OCTAVE MANDOLIN JOURNEY

jmcgann

Any octave mando players out there? It sure is a nice 'horn' for mando players to use in Gypsy Jazz. I am lucky to own a Sobell, which is more commonly found roving the Celtic savannah. I find it has a nice Selmeresque 'honk' that allows it to keep company with sounds associated with the tradition, including La Pompe.

I recorded an album a few months back with a group I call "Durango Reinhardt". Nowhere near The Real Deal of Gypsy Jazz, but a typically American hybrid with fiddle/guitar/bass/vocal and myself tripling up on guitar, mando and octave mando. Some tunes you'd find in the GJ tradition as well as some from outside. Michael has agreed to make it available through the site, so keep your eyes out...

If there is enough demand, I will whip up some specifically Octave Mando lessons, so reply and let me know if you are also 'rasslin' this 'gator! :twisted:

djangolin

John,

Glad to see you posting here again and not spending all of your time sharing wisdom with mandolincafe. I would love to see some octave mando lessons. I bought the whole django mando series, octave mandolin book, all three DVD, so you know I'm diggin everything you release. In addition to my TC octave (which sounds surprisingly good for an asian factory instrument) I've also got a tenor guitar tuned GDAE that any octave materials translate to as well. Keep 'em comin.

Mark

jmcgann

Well, many thanks for your support, Mark!

I may do something for octave mando that will include the same material for soprano to discuss differences in fingering approaches...I am having fun applying the Sinti/Manouche-approved right hand techniques and am excited about the kind of articulation this technique produces...

Soref

In addition to my TC octave (which sounds surprisingly good for an asian factory instrument) I've also got a tenor guitar tuned GDAE that any octave materials translate to as well.

That's cool, Sims Delaney Pothoff from the fine Swing/GypsyJazz/Vocal outfit Harmonious Wail uses a tenor guitar like that sometimes. He's got an old gibson L5 or L7 or something like that, and he can make it sound very nice for this music.

Sarge

Heh, funny you mention that John. I just got that idea yesterday. Ive just recently gotten the gypsy jazz bug (gonna download your lessons once i get my paycheck in) and ive been considering if i wanted to start learning how to play guitar so i could play traditional gypsy jazz...or just play it on the mando.

But when i was learning a couple new irish jigs and reels from oneils on my octave... the idea of playing jazz on it popped into my head, then i started playing around with minor swing and had a lot of fun...it was a cool sound for it.

Im still very new to jazz though, and im still trying to figure out how to start out on a good foot...especially because there's not much out there jazz-mandolin wise. Just learning jazz-chords in the meantime.

Ill definately be using the octave more though.[/quote]

jmcgann

Cool!

Jazzmando.com is a great site to get oriented toward jazz related mando things like chord voicings and stuff. I will be including some octave mando stuff in my upcoming Djangobooks.com online lessons barrage.

Bohemian

Coincidentllay I had been thinking lately of tenor Mandola CGDA
as a rhythm instrument


About 15 ( plus or minus 3) years ago I played a Dupont 8 string
guitar tuned in fifhts,, Thjis was at Gryphon.. I understand now it was one of 2 mmade

Stupidly I did not buy it commenting

$2300 for laminated backs and sides.. that's nuts

And so much for history

Perhaps a GDAE octave low would be more versatile than a mandola

but I do like the voicing