Mandolin Tuning with Mike Marshall

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Mike Marshall (bit.ly/mandomike) shows you how to tune a mandolin. More free mandolin lessons at the link: bit.ly/mandomike

[@d-is4dangina371]

This was by far the most helpful on tuning so far. Watched about 8 videos already ... Thx man!

[@johnjriggsarchery2457]

I just watched to gaze upon that mandolin. Is that a fricken Loyd Loar signed F5? Forget the tuning, I want to see the back and hear you talk a bit about it.

[@xpymando]

Great info. mate. Thanks for your time. just retired and using mandolin to keep me out of going to pub every day.

[@mandolinic]

+chris pearson "just retired and using mandolin to keep me out of going to pub every day." I'm doing the exact opposite! Using the mandolin so I can go to the pub and play!

[@darrendix5163]

Was just about to say..... it'll drive you crazy to not share your music. Make a mission to play at the pub WITHOUT drinking, or keep yourself to one or 2. If you can handle playing while drinking, the way to do it is to start playing with a drink without drinking it. Play a tune or 2, and then sip on it in between. It'll keep you honest. Getting too drunk to play sucks, but if you can keep it in check, it can loosen you you up just right. If you get warmed up WITH the drink(s), you might be able to keep that going all night like the Irish!

[@robertemberton8190]

In the old days I used to tune with a piano.

[@donaldmusic6274]

Great video. Having graphite powder(no. 2 pencil lead) in the nut slots helps to keep the strings sliding through the nut slots MUCH better,greatly helping with tuning stability

[@musicbydavidyoungs]

"Never perfect but we do the best we can". Pretty good motto all round really. Check out Mike's playing on the 'Short Trip Home' recording with Joshua Bell from 1999. Still astounding 20 years on.

[@nytrayfl2]

Ugh, glad I went with ukulele. Respect to all you mandolin players out there. ✌️

[@caitlynjohnson3526]

Oh hey, I just wanted to say that you probably start with A first because that's how you should start tuning a violin. The bridge on a violin is more susceptible to the changing tensions of the strings, so starting with the middle strings is always best (if you start with G, then by the time you reach A G will be out of tune again). Since they're similar instruments, I bet that's why you have that habit - most people just say to tune them the "same way". Mandolins are far hardier with flat bridges, though. So I doubt it matters what string you start with.

[@robertshorthill6836]

Make sure you have the best quality tuner sets you can afford. Some are priced to require a second mortgage on your house, but they aren't really better than some at one tenth the price. Just make sure they move smoothly without binding. They are designened to never allow a string to slip.

[@grampzstillkickin7252]

Excellent tutorial! Thank you Thank you

[@ArtistWorksInc]

we're doing a live Google Hangout with Mike Marshall and Mandolin Cafe on Tuesday Oct. 14 5:00 PM PDT. Check our blog for details!

[@jamesthacker1605]

Much love and immense thanks..

[@jamiej14544]

I tune my mandolin every time I play it. Since the mandolin runs an octave higher than a guitar, along with paired strings, like a 12 string guitar, when it's out of tune, you know it! When it's in tune, it sounds wonderful. Loosing the strings to half tension allows you to adjust the bridge position, for intonation. If the string are at full tension, you won't be able to move the bridge, if you need to.

[@billmacaulay]

I can never get the G string to sound as good as the other 3. Especially when fingered at 5 or 6. Regardless of quality of instrument . Any tips .

[@CAJUNAFOL]

This was very helpful thanks!

[@jimkontos2595]

While turning the mandolin do you move the tuning pegs same direction or opposite direction

[@EzyoMusic]

Great video! However, the last tuning method is inaccurate since the 7th fret harmonic involves a fifth and fifths aren't pure in equal temperament tuning. In other words, if you make the beating go away, the string will be slightly out of tune.

[@TonyPhillips24]

Excellent point, but one might reach the opposite conclusion. Stringed instruments like mandolins and fiddles sound best tuned with just intonation, not equal temperament, so you do have pure fifths. Equal temperament tuning makes the instrument sound slightly out of tune (from this perspective), which is why electronic tuners get close but not quite in tune.

[@paulclarke9693]

True, but one can learn to keep the 7th fret harmonic on the E in equal temperament by tuning in up until it beats once per second with the twelfth fret harmonic on the A. This gets one into professional piano tuning territory.

[@raquelful]

Is there alternate tunings ? Can anyone tell me what the tuning for sympathy by goo goo dolls is I'm dying to do a cover it

[@jyotirmoykataki2131]

How to correct buzzing in a mandolin?

[@LukeDayInTheUK]

Always tune up to the note. That's why they call it tuning up!

[@boundless-vintage-music]

Are the frequencies of G, D, A and E string 196 Hz, 294 Hz, 440 Hz and 659 Hz respectively?

[@paulclarke9693]

The only whole number pitches based on equally tempered A440 are the As; all others half a decimal fraction part. See pages.mtu.edu/~suits/notefreqs.html. Actually the lowest A on the piano also has a decimal fraction, 27.5 Hz.

[@paulclarke9693]

"have," not half

[@BonafideToolJunkie]

I once heard Eddie Van Halen puts a dab of oil on the guitar nut so that string tension will release. Haven't tried it yet.

[@curtjunky]

A little graphite from a pencil does a great job, not as messy as oil. Just “write” with your pencil in each nut slot.

[@sharonhagemann9563]

Excellent tutorial! (However, if you think it's time consuming to tune a mandolin, try tuning a UKELIN! :) )

[@poisonjoe1812]

I have my mandolin tunes like a uke, it's a lot of fun

[@MainChannelTX]

Thanks. Now maybe the "a"s on my Gibson A9 will stay in tune a bit longer!

[@the.j.b.5782]

What mandolin is that. I can tell it's a loar but other than that does anyone know the model?

[@YardPimp]

Actually its a Gibson, back then they were called "The Gibson". I don't know the model but I believe from around 1910 to 1920. Watch when he brings the head stock close to the camera I believe around 9:04 you can see the wording maybe even as early as 6:30.

[@shoozymusic]

Damn that mandolin is beat to hell.

[@JasonUmbrellabird]

Is that his Loar 1924?

[@JasonUmbrellabird]

Have a guess at it's value?

[@shoozymusic]

rugshort Well if it was made when loar was still working with Gibson and that it's a 1924 Gibson I'd say maybe 20,000

[@JasonUmbrellabird]

Not even close

[@shoozymusic]

rugshort Dear god. That mandolin better be caressed by the fingers of Jesus and then yelled at by the dragonborn.

[@barbarasalisbury4023]

Mike Marshalll you basically do all mando tuning and into that I do,but I like alto a fourth below standard,or D A E B,while my10 string " Cinco Quatro " I tune D A E B F#,with the longer scale@ Barbara Salisbury 192vids @ KZbin.com Acoustic Tributes and more!Your Friend,Chris Young PS a mid 19th C German Mandolinero,12 string,must have been alto,minstrel,or lowered a fourth or 3rd by design,an 1880 banjo college book used E B E G# B or a third below modern banjo in range.

[@boco1951]

I can tune a mandolin,but I can’t tuna fish….

[@stephenfigueira2269]

what's the song during the opening?

[@soofitnsexy]

krazy bus

[@paulclarke9693]

Angeline the Baker

[@paulclarke9693]

also at the end

[@martinleicht5911]

You can tune a mandolin but you can't tune a fish!! 😋