!

[@DanDDirges]

I greatly prefer the sound of the Mandola. Nice playing

[@Keefter78]

same

[@TheHCTroubador]

Really great breakdown. Thanks!

[@ised-5239]

If you can play mandola then you will also be able to play tenor banjo and tenor guitar and also mandocello (octave mandola).

[@pastyman001]

Tenor Mandola or an octave down, the Mandocello can be tuned better for typical folk music from bass end as: D-A-E-B or a tone down from the usual C-G-D-A, so long as heavy strings are in place. This encourages you to play lowest 3 pairs which are the same notes and top 3 on a Mandolin/Violin and for Mandocello gets you into really low baritone territory where you can play less notes and let them ring.

[@timetraveller1702]

Thanks, answered exactly all I needed

[@Bryankimsey]

I'm amazed at how much traffic this video has gotten! I just did it real quick for fun and it's one of my most popular videos. I should've waited until I knew what I was talking about 😃

[@guitartech]

Thanks, Bryan-great video! I just bought a tenor guitar. Standard tuning for the tenor is CGDA, just like the mandola. I really appreciate your thoughts on playing mandola vs mandolin.

[@ised-5239]

guitartech Tenor guitar, tenor banjo, and mandola

[@alexlacendre]

Best video towards this theme !

[@Bryankimsey]

Thanks! There's a lot of videos out there on this. I had NO idea this one was gonna be so popular.

[@ised-5239]

Maybe the mandola came first whereas the term mandolin came from Italian, mandolino, derived from mandola, which means "little mandola-like instrument".

[@ised-5239]

Azrael Metalsmithing And the mando-bass and soprano/piccolo mandolins are less common instruments.

[@ised-5239]

Azrael Metalsmithing So the mandola is the original root instrument that came first.

[@michaelloria5058]

You are excellent - thanks!

[@kaystewart6009]

Thanks

[@mariusdibrixia6536]

NICE 💎🎶

[@jacksprat9052]

Keep teaching. That's how it's passed on.

[@davestambaugh7282]

It is not so much the differences but what is the same in that there is a reason that saddle bridge instruments are bowed and tie bridge instruments are plucked. It seemed like a great idea at the time however I would much rather play an instrument with an average string tension of ten pounds rather than one with an average string tension of twenty five pounds especially if this is supposed to be fun.

[@subtlehills3844]

Cool video and nice playing. I'm a casual mandolin player and have heard of the mandola, but never seen one or knew what it even is

[@Bryankimsey]

Mandola's easy to play if you play it like a big mandolin but if you try to play fiddle tunes in the correct key.... whew!!!! It messes with your brain!!! Takes a LOT of practice to get instinctive with it if you also play mandolin. At least for me. :)

[@subtlehills3844]

I think I may kinda know what you mean. I'm a guitar player, so whenever I play mandolin I try to relate it to the guitar and make sense of it, but it just doesn't ever click lol. So, I usually only play it on special occasions or if I'm recording and just draw the chords on paper. I looked up your video though cause a guy I'm doing music with online posted some mandola audio and I didn't know what it was lol

[@WysteriaGuitar]

Speaking of Eastman, which mandolin model would you recommend? I was leaning toward an md815v as I heard the varnish and adi top was a good combo...

[@Bryankimsey]

No idea. I only see what comes through the shop. You'll have to ask someone else.

[@WysteriaGuitar]

@@Bryankimsey Fair enough. Thanks

[@googleuser9888]

Hi Bryan, thanks for doing this comparison. I wanted to know all of this stuff but had no-one to ask! Just one thing I'm still wondering, would it be possible to use a capo on the mandola's fifth fret so it could be played as a mandolin, as and when needed? I don't want to buy two instruments but the mandola appeals as I already play the viola. Many thanks again!

[@Bryankimsey]

Sure, you could do that. The tone won't be the same, but if that's what you have to do, then that's what you have to do!

[@aaronprewitt9641]

What was that first time you played on the mandola?

[@VikoTheBassist]

Does the mandola also read alto clef like the viola?

[@jlunch]

sure. It's exactly the same notes as the viola and alto clef just keeps things nice and tidy without all the extra ledger lines below the staff. For passages in higher registers, it'd make sense to switch to trelbe clef for exactly the same reason. You can grab your Book of Bach suites and go to town with your mandola.

[@davestambaugh7282]

On a mandola you will have a hard time getting the tension on the C string high enough to have acceptable intonation with out double winding. There are vast differences in the design parameters between a string for a bowed instrument and a plucked instrument. Stratavarius made one mandolin in his career however I could not help but notice that he used a bridge that is glued to the sound board instead of the tail piece and saddle bridge of a bowed instrument. This stuff is reliant on the physical sciences. You can not fool mother nature and I think Orvil tried to second guess Stratavarius.

[@samkemp1]

Dave Stambaugh h6

[@woodswalker88]

I have a mandola...the action is painfully tight. I think it is a gold tone. I thought the action would be easier than a mandolin because less tension. Maybe I need to get a better quality instrument?

[@Bryankimsey]

First thing to check is the nut height. Fret between the 2nd and 3rd frets and each string should BARELY clear the 1st fret. If not, your nut slots need to be adjusted. Then, make sure there is little to no neck relief- fret at the 1st fret and 12th fret and look at clearance over the 6th. There should be almost none and I mean almost NONE. Finally, adjust your bridge to bring the strings down. That's about all there is to it- any instrument can be made to play well. Find my website and shoot me an e-mail if you need more help.

[@vickiswain7653]

I have a mandola and I have it tuned the same as my mandolin, so it's really happy and so am I.....much less tension

[@mellecaster]

Good one Bryan....Concise...Informative...Now I want a Damn Eastman after just selling My Trinity College :)

[@SoulSecureOfficial]

Eastman's are great!

[@amandahugenkisch1486]

One is a stringed musical instrument. The other is the former President of South Africa.

[@Bryankimsey]

One is spelled Mandela. The other is spelled mandola.

[@santamanone]

The ones I saw online run around $1700.

[@Bryankimsey]

I bought this one used.

[@BarryHawk]

Good, tfp

[@kentstrabala6376]

Great playing, but some bad string buzz on those mandola bass strings.

[@Bryankimsey]

Oh, well. :) After this video, I raised the action and switched string gauges. It's tricky finding a good balance between playability and buzzing on a mandola's low strings. Esp when don't really play it that much.

[@ised-5239]

Mandola is the tenor member of the mandolin family instruments whereas mandolins are the alto ones.

[@ised-5239]

And the soprano ones is the piccolo mandolin/mandola produced by weber tuned one octave above the regular mandola.

[@HMDickson]

LOL! Don't worry, there is a cure :) You just take the two "C" strings off and throw them away. Then shift the other 6 strings over and add two 10 guage plain steel guitar strings to the bottom and you have a very loud very present mandolin :) Banjo players will not like you so much and you may drown them out HEHEHE!

[@davidbulger3716]

HM Dickson for real? Will the high e be too much tension? Will the action be too high?