Mandolin Lessons

Mandolin lessons, Group Instruction,
Workshops & Introductory Classes.
In Walnut Creek, California.

Near Danville, Alamo, Blackhawk, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Concord, Clayton, Brentwood, San Ramon, Dublin, Pleasanton, Oakland, Piedmont, Alameda, Castro Valley, Hayward, Fremont, San Leandro, Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Kensington, Pinole, Hercules, Crockett, Benicia, Napa, Novato, Vallejo, Vacaville, Livermore, Stockton, Modesto, and San Francisco.

Serving the San Francisco Bay Area,
Contra Costa County and Alameda County, CA

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Bluegrass American Old-time Celtic Classical Accompaniment Improvisation The basics Private Lessons Workshops • Performances	The mandolin is an extraordinary instrument capable of playing a wide range of repertoire. Tuned the same as the violin (GDAE), it's first cousin to the violin "the queen of the orchestra" and the folk fiddle. It's symetrical tuning (pure 5ths) makes it especially amenable to melodies, and very logical in improvisation. Where ever you hear the violin or the fiddle, mandolin can easily go, with certain exceptions. Some pieces are simply "unmandolinable." But many styles of music are easily played on mandolin, including baroque music, duets, trios, and quartets, bluegrass, celtic music, all sorts of folk, gypsy and international music, even swing and jazz. No instrument surpasses the mandolin's ability to contribute a percussive yet sweet-toned chordal accompaniment. Mandolin frequently serves as the snare drum of bluegrass music and "new acoustic" music. Pitched roughly an octave higher than guitar, the mandolin can't match the deep, rich, long-ringing chords of a guitar accompaniment, leaving the guitar as the favored instrument for vocal accompaniment. Still mandolin accompaniment provides a perfect rhythmic compliment to guitar. In many styles of music the two instruments work wonderfully together. Mandolin as a Second Instrument. Mandolin is a great second instrument. If you play violin or fiddle, your left hand already knows what to do. You'll just need to make some minor adjustments to your left hand technique, learn chords, and learn how to use a pick. If you already play guitar, then you're probably already comfortable with the pick. You'll need to learn new chord positions, scale fingerings. If you read music you'll find that treble clef notation applies differently to the mandolin. Sometimes violinists get home late and want to play, sometime they just don't want to hear 70 decibels right under their ear, and want to play, the violin is sure to wake other household members. But with the mandolin one can whisper away musically into the wee hours, and no one's the wiser. Mandolin as an introduction to Violin If you're interested in playing the violin or fiddle, but aren't ready to take the plunge, try the mandolin, the logic of the left hand applies directly to the violin or fiddle. You just need to learn to hold the violin and the get well acquainted with the bow. Private Lessons Workshops • Performances
	Mandolin lessons, Group Instruction, Workshops & Introductory Classes. In Walnut Creek, California. Near Danville, Alamo, Blackhawk, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Concord, Clayton, Brentwood, San Ramon, Dublin, Pleasanton, Oakland, Piedmont, Alameda, Castro Valley, Hayward, Fremont, San Leandro, Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Kensington, Pinole, Hercules, Crockett, Benicia, Napa, Novato, Vallejo, Vacaville, Livermore, Stockton, Modesto, and San Francisco. Serving the San Francisco Bay Area, Contra Costa County and Alameda County, CA

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Mandolin as a Second Instrument.

Mandolin as an introduction to Violin