Mandolin New England Rehearsal

Greetings, music enthusiasts!

I'm thrilled to announce a special gathering for members of Mandolin New England this upcoming Sunday, May 12th. We'll start at 10:30 AM, diving into the elegant complexities of Mozart and tackling the dynamic Bach Double Concerto for Two Mandolins and Orchestra.

This session is a fantastic opportunity for players to engage in sight-reading, enhance their ensemble skills, and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow mandolin aficionados. Whether you're a seasoned player or looking to stretch your musical muscles, this event promises to be a fulfilling and enriching experience.

For those interested in joining us and needing the sheet music, please visit my blog at Sweet Music. I will provide a link there to download the necessary materials.

We're excited to see many of you next Sunday to share in the joy of music and mastery. Bring your mandolins, your passion, and your readiness to delve into some of the finest compositions ever written for the instrument.

Looking forward to a melodious gathering!

How the Fretted Instrument Workshop in Amherst, MA Set Me on the Path to Music Education

In 1985, I was given an opportunity that would change the course of my life forever. I was asked to teach mandolin and later fiddle at the Fretted Instrument Workshop, a store on the 2nd floor above Hastings in the center of Amherst, MA that catered to acoustic stringed instruments such as the guitar, mandolin, and fiddle.

At first, I was hesitant. I had never taught music before, and the thought of standing in front of a classroom of students was daunting. But something inside me urged me to take the chance, and I'm so grateful that I did.

Teaching at the Fretted Instrument Workshop was a transformative experience for me. It gave me the opportunity to share my love of music with others and to connect with a community of musicians who shared that passion. I was able to hone my teaching skills, learn new techniques, and develop my own unique style.

The store itself was a wonderful place to teach. It had a warm and inviting atmosphere that made everyone feel welcome. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable, and the students were enthusiastic and eager to learn. It was a supportive environment that gave me the confidence to offer my teaching skills to students in other communities.

The Fretted Instrument Workshop was more than just a store. It was a hub for musicians and music lovers alike. It was a place where people could come together and share their love of music, learn from each other, and grow as musicians.

Looking back, I realize that teaching at the Fretted Instrument Workshop was the starting point for my music education journey. It gave me the skills and confidence to pursue my passion for teaching and to help others discover the joy of music.

Today, as a music educator, I continue to draw on the lessons I learned at the Fretted Instrument Workshop. I strive to create a supportive and encouraging environment for my students, one that fosters creativity and self-expression. I encourage them to take risks, to try new things, and to always believe in themselves.

If you're someone who is passionate about music and interested in teaching, I urge you to take that first step. Find a community of musicians who share your passion, and immerse yourself in that world. You never know where it might lead you.

The Fretted Instrument Workshop in Amherst, MA was my starting point, but there are many other communities and resources out there that can help you on your journey. Don't be afraid to take a chance and see where it takes you.   🎵🎸🎶

Mandolin Magic: Unlocking the Surprising Benefits of Playing this Tiny Instrument

 

Learning to play a musical instrument is an excellent way to improve one’s cognitive abilities, reduce stress, improve memory, and enhance creative thinking. The mandolin, a small stringed instrument that’s becoming popular among musicians around the world, is no exception. Adults who learn to play the mandolin can enjoy many physical, emotional, and mental benefits that come with this hobby. Here are a few reasons why it’s worth adding the mandolin to your repertoire:

Firstly, playing the mandolin can have a positive impact on brain function. According to a study published in the Journal of Neuroscience, playing music can enhance the brain’s white matter and strengthen the connections between neurons. This means that learning to play the mandolin can improve memory, focus, and overall cognitive skills.

Secondly, playing the mandolin can improve hand-eye coordination and finger dexterity. With its small size and delicate strings, playing the mandolin requires precise movements, and it can help build finger strength and agility.

Thirdly, mandolin playing can offer a great way to relieve stress. Music is known for its calming effect, and playing mandolin can be a therapeutic way to relax and reduce anxiety.

Finally, playing the mandolin is a fun and rewarding experience. It can be played solo or with others, making it a great hobby for socializing and connecting with others who share similar interests.

For those interested in learning to play the mandolin, there are numerous resources and courses available both in-person and online. Many websites provide free tutorials, sheet music, and step-by-step instructions to help players master the mandolin.

In conclusion, learning to play the mandolin can be an excellent way for adults to improve their cognitive skills and physical dexterity while reducing stress and having fun. It’s worth considering as a new hobby, and with the number of resources available, anyone can learn to play this enjoyable instrument.

#mandolin #music #hobby #mentalhealth #brainfunction #stressrelief #coordination #fun #creativity #cognitiveskills #memory #fingerdexterity

Why should you learn to play the mandolin? What are typical mandolin lessons like? What music do people commonly play on the mandolin?

There are many reasons to learn to play the mandolin. Some people are drawn to the instrument because of its unique, bright sound and the wide range of musical styles that can be played on it. Others are attracted to the mandolin because it is an integral part of many traditional music cultures around the world, including bluegrass, folk, and many more.

How to play the Modes on the mandolin

Mandolin lessons are typically private or group sessions in which a mandolin player teaches students how to play the instrument. These lessons may cover topics such as proper posture, holding the pick, and playing techniques. Mandolin lessons may also include instruction on music theory, sight reading, and ear training.

People commonly play a wide range of musical styles on the mandolin, including bluegrass, folk, classical, and many more. The mandolin is often featured in traditional music genres such as Irish, Scottish, and Italian music, and it is also popular in bluegrass and country music. The mandolin is a versatile instrument that can be used to play a variety of musical styles, from fast, upbeat tunes to slower, more contemplative pieces.

Why should you learn to play the mandolin? What are typical mandolin lessons like? What music do people commonly play on the mandolin?

There are many reasons to learn to play the mandolin. Some people are drawn to the instrument because of its unique, bright sound and the wide range of musical styles that can be played on it. Others are attracted to the mandolin because it is an integral part of many traditional music cultures around the world, including bluegrass, folk, and many more.

How to play the Modes on the mandolin

Mandolin lessons are typically private or group sessions in which a mandolin player teaches students how to play the instrument. These lessons may cover topics such as proper posture, holding the pick, and playing techniques. Mandolin lessons may also include instruction on music theory, sight reading, and ear training.

People commonly play a wide range of musical styles on the mandolin, including bluegrass, folk, classical, and many more. The mandolin is often featured in traditional music genres such as Irish, Scottish, and Italian music, and it is also popular in bluegrass and country music. The mandolin is a versatile instrument that can be used to play a variety of musical styles, from fast, upbeat tunes to slower, more contemplative pieces.

What is an Octave Mandolin? Join the group and find out!

Join the Octave Mandolin group! If you're a fan of the octave mandolin, or are interested in learning how to play this unique and fun instrument, you're in the right place.

The octave mandolin is a larger, lower-pitched version of the traditional mandolin, with a range of notes similar to that of a cello. It's a versatile instrument that can be used in a variety of musical genres, from bluegrass and folk to classical and jazz.

Whether you're an experienced mandolin player looking to expand your skills or a beginner just starting out, we encourage you to join our community and share your love of the octave mandolin. We welcome players of all skill levels and backgrounds, and we're always happy to help out with any questions or advice you may have.

So if you're looking for a supportive and welcoming community of octave mandolin enthusiasts, we hope you'll join us and get in on the fun!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/octavemandolinassociation

What is an Octave Mandolin? Join the group and find out!

Join the Octave Mandolin group! If you're a fan of the octave mandolin, or are interested in learning how to play this unique and fun instrument, you're in the right place.

The octave mandolin is a larger, lower-pitched version of the traditional mandolin, with a range of notes similar to that of a cello. It's a versatile instrument that can be used in a variety of musical genres, from bluegrass and folk to classical and jazz.

Whether you're an experienced mandolin player looking to expand your skills or a beginner just starting out, we encourage you to join our community and share your love of the octave mandolin. We welcome players of all skill levels and backgrounds, and we're always happy to help out with any questions or advice you may have.

So if you're looking for a supportive and welcoming community of octave mandolin enthusiasts, we hope you'll join us and get in on the fun!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/octavemandolinassociation

2022 Rental Program

2022 Rentals

A notice about the violin rental program: we still have student violin outfits (Palatino) for rent.  The cost is $30 a month with a $200 deposit (refundable).   The minimum rental period is 3 months.  The outfit comes with a padded case, carved solid wooden violin, wooden bow, rosin and case straps.  It's missing a shoulder rest.  We have them for sale for $25 each.  You can upgrade to Adam Sweet's Fiddler's Bow for an additional $125 (and get to keep the bow) as the wooden bow that comes with the case is only mediocre.

Mandolin rental program: we have a wide variety of options this year.  For example, you can rent a Mando Mo A or F style mandolin with a hardshell case for only $75 a month (and a $500 refundable deposit).  These are gorgeous mandolins!  Air-dried tonewood, American steel frets, German Optima hand-wound strings, solid tailpieces, TUSQ nuts, MOP and Abalone inlay and Brekke adjustable bridges.  We can't believe we can offer these instruments for rent.  The program is rent to buy.   50% of the rental fee goes to the purchase of the instrument!  Email info@sweetmusicstudio.net with the word "mando mo rental" in the subject line to get some more information about that.  You can set up a time to try out the instrument in person (socially distanced of course), or Adam can play it for you online so you can see it and hear what it sounds like before renting it.

In addition to mandolins, we have mandocellos and mandolas for rent.  Please ask!

2022 Rental Program

2022 Rentals

A notice about the violin rental program: we still have student violin outfits (Palatino) for rent.  The cost is $30 a month with a $200 deposit (refundable).   The minimum rental period is 3 months.  The outfit comes with a padded case, carved solid wooden violin, wooden bow, rosin and case straps.  It's missing a shoulder rest.  We have them for sale for $25 each.  You can upgrade to Adam Sweet's Fiddler's Bow for an additional $125 (and get to keep the bow) as the wooden bow that comes with the case is only mediocre.

Mandolin rental program: we have a wide variety of options this year.  For example, you can rent a Mando Mo A or F style mandolin with a hardshell case for only $75 a month (and a $500 refundable deposit).  These are gorgeous mandolins!  Air-dried tonewood, American steel frets, German Optima hand-wound strings, solid tailpieces, TUSQ nuts, MOP and Abalone inlay and Brekke adjustable bridges.  We can't believe we can offer these instruments for rent.  The program is rent to buy.   50% of the rental fee goes to the purchase of the instrument!  Email info@sweetmusicstudio.net with the word "mando mo rental" in the subject line to get some more information about that.  You can set up a time to try out the instrument in person (socially distanced of course), or Adam can play it for you online so you can see it and hear what it sounds like before renting it.

In addition to mandolins, we have mandocellos and mandolas for rent.  Please ask!

Mando Mo Strings Holyoke, MA

Mando Mo Strings is a company in Holyoke, MA, the birthplace of American Industry, that has developed a line of affordable musical instruments made with top quality materials and workmanship.  These instruments are on par or better than similar brands, such as Eastman, TDK, The Loar and Northfield.  The instruments are designed in Holyoke, Massachusetts, assembled in China, and finished/set up in the US.

Here's a post I wrote in 2018.  Some of the text is a little dated.  If you would like to try any of the instruments, please contact me to set up a time.  Due to Covid19, restrictions apply.

Mando Mo Strings Holyoke, MA

Mando Mo Strings is a company in Holyoke, MA, the birthplace of American Industry, that has developed a line of affordable musical instruments made with top quality materials and workmanship.  These instruments are on par or better than similar brands, such as Eastman, TDK, The Loar and Northfield.  The instruments are designed in Holyoke, Massachusetts, assembled in China, and finished/set up in the US.

Here's a post I wrote in 2018.  Some of the text is a little dated.  If you would like to try any of the instruments, please contact me to set up a time.  Due to Covid19, restrictions apply.

The Mandolin Revival by Will Melton

The Springfield Mandolin Orchestra is one of several hundred mandolin groups across the country and overseas that are introducing today’s audience to the mandolin ensemble. Members are drawn from students of the Sweet Music Studio in South Hadley, Rhode Island’s L’Esperance Mandolin Ensemble, and Cape Cod students of mandolin teacher Josh Bell, who conducts the group.

The earliest known instruments that resemble modern mandolins appeared in the 14th Century. These miniature lutes were called mandoras, probably invented to add a new voice to the lute ensemble of the day. The instrument reached extraordinary heights of workmanship in Italy where it was called the mandola or mandolin, “little mandola” in Italian.

No Renaissance-era music written for the mandolin is known to survive, but beginning in the 1700’s composers wrote for the instrument including such greats as Vivaldi, Hummel, Mozart and Beethoven. European immigrants of the 19th Century brought mandolins with them across the Atlantic, but their music was considered quaint ethnic music, and little more. 

That was all to change in January 1880 when a band of 15 young Spanish musicians arrived in Boston, basking in the glory of their sensational season of performances at the 1878 Exposition Universelle, also known as the 3rd Paris World’s Fair. The Estudiantes Españoles all played string instruments, primarily the bandurria, a Spanish instrument that shares many traits with the mandolin, most especially, the paired courses of strings which enable the fluttering sound of the mandolin tremolo. 

Over the next several years the “Spanish Students” toured America and Mexico and wowed their audiences with romantic repertoire and colorful costumes. In their wake was born a musical craze and industry that somewhat resembled the tidal wave of electric guitars that swept the U.S. beginning in the 1950’s.

Many instrument manufacturers leapt into the market, building American versions of the “bowlback” (European) mandolin, so called because the instrument body resembles a fat gourd. The bowlback’s body (sound box) is assembled of staves that are bent and glued together with a flat top attached to resonate the sound made by the strings. In 1897 in Springfield, the Hutchins Manufacturing Company experimented with an aluminum mandolin. Only the bridge, the tiny part that transfers the musical vibrations from the strings to the soundbox, was made of wood. http://www.oneofakindantiques.com/product/5993/hutchins_manufacturing_company_mandolin_springfield_mass_1897

Orville Gibson, founder of the Gibson Mandolin & Guitar Co., had a better idea. He wanted to produce mandolins carved like the violin. Gibson Company, one of the few of these companies that survive today, brought savvy strategic marketing to the industry, hiring music teachers across the country to be their sales agents, and building a quartet of mandolin instruments that were tuned to match the violin quartet of instruments. The sales agents were encouraged to form “All-Gibson” ensembles, and thousands of Gibson-brand mandolins were distributed through the agents. 

Gibson’s quartet of American mandolin instruments included the mandolin, tuned like the violin; the larger mandola tuned to match the viola; a guitar-sized mandocello; and the large, strange-looking mandobass, which leans to the side like a guitar while resting on the floor on a retractable metal rod. The new mandolin quartet opened to mandolin players the whole repertoire of several hundred years of chamber music. 

As the new century began, mandolin orchestras and clubs sprang up in a large number of communities and on many college campuses. In the Connnecticut River Valley of western Massachusetts, student mandolin groups were formed at local colleges including Mount Holyoke, Springfield, Smith, and Amherst.

 

Springfield College Mandolin Club circa 1900-1920. Courtesy of Springfield College Archives and Special Collections

By the 1920s, the advent of Dixieland Jazz brought the raucous sounds of the banjo to the fore and the mandolin rapidly declined in popularity. It was rescued from obscurity after World War II thanks to Bill Monroe’s introduction of the mandolin as a central part of the bluegrass music he pioneered. 

One of the longest lasting of New England’s mandolin groups was the Pizzitola Strummers of Holyoke, which evolved down through the 1970s by adding accordians and banjos to their group. 

Today’s Amercian mandolin orchestra, and its cousins in Japan, Israel, Germany, France, and Holland are helping to return to prominence the many voices of the mandolin, with a unique acoustic sound for the digital age. 

For more information go to: https://springfieldmandolin.org/2017/02/07/the-springfield-mandolin-orchestra-in-concert-at-the-first-congregational-church-south-hadley-ma-march-4-2017/

Will Melton

The Mandolin Revival by Will Melton

The Springfield Mandolin Orchestra is one of several hundred mandolin groups across the country and overseas that are introducing today’s audience to the mandolin ensemble. Members are drawn from students of the Sweet Music Studio in South Hadley, Rhode Island’s L’Esperance Mandolin Ensemble, and Cape Cod students of mandolin teacher Josh Bell, who conducts the group.

The earliest known instruments that resemble modern mandolins appeared in the 14th Century. These miniature lutes were called mandoras, probably invented to add a new voice to the lute ensemble of the day. The instrument reached extraordinary heights of workmanship in Italy where it was called the mandola or mandolin, “little mandola” in Italian.

No Renaissance-era music written for the mandolin is known to survive, but beginning in the 1700’s composers wrote for the instrument including such greats as Vivaldi, Hummel, Mozart and Beethoven. European immigrants of the 19th Century brought mandolins with them across the Atlantic, but their music was considered quaint ethnic music, and little more. 

That was all to change in January 1880 when a band of 15 young Spanish musicians arrived in Boston, basking in the glory of their sensational season of performances at the 1878 Exposition Universelle, also known as the 3rd Paris World’s Fair. The Estudiantes Españoles all played string instruments, primarily the bandurria, a Spanish instrument that shares many traits with the mandolin, most especially, the paired courses of strings which enable the fluttering sound of the mandolin tremolo. 

Over the next several years the “Spanish Students” toured America and Mexico and wowed their audiences with romantic repertoire and colorful costumes. In their wake was born a musical craze and industry that somewhat resembled the tidal wave of electric guitars that swept the U.S. beginning in the 1950’s.

Many instrument manufacturers leapt into the market, building American versions of the “bowlback” (European) mandolin, so called because the instrument body resembles a fat gourd. The bowlback’s body (sound box) is assembled of staves that are bent and glued together with a flat top attached to resonate the sound made by the strings. In 1897 in Springfield, the Hutchins Manufacturing Company experimented with an aluminum mandolin. Only the bridge, the tiny part that transfers the musical vibrations from the strings to the soundbox, was made of wood. http://www.oneofakindantiques.com/product/5993/hutchins_manufacturing_company_mandolin_springfield_mass_1897

Orville Gibson, founder of the Gibson Mandolin & Guitar Co., had a better idea. He wanted to produce mandolins carved like the violin. Gibson Company, one of the few of these companies that survive today, brought savvy strategic marketing to the industry, hiring music teachers across the country to be their sales agents, and building a quartet of mandolin instruments that were tuned to match the violin quartet of instruments. The sales agents were encouraged to form “All-Gibson” ensembles, and thousands of Gibson-brand mandolins were distributed through the agents. 

Gibson’s quartet of American mandolin instruments included the mandolin, tuned like the violin; the larger mandola tuned to match the viola; a guitar-sized mandocello; and the large, strange-looking mandobass, which leans to the side like a guitar while resting on the floor on a retractable metal rod. The new mandolin quartet opened to mandolin players the whole repertoire of several hundred years of chamber music. 

As the new century began, mandolin orchestras and clubs sprang up in a large number of communities and on many college campuses. In the Connnecticut River Valley of western Massachusetts, student mandolin groups were formed at local colleges including Mount Holyoke, Springfield, Smith, and Amherst.

 

Springfield College Mandolin Club circa 1900-1920. Courtesy of Springfield College Archives and Special Collections

By the 1920s, the advent of Dixieland Jazz brought the raucous sounds of the banjo to the fore and the mandolin rapidly declined in popularity. It was rescued from obscurity after World War II thanks to Bill Monroe’s introduction of the mandolin as a central part of the bluegrass music he pioneered. 

One of the longest lasting of New England’s mandolin groups was the Pizzitola Strummers of Holyoke, which evolved down through the 1970s by adding accordians and banjos to their group. 

Today’s Amercian mandolin orchestra, and its cousins in Japan, Israel, Germany, France, and Holland are helping to return to prominence the many voices of the mandolin, with a unique acoustic sound for the digital age. 

For more information go to: https://springfieldmandolin.org/2017/02/07/the-springfield-mandolin-orchestra-in-concert-at-the-first-congregational-church-south-hadley-ma-march-4-2017/

Will Melton

Tonight: Advanced Mandolin Classical Group @ 7pm

If you're a current student in good standing you are welcome to attend the Advanced Mandolin Classical Group which meets Wednesday nights at 7pm.

This is the core of Mandolin New England, a 501(c)3 nonprofit mandolin orchestra that performs free concerts and master classes in western Massachusetts, Rhode Island and the Boston area.

Currently the group  is working on the Bach Double Concerto originally written for two viols and continuo.  We are playing it with 2 mandolins and continuo.  Continuo generally refers to string instruments that play the rhythm and echo parts of the melody, but are not part of the solo.  In a chamber group, it would be comprised of violins, violas, cellos, bass and harpsichord; or perhaps Viols*  and harpsichord, depending on the composer.  For example, J.S. Bach composed a fair number of pieces for viols*

J. S. Bach "Lost Portrait"

The Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043, also known as the Double Violin Concerto (Doppelkonzert für zwei Violinen), is one of the most famous works by Johann Sebastian Bach and considered among the best examples of the work of the late Baroque period.  Bach may have written the concerto between 1717 and 1723 when he was the Kapellmeister at the court of Anhalt-Köthen, Germany, though the work's surviving performance materials were created for the concert series that Bach ran as the Director of the Collegium Musicum in Leipzig and are dated c. 1730–31.  The concerto is characterized by a subtle yet expressive relationship between the violins throughout the work. In addition to the two soloists, the concerto is scored for strings and basso continuo. The musical structure of this piece uses fugal imitation and much counterpoint.  Here is a link to the score.

The concerto comprises three movements:

1. Vivace
2. Largo ma non tanto
3. Allegro

The group is also working on a string quartet of Mozart's commonly referred to as The Hunt.  Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's String Quartet No. 17 in B-flat major, K. 458, nicknamed "The Hunt", is the fourth of the Quartets dedicated to Haydn. It was completed in 1784.  Here is a link to the score

 It is in four movements:

1. Allegro vivace assai
2. Menuetto and Trio. Moderato
3. Adagio, in E-flat major
4. Allegro assai

Neither Mozart nor Artaria called this piece "The Hunt." "For Mozart's contemporaries, the first movement of K.458 evidently evoked the 'chasse' topic, the main components of which were a 6/8 time signature (sometimes featuring a strong upbeat) and triadic melodies based largely around tonic and dominant chords (doubtless stemming from the physical limitations of the actual hunting horns to notes of the harmonic series)." According to Irving, Mozart's first intention was to conclude with a polonaise and sketched 65 bars.

Its popularity is reflected in its use in various films, such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Mystery Date, The Royal Tenenbaums and Star Trek: Insurrection.

The Advanced Mandolin Classical Group has performed this piece once before during a concert at the Porter Phelps-Huntington Museum in Hadley, Massachusetts on September 17th, 2018.  Ah those pre-Coronavirus days when we all took for granted that playing together in an intimate group setting was commonplace and would never leave us.  Those were the days!

The group will be meeting at 7pm online in a Meet.Google.Com session.  If you are a current student and would like to attend, let Adam know through Slack and you will be invited to the closed Slack channel.  You must be a regular weekly student to attend this group.

Viol da Gamba (viol of the leg)

* The viol (/ˈvaɪəl/), viola da gamba[a] (Italian: [ˈvjɔːla da ˈɡamba]), or informally gamba, is any one of a family of bowed, fretted and stringed instruments with hollow wooden bodies and pegboxes where the tension on the strings can be increased or decreased to adjust the pitch of each of the strings. Frets on the viol are usually made of gut, tied on the fingerboard around the instrument's neck, to enable the performer to stop the strings more cleanly. Frets improve consistency of intonation and lend the stopped notes a tone that better matches the open strings. Viols first appeared in Spain in the mid to late 15th century and were most popular in the Renaissance and Baroque (1600–1750) periods. Early ancestors include the Arabic rebab and the medieval European vielle, but later, more direct possible ancestors include the Venetian viole and the 15th- and 16th-century Spanish vihuela, a 6-course plucked instrument tuned like a lute (and also like a present-day viol)[4][5] that looked like but was quite distinct from (at that time) the 4-course guitar (an earlier chordophone).

Although bass viols superficially resemble cellos, viols are different in numerous respects from instruments of the violin family: the viol family has flat rather than curved backs, sloped rather than rounded shoulders, c holes rather than f holes, and five to seven rather than four strings; some of the many additional differences are tuning strategy (in fourths with a third in the middle—similar to a lute—rather than in fifths), the presence of frets, and underhand ("German") rather than overhand ("French") bow grip.

All members of the viol family are played upright (unlike the violin or the viola, which is held under the chin). All viol instruments are held between the legs like a modern cello, hence the Italian name viola da gamba (it. "viol for the leg") was sometimes applied to the instruments of this family. This distinguishes the viol from the modern violin family, the viola da braccio (it. "viol for the arm"). A player of the viol is commonly known as a gambist, violist /ˈvaɪəlɪst/, or violist da gamba. "Violist" shares the spelling, but not the pronunciation, of the word commonly used since the mid-20th century to refer to a player of the viola. It can therefore cause confusion if used in print where context does not clearly indicate that a viol player is meant, though it is entirely unproblematic, and common, in speech.

Viols come in seven sizes: "pardessus de viole" (which is relatively rare, exclusively French and did not exist before the 18th century), treble (in French dessus), alto, tenor (in French taille), bass, and two sizes of contrabass (also known as a violone), the smaller one tuned an octave below the tenor (violone in G, sometimes called great bass or in French grande basse) and the larger one tuned an octave below the bass (violone in D).

Mandolin History: Gibson Mandolin "Orchestra"

by Gregg Miner

Disclaimer to Internet readers:

The following text is a humorous essay written for the layperson. It originally appeared in a companion booklet to my 1995 Christmas Collection CDs. The information, while factual, is presented in a personal, unorthodox manner. No offense is intended toward my fellow musicians or fellow musicologists.

I must confess that I'm among the many who are infatuated with old Gibson instruments, particularly those made between 1900 and 1930, heyday of the mandolin and banjo. The Gibson story began with Orville Gibson, who, among other things, revolutionized the mandolin in the year 1898. Dissatisfied with the sound of the traditional Italian-style bowl-back mandolin (not to mention how to hold the slippery thing!), he completely redesigned it -- giving it a relatively flat, shallow profile, and applying such violin principals as an arched, carved top and back. His basic design was refined by the Gibson Company over the years and reached its zenith in 1922 with the immortal F-5 mandolin. Unfortunately, the mandolin craze had just ended and comparatively few of these were sold. But then in the mid-forties, Bill Monroe discovered an old F-5, single-handedly invented bluegrass music, and the rest, as they say, is history. The mandolin is now as popular as ever, and to this day, Gibsons remain the standard by which all others are judged.

Now, no one knows exactly who came up with the idea of a mandolin "orchestra" (or when), but it was ingenious. Apparently, someone finally noticed that a mandolin (with eight strings in four double-courses) was tuned exactly like a violin and could therefore play violin music. It was even possible to play sustained notes with a tremolo technique. Then, around the turn of the century somebody further reasoned that if larger mandolins were built to correspond to the viola, cello, and even bass, an entire string orchestra could be duplicated with mandolinists. Reasonable enough, but where does one find mandolinists? Gibson's answer was brilliantly simple and diabolical. It initiated a systematic nation-wide marketing scheme wherein a network of music teacher-dealers was cajoled into organizing local mandolin "clubs" whose eager participants would just happen to require (A) lessons and (B) instruments -- both happily provided by the teacher. Between 1910 and 1920 there were literally hundreds of these "All-Gibson orchestras" across the country -- a phenomenon not unnoticed by several other companies who were scurrying to produce their own versions of this new family of instruments. But even though Gibson mandolins were the most expensive, their craftsmanship, sound, aesthetic beauty, and grandiose hype captured the majority of hearts and pocketbooks than as now. And this was just the beginning of Gibson's tremendous success story. Ironically, Orville Gibson himself missed out on all the fun since he had sold the rights to his name and inventions in 1902 for $2500.

Gibson made all but the bass in two body styles: a round, teardrop shape and the "florentine" with scroll and points. Florentine mandolas and mandocellos are now especially rare, and surprisingly popular and costly collector's items. Some, like this 1924 mandocello, have the short-lived "Virzi tone-producer," a wooden disc suspended inside the body to supposedly improve the sound.

Despite what I've written, a mandolin orchestra can't be fully explained -- it must be experienced. So I personally did my time with the Los Angeles Mandolin Orchestra for several years, one of the few such clubs still in existence. Let me try to recall the scene: First of all, trying to get a couple of hundred strings in tune for each rehearsal (with all but the bass double-strung) was a disastrous free-for-all with no one the lucky winner, and in the end, it didn't much matter anyway. Sheet music arranged for string orchestra was then passed out, though some of the more senior members had trouble just focusing on the notes on our photocopies. There was a professional conductor, but he was largely ignored, as it seemed more important to find one's own rhythm and stick with it, impressing it upon one's neighbors if possible. And, yet, given enough rehearsal and any amount of luck, the "miracle of the mandolin orchestra" would occur -- wherein a couple dozen madly tremoloed mandolins blended together to give the illusion of a bowed string orchestra. Alas, my "quartet" just begins to hint at this.

Mandolin History: Mandolin's Heyday

Frets, March 1979

Early Gibson mandolin family instruments consisted of mandolin, mandola, mandocello, and mandobass. Varied in size and tuned one fifth apart, these instruments were the fretted equivalents of the violin viola, cello, and string bass and could be played in much the same manner, using music composed for their bowed counterparts.

In my view, the evolution of instruments occurs in three basic ways: a new instrument is developed, an existing one is improved in response to public demand, or a maker first produces an instrument and then attempts to create a demand for it. Sometimes this entails writing or arranging music spedfically for the new instrument and promoting the music along with the instrument. The Gibson Company used this approach with considerable success to create a demand for the mandolin family instruments. When they introduced the mandola, mandocello, and mandobass around 1910, they also introduced the concept of a mandolin orchestra that could play regular orchestral string music using these instruments. They promoted this idea vigorously, using a carefully planned program to show music teachers how to sell a considerable number of Gibson instruments at one time (on commission) by organizing mandolin orchestras. As a result, countless mandolin groups of various sizes were formed all over the country. Most of them used Gibsons exclusively, and sales of the company's mandolin family line flounshed. The mandolin orchestras became so popular with both professional and amateur musicians that they dominated the fretted instrument scene in America for nearly a decade.

The history of the Gibson mandolin family begins in the late 1890s with Orville Gibson's design of a mandolin that was radically different from the instruments that had originated in Italy several hundred years before. The typical Italian-style mandolin was the so-called "bowl back," "gourd," or "tater bug" with a deep bowl-shaped back, a flat angled top, and a scale length about the same as a violin's. This design became the accepted standard for a mandolin and was copied widely by other makers throughout Europe, particularly in Germany. Mandolins weren't produced in the United States in any significant quantity until the 1890s, and before that almost all the mandolins seen here were German or Italian imports of bowl-back construction.

The first American company to produce mandolins (bowl-back) on a large scale was Lyon & Healy in Chicago, whose better quality instruments bore the Washburn brand. They turned out mandolins in very large quantities during the 1890s and offered them in many different models. However, they were all basically the typical 8-string bowlbacks and they didn't represent any particular evolution of the mandolin design over what had already been achieved in Europe. In 1898, Orville Gibson patented a mandolin that was to revolutionize the design of the instrument. A radical departure from the Italian-style mandolins, his design featured a relatively flat carved back, a carved top, and a longer fretboard. Early Gibson catalogs carefully explain that on a violin fingerboard, the fingers are placed where the frets would be if there were any. Therefore, a fretted fingerboard must be longer to allow the player to use violin fingering while still keeping his fingers behind the frets. The two body shapes Orville used for his mandolins, the teardrop-shaped A style and the Florentine style with points and scroll, were also different from other fretted instruments made at the time. In almost every conceivable aspect of design and appearance, Orville Gibson's mandolins were something new, and they seem to have emerged straight from his own creativity and workshop.

Gibson sold the patent on his mandolin and the rights to use his name and manufacturing methods in producing a line of Gibson instruments to five businessmen from Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1902. Although Orville was certainly a true innovator who came up with highly original mandolins and guitars, the instruments he himself made were often rather crude. The Gibson instruments produced after he left the company, however, were quite different. Even those made as early as 1910 were better sounding and playing instruments -- and far more sophisticated -- than any of Orville's.

The mandolin family instruments appeared shortly before 1910 and evolved very quickly. Since the company was already geared up to produce mandolins, it was no problem to produce them in vanous sizes. The mandolin was tuned like a violin, and it was a logical step to develop fretted instruments tuned one fifth apart that corresponded exactly to the bowed instruments of the classical orchestra. This was a significant contrast to the banjos,which came in many sizes that weren't particularly useful in conventional musical arrangements. Tuned like a string quartet, the mandolin family instruments developed by Gibson were ideal for playing in groups and were capable of playing sheet music for bowed instruments,which already existed in abundance.

The only instruments of this type to come out before Gibson's innovation were octave mandolas tuned one octave below a mandolin. Since these didn't fit into the tuning scheme of the string quartet they weren't particularly useful for playing standard orchestral music. Some early Gibson ads for the mandola carefully called it a tenor mandola and stressed the advantages of its C-G-D-A tuning over that of an octave mandola.

It was a logical step to go from the idea of the mandolin family to the concept of the mandolin orchestra, and here Gibson could look to the example of the band instrument companies that for some time had been setting up bands and supplying everything from instruments to sheet music. Gibson soon developed a similar program to organize mandolin orchestras as a means of selling instruments, and was the first fretted instrument company to use this approach. Its marketing scheme was very well thought out, complete in every detail, and was very successful. Strangely enough, nobody else cashed in on the mandolin boom to the extent that Gibson did. Lyon & Healy and Martin both failed to bring out a mandolin with a carved top and back until it was too late for them to benefit greatly from the interest in mandolin orchestras. Lyon & Healy eventually did copy the mandolin family idea. Their 1913 catalog featured "The Lealand Family of Mando lnstruments," which not only included the four that Gibson had but also a piccolo or soprano mandolin. These instruments weren't as successful as the Gibsons, however, probably because they didn't sound as good and weren't promoted as effectively.

Gibson's development of the mandolin family and mandolin orchestra show that it was a very creative company for its day, but its success with the mandolin family instruments was as much a product of good timing as creativity. The mandolin orchestras filled the void left by the decline of the 5-string banjo and provided an excellent way for people to entertain themselves in the days before radio, TV, and movies. The most important factor in the growth of the mandolin orchestra movement, however, was undoubtedly Gibson's remarkably effective promotion.

Rocky Top F5 Mandolin For Sale

Make me a reasonable offer: info@sweetmusicstudio.net 

Inlaid F5 Mandolin for sale

Make me a reasonable offer: info@sweetmusicstudio.net

What is Mandolin New England?

MNE at the South Hadley Town Hall, Josh Bell Conducting

Mandolin New England (MNE) is a musical organization fostering positive mandolin experiences for all ages and backgrounds.  The group consists of a mixture of various mandolin ensembles and groups and is hosted by Adam Sweet, students and colleagues from New York, western Mass, Connecticut and Rhode Island.  

The first live performance was at the South Hadley Town Hall in January 2015, where the group performed "Jugoslavia" and the Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 3.  

The orchestra is comprised of Adam Sweet's Sweet Mandolin Ensemble, Joshua Bell's L'Esperance Ensemble, and area colleagues.  The class is open to anyone with 5 or more years of playing experience on either bowed-string instruments (violins, violas, cellos) or mandolin-family instruments.  The class studies Classical-era (1700s) and Romantic-era (1800s) music with composers such as J.S. Bach, W.A. Mozart, F. Schubert and more.

The group is free to join!  We don't have regular rehearsals, but if you would like to attend the Tuesday night classical group class at Sweet Music Studio, RSVP through the website: http://sweetmusicstudio.net

Visit and "like" our Facebook page to get regular updates: https://www.facebook.com/mandolinnewengland/

F5-style Mandolin from Vietnam, beautifully inlaid

I bought this beautiful mandolin on eBay a long time ago.  I don't even remember the date.  I think it might have been 2006 or 7.  The seller described it as a Vietnamese mandolin, but I suspect it was made in China.  The inlay and shell laminates are gorgeous and easily the best feature of this instrument.  Other than that, it has a nice chop (for bluegrass) and a big-warm tone, so it's perfect for a variety of styles.  I played mostly Celtic and Classical music on it.

It has a minute hairline crack in the back, which doesn't affect the sound, and two of the pegs are white.  I took it to be set up at The Luthier in Ashfield, and Mark Leue didn't have the right parts for it unfortunately.  That's easily remedied by a good luthier.

I have a custom built hard shell case that came with it, included at no extra cost.  Handling, insurance, packaging and shipping comes to an additional $50.  I take PayPal, or you can pick it up at my studio in Granby, MA and pay cash.