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July 30, 2008 | Texas Stars
The stars at night, are big and bright. (clap, clap, clap, CLAP!) Deep in the heart of Texas. So are the stars at the August 7-9 Dallas Acoustic Music Camp, and it's barely a week away. He's both big AND bright, too, mandolin clinician Paul Glasse, who will be strutting his Bebop chops, and undoubtedly imparting some of his timeless wisdom, acquired through the personal mentoring of swing greats Jethro Burns, Tiny Moore, and Johnny Gimble. Want a piece of that history in your own playing? Get signed up now. The camp is a short 30 minute drive from Dallas/Ft. Worth Airport.
Camp coordinator Gerald Jones tells us there's still room to squeeze a few participants in, so don't procrastinate! Get signed up:
More information: Registration.
Website: Acoustic Music Camp
We're going!
Posted by Ted at 01:55 PM
July 28, 2008 | Addicted to TAB
For those of us who grew up with a traditional notation education (school band, private violin or piano lessons) the notion of TAB was a bit foreign. If you did this in the 60s and 70s, 'TAB' was a diet soft drink, not a method of translating and expressing music through bars and dots of ink.
Without a doubt, if you're goal is to unearth the last four centuries of Western music, a working knowledge of standard notation is critical. If basic rock, folk, and blues is your cup of tea, you could probably survive reading Tablature, but it's inarguably limiting in expressing the nuances of time and rhythm. There's also the case that most of the rest of the music world uses standard notation; across the globe the system of lines, notes, and key signatures crosses language barriers never crossed by words.
If you are just now aspiring to break away from the limitations of TAB, we'd suggest Debra Chen's "Standard Notation for the Tab-Addicted Mandolinist," published by String Thing Music. Adults tackling this skill for the first time will appreciate her strategies in deciphering the landmarks and uncovering the vast treasures in traditional literature.
Read review: Standard Notation for the Tab-Addicted Mandolinist
Posted by Ted at 05:54 AM
July 26, 2008 | The Mandolin Player
An adult learns the mandolin, an inspiring article on the Reader's Digest Website; from the August 2008 issue, journalist David Hochman elaborates on his personal journey (after 30 years of shunning any public musical expression) as he uncovers the pleasure of learning the mandolin. This is great affirmation for those of us who picked up the mandolin (or any other instrument) late in life.
"Even more remarkable was how grounding it was to play. Somehow the usual anxieties of life -- money, status, the possibility of a meteorite landing on my head -- didn't matter when every atom of my humanity was focused on mastering the four-fingered D chord. Experts in positive psychology call it flow, the rosy feeling of losing oneself in a challenging activity. One night, while working out the melody of "Over the Rainbow," I was startled to see I'd been picking and grinning nonstop for four hours."
Read entire article: The Mandolin Player
"You are the music while the music lasts,"
T. S. Eliot
Posted by Ted at 05:59 AM
July 23, 2008 | Fiddler's Dream
We really enjoy feedback from you, and when its positive, all the more. We just have to share this with you; if you're new here, this may be encouragement. If you're a veteran on the site, you'll know where he's coming from:
Hi Ted, "I just wanted to personally thank you for your amazing website. I can't tell you how many hours I've spent on it already. I am a violinist with guitar envy so I've been studying and transcribing solos of Wes Montgomery and Grant Green for years but the violin has it's limitations and the guitar is a bit intimidating for me so I recently picked up a Mando to add into some long sets that my band plays.
I stumbled upon your site and found that your approach is directly transferable to the violin as well. I feel like I'm killing two birds with one stone, specifically regarding the FFCP. I've approached the violin this way for years out of necessity. It's much easier to approach technical passages in classical music as a succession of tetrachords as opposed to playing a sequence of individual notes if that makes sense. I began thinking this way after years of studying the method of Sevcik, specifically his trill studies and shifting the position books.
Anyways, I thought you'd perhaps find it interesting that contemporary jazz mandolin technique is supported by Czech classical violin pedegogy over 100 years old. If you every see one of his books in a sheet music store then I highly recommend flipping through them. You can adapt his patterns to Lydian and altered scales as well since he was thinking only in diatonic.
Thanks again and I look forward to supporting your site!
Best Regards,
Devin
Thanks for the kind words, Devin.
Let us share your success story someday, too!
Contact us.
Posted by Ted at 10:16 PM
July 21, 2008 | Gibson Fanned-Fret Five String Jazz Mandolin
We got to meet Professor Ed Christian in person last spring during a personal tour of the JazzMando Research facilities while in town for a visit to his daughter's campus in Lincoln, Nebraska. Our common bond of the love of 8-strings has kept us in touch with each other since, and recently we've enjoyed the privilege of evaluating his 5-string project, a Gibson M-6 Mandolin/Guitar resurrected into a novel but respectable Fanned-Fret Five String Jazz Mandolin.
Read more about our hands-on encounter with this intriguing project:
Gibson Five-string
Posted by Ted at 05:32 AM
July 19, 2008 | Clark JM Shirts Shipping
The new commemorative Clark JM shirts are now in stock; all the preorders have been shipped and it's time for you to get yours! Still plenty of festival fun left this summer, and nothing says "I love a good Cherry Cola-burst Two-point" better than strutting one of these!
With a little bit of sadness, we shut down orders for the "Dogs Playing Mandolin Shirt," stock reduced to only one (medium, if you want it). Celebrate the magnificent artistry of builder Austin Clark with us again and help support the many resources of this website with a purchase of this great shirt:
Order information
Posted by Ted at 05:48 AM
July 17, 2008 | Gypsy's Flattops
What is it that's so alluring about the primal simplicity of a flat top mandolin? We've enjoyed the custom Gyspy's Music Octave Mandolin acquired earlier this year, but Arizona-based builder Walt Kuhlman also makes a variety of stringed beauties that run the gamut, mandolin, mandola, 10-string, each individually made with care and love for wood and player. His most recent ergonomic deviation: a lovely cutaway version.
Cart these to a festival, sling on an intercontinental flight, or just play in the quiet privacy of your own front porch, the flattop appeals to Celtic, Classical, and all varieties of Cerebral Folk stylings. So versatile, so adaptable to the individual personality of the player, they seem to put the attention on the music rather than the instrument itself, like a woman's stock "little black dress" waiting for the complementing pearl necklace or diamond jewelry. Sure, they have their own subtle visible beauty, but it's the sound, the focus on the expression of the soul that makes a flattop the perfect companion.
You certainly can go as deep as you want with the cosmetics with a custom order. Some of the woods Walt used at a recent exhibit we witnessed were dazzling in their own right. From the familiar, Maple, Mahogany, Ebony, to the more exotic American Black Walnut and Purpleheart, these instruments begged to be played.
Ah... so many mandolins. So little time.
Contact builder: Gypsy's Music
Posted by Ted at 07:05 AM
July 15, 2008 | Hamilton de Holanda on Globo Video
From Globo Video, an amazing 22-minute online interview (Chico Pinheiro) with world premier bandolimist Hamilton de Holanda, including exceptional footage captured of intimate trio performances with longtime bandmates, guitarist Daniel Santiago and Andre Vasconcellos. Up close and personal, even though all the dialogue is in Portugese, the playing along is enthralling, the master musicians breaking into seemingly spontaneous interperations of tradtional Brazilian classics and Hamilton's own spectacular original compositions.
About six minutes into the video, a surprise--vintage documentation of a very young but poised Hamilton, complete with eternally infectious boyish smile.
Enjoy video: O som de Hamilton de Holanda, um dos maiores instrumentistas do Brasil
Posted by Ted at 05:51 AM
July 13, 2008 | Webtracks Exclusive
Okay, the waiting has been hard for us too, but last check on the highly anticpated "Getting Into Jazz Mandolin" book, we were told in June the project was in the prestigious Mel Bay "Next 50" batch. This is typically a 60 day wait, and since it's been a month, we're hoping to see ink, paper and CD in late September. Meantime, to tantalize you even further, here is an exclusive peek at some of the audio on the accompaniment CD.
These audio files will be invaluable in enhancing your practice time as these concepts are unraveled throughout the book. In addition to the CD itself, we intend to offer a perpetually growing library of MP3 sound files right here, contributed by other professionals, and later, from those of you who learn something from the experience. This page will be huge!
Introducing: Getting Into Jazz Mandolin Webtracks
Bookmark this in your web Favorites!
Posted by Ted at 08:33 AM
July 11, 2008 | Acoustic Music Camp; Road Trip
Looking at the calendar, coming up August 7-9 in Dallas, Tx, the Acoustic Music Camp. With mandolin clinician and jazz buddy, Paul Glasse frontline, two words came to mind.
"Road trip."
We're going, and if you've got the weekend free, you should, too. Paul knocked 'em dead last month at the Mandolin Symposium. He says a heavy Bluegrass camp tradition at the AMC can be swayed to a jazz/swing focus if enough interest, so if you're in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, or like us, don't mind a 17 mile drive from the DFW airport for a fly-in, get registered today. Camp administrator, Gerald Jones says things are filling up, but if you hurry, there's still room.
Besides Bebop jazz mandolin master Paul Glasse, catch Gerald Jones, and Nate Lee in Dallas (Arlington) Texas, August 7-9 Acoustic Music Camp, in this three-day workshop for acoustic musicians on how to play Mandolin, along with Bluegrass & Clawhammer Banjo, Flatpick Guitar, Django Guitar, Country Blues Guitar, Bass, Fiddle, Songwriting, Harmony Vocals & Dobro. Small classes for hands-on experience with some of the industry's best teachers for learning Bluegrass, Texas Fiddle, Swing, Country Blues, Django and more. All skill levels welcome...
This would be a great chance to hook up with you and other JazzMando enthusiasts.
Sign up information at the website: Registration.
Website: Acoustic Music Camp
Posted by Ted at 06:08 AM
July 09, 2008 | FFcP in Tabledit!
If you're reading this website, you're probably already interested in ways of expanding your chromatic vocabulary. Even if jazz isn't your thing, the broad new horizons from studying our FFcP system can give you a fresh approach both physically and intellectually in ways to get around the fretboard in Classical, Broadway, and/or Cerebral Pop music. This closed fingering system can be a fantastic tool to not abandoning open strings, but expanding on them, and enjoy a comfort and familiarity with keys you never dreamed possible.
We'd like to thank reader David Lloyd for giving us a bridge to uncovering the TAB and traditional notation we use, a Tabledit version of the basic four FFcP exercises. If you're a fan of using a TEF reader, he just made your day.
Download Tabledit Files:
1st FFcP A
2nd FFcP B
3rd FFcP C
4th FFcP D
Thanks Dave!
More on FFcP
Posted by Ted at 06:10 AM
July 07, 2008 | McClung Armrest
We've been hearing more and more about these as an accessory;, there's a growing contingency of mandolinists who are using armrests on their instruments. It makes a lot of sense, the finish protection from sweaty forearm, the reduced dampening from concentrating physical pressure to the relatively dead area of the body, and for some players, an ergonomic security in playing posture.
Our north Texas friend Doug Edwards has been pioneering a new design, the McClung Armrest (patent pending). We first used Doug's willing wood-craftsmanship in the design of our Draleon Royale Pickguard. His unique concept in armrest design, these are angled, much like the angle of the strings from the tailpiece to the bridge. The result is better hand position, control, and comfort. He uses a variety of woods, dyes, and shapes/sizes so most are unique in appearance, but all have the same function. He can make them in Right or Left Handed, in a myriad of woods and with custom inlay.
Doug is great to work with and comes highly recommended by the JazzMando research crew.
Website: Hill Country Stringworks
JazzMando personal instruments
Posted by Ted at 05:28 AM
July 05, 2008 | Read it: Tetrachords
We thank guest writer Mark Wilson of Onboard Research for this week's "Tips and Tricks" entry, excellent further fretboard theory vivisection entitled "A Tetrachordal Approach to the Major Scale Modes." We all know about the benefits of modes and scales in developing facility and improvisational skills; Mark takes us all a step deeper in unraveling the inherent simplicity of four-note patterns (Hmm... where have we heard that before?), dividing scales into two-part patterns, or Tetrachords. This could open a whole new dimension for you in comprehending scale theory.
Read article: A Tetrachordal Approach to the Major Scale Modes
Are you using the RSS feature of JazzMando to capture these weekly articles? If you have an RSS reader or are addicted to Microsoft Outlook, you can use these for your RSS feed:
Tips & Tricks (weekly): http://jazzmando.com/tips/index.rdf
News (2-3 days): http://jazzmando.com/new/index.rdf
Posted by Ted at 06:39 AM
July 03, 2008 | Gypsy's Music Cutaway Mandolin
Gypsy's Music has introduced a new ergonomic cutaway model mandolin worthy of attention. Known for their entire line of efficient design mandolins, mandolas, and octaves, these American-made instruments with their own subtle beauty have achieved mass popularity in their brief two years of production. This most recent entry captured our eye, and we asked company founder and chief designer, Walt Kuhlman for more insight:
"I have been thinking about this body style for sometime now. Several things played into the design, one I wanted to maintain as much body volume as possible yet have easy access to the higher registers. I felt that moving to the 14th fret at the body would be number one, as I studied other designs I also wanted to keep in line with a 'Gypsy' look and will perhaps use a 'D' or oval sound hole in the future. I felt by moving the bridge forward I could pull more bass, with this I also created a high induced arch, hence I can string the instrument with much heavier gauges, (presently 38/11's, I feel that it would easily handle 40's as well). The volume and projection is very good and the balance between the bass and treble is strong as well. The action is low and the response is very fast."
Walt
 
For more information: Gypsy's Music Website
Read past Builder Review: Gypsy's Music Octave Mandolin
Posted by Ted at 08:09 AM
July 01, 2008 | Audiogram3 computer audio interface
More Summer NAMM highlights at the Yamaha booth: the AUDIOGRAM3 which delivers a compact audio interface, complete with both a mono and stereo input channel. Providing maximum flexibility for recording from almost any audio source, the mono input channel features a combo-type connector that can be set for microphone or line level input, while the stereo channel has both phone and RCA connectors. Being USB bus-powered, no external power supply is necessary--making it a convenient solution for mobile applications.
Yamaha Audiogram 3 (and 6). Computer-based audio recording continues to evolve. The competitive $99 street price point established in other manufacturers' desk top audio interface have limited players to record tracks over existing stereo audio. For another $20 ($119 street), the 3rd line allows a player to record along with a stereo MP3 mix, stereo keyboard, or two other players. The Audiogram 6 gives 3 more channels. This is the next step in affordable home/hobby recording.
Website information and specs: Yamaha Audiogram
Posted by Ted at 05:22 AM
Disclaimer: In the 'Information Age' of the 21st Century,
any fool with a computer, a modem, and an idea can
become a self-professed 'expert." This site does not
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