Great comparison. Your presentation was the final impetus for me to order the octave mandolin. I love it. I’ll never stop playing my standard Mando, but a new instrument is very motivating. Thanks!
As I am getting older (70) (and after a lifetime of hand damage in the construction industry) I found regular guitar ever more difficult to play, especially forming chords like C or F.. but.. I have moved more to a Mandola where I have it strung with octave in the pairs (so 7 different strings) and find it much easier to play.. but still with a full sound. If you are struggling.. give these instruments (Mandola.. Octave Mandolin) a try.. Many of the basic chords use only 2 fingers.. I am currently converting a budget Epiphone AJ100 (6 String Guitar) to an 8 string (The longer headstock allows 8 Machine heads) in the 4 x 2 string configuration and hope it will contribute a more 'bassy' element missing from the mid range mandolin family. As Emma points out.. There is no real defined place in Music for these instruments.. Also..particularly useful for songwriters looking for inspiration.. See Sarah Jarosz..
Hola Emma, soy de Chile 🇨🇱, un pais al sur del mundo. Me encantan tus videos, me gusta como interpretas las canciones, generas un ambiente lleno de emociones, principalmente alegría. Gracias por tus recomendaciones, pues he podido aprender cosas que no sabía sobre la mandolina y la mandolina de octava. Un abrazo. 🤗
Good demonstration. I’m glad that you mentioned the OM‘s usefulness in accompanying singing in a worship setting. This is one of the reasons why I bought my OM recently. Would you consider doing a video using the OM to accompany singing a common hymn or two?
I really love your music & video's Thumbs up Lady Em :) I always wonder one can do a bluegrass bluegrass mandolin chop on a octave mandolin. Last night I came across Sierra Hull video Bluegrass Mandolin Lesson: Octave Mandolin Strumming & Chopping with Sierra Hull || very enlightening video :) Also came across Craig Irving video's on Irish/folk Strumming Patterns very cool video's. I use to have a weber octave mandolin many yrs ago sadly the soundboard cave in on itself they forgot to put the braces on it. I really love the sound the octave mandolins . I ended on getting Long Scale 10 strings Irish Citterns , P.W.Crump lll , Long scale 3 Nyberg Citterns in different woods. I hoping to get a small scale cittern kinda like octave mandolin /mandola with 2 extra strings. Keep on picking Lady Em :)
I play guitar (6 yrs- progressed rapidly)- perform. Play fiddle: 10 yrs. etc. I am debating $300 Loar vs $1k Eastman Octave - which should be my FIRST purchase? 🤔 I sing and perform 8-12x a month- cafes, festivals, venues, busking. I expect to take to either mandolin rapidly- I have played Irish session-traditional for 25 yrs. NOT inclined to play bluegrass! Should I invest cheaper $ into the mando, and wait...or go for the octave? 🤔 oh the decisions!! 😅 ❤ Love your channel, BTW!!
Thanks!! Ohh that is a tough one! I’d say that the Octave Mandolin is far better for accompaniment while singing. If that is what you think you will be using it for most, I would go with that one! However if you like playing more instrumental music or really fast tunes, then the mandolin might be your best bet. Octave Mandolin is great for instrumental music as well. I’m sure you will love either one!! They are both fantastic instruments and can be used multiple different ways.
Great video. Subscribed and liked. :-) For me, I found that tenor banjo fingering patterns work well on the octave mandolin. Of course the tuning of a tenor banjo is different (CGDA) but the neck length and fret sizes are similar.
Any suggestions for a mandolin with a wider neck? I played a mandolin for years but stopped as I couldn’t get used to the thin neck profile especially on the first few frets.
The Mandolin family is much like the Violin family.. Same deal, but bigger.. Violin..Viola..Cello..Double Bass.. (Probably missed some..) A Bazouki is the longer scale..
That was great thanks for posting. Do you also tune your octave to GDAD and play irish and celtic on it? If so would love to hear you do a song in both tunings sometime.
From my understanding, the Irish Bouzouki is a couple inches longer in its scale length than the octave mandolin and is tuned to G D A D instead of G D A E like the octave mandolin.
Hi Lady Em I don't know if you or your friends know about this book Mike Marshall's Mandolin method The Great Book of Finger Buster It's a fantastic book get your right hand moving . Mike Marshall any others big on Pick Down on the beat and up stroke on &. I came across a book Art of Picking by Jimmy Bruno Jazz Guitarist. One of the exercises is playing with the accent on the up stroke. Using Mike Marshall exercises then going in reverse with the accent on the up stroke. Most people play jigs Dud Dud Dud leaning Jimmy Bruno technique playing with the accent on the up stroke Dud Udu Dud Udu. Leaning both techniques one is free . Like Johnson livingston seagull Novella by Richard Bach Fying without fying or Bruce Lee Fighting without fighting. I hope this make sense Happy Picking my friends “You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle. When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can drip and it can crash. Become like water my friend.” ― Bruce Lee
Hmm…the strings are bigger on the octave so they don’t hurt quite as much because of that. However, they do require just as much pressure to get pushed down all the as the mandolin does. The set-up of your instrument does make a big difference when it comes to this! If you’re having trouble with pressing down on the mandolin, you might consider getting the action of your instrument looked at to see if it could come any lower. It does take practice and stamina to build up your fingers to being able to play for long periods of time though.
Great comparison. Your presentation was the final impetus for me to order the octave mandolin. I love it. I’ll never stop playing my standard Mando, but a new instrument is very motivating. Thanks!
Yes!! The octave is an amazing addition!
I like the octave mandolin sound better - especially the sustain. You are tempting me to get one . Excellent content
Yes!! The sustain is beautiful on the octave!
As I am getting older (70) (and after a lifetime of hand damage in the construction industry) I found regular guitar ever more difficult to play, especially forming chords like C or F.. but.. I have moved more to a Mandola where I have it strung with octave in the pairs (so 7 different strings) and find it much easier to play.. but still with a full sound.
If you are struggling.. give these instruments (Mandola.. Octave Mandolin) a try.. Many of the basic chords use only 2 fingers..
I am currently converting a budget Epiphone AJ100 (6 String Guitar) to an 8 string (The longer headstock allows 8 Machine heads) in the 4 x 2 string configuration and hope it will contribute a more 'bassy' element missing from the mid range mandolin family.
As Emma points out.. There is no real defined place in Music for these instruments.. Also..particularly useful for songwriters looking for inspiration.. See Sarah Jarosz..
Sarah Jarosz is so amazing
Absolutely love the make up you are rocking. And ohyeah awesome vid. Being a new mando player I imidiatly subbed. Great channel
Awesome comparison, well done!
Thank you!
Hola Emma, soy de Chile 🇨🇱, un pais al sur del mundo. Me encantan tus videos, me gusta como interpretas las canciones, generas un ambiente lleno de emociones, principalmente alegría. Gracias por tus recomendaciones, pues he podido aprender cosas que no sabía sobre la mandolina y la mandolina de octava. Un abrazo. 🤗
Thank you so much!!
Excellent
Good reminder for me to use my pinky more often!
Thank you! Hahah😂😂
Good demonstration. I’m glad that you mentioned the OM‘s usefulness in accompanying singing in a worship setting. This is one of the reasons why I bought my OM recently. Would you consider doing a video using the OM to accompany singing a common hymn or two?
Thank you! That is a great idea!
Good information ❤
Thanks from India
Thank you!
nice video, informative
Thanks!
I really love your music & video's Thumbs up Lady Em :)
I always wonder one can do a bluegrass bluegrass mandolin chop on a octave mandolin.
Last night I came across Sierra Hull video Bluegrass Mandolin Lesson: Octave Mandolin Strumming & Chopping with Sierra Hull || very enlightening video :) Also came across Craig Irving video's on Irish/folk Strumming Patterns very cool video's.
I use to have a weber octave mandolin many yrs ago sadly the soundboard cave in on itself they forgot to put the braces on it.
I really love the sound the octave mandolins . I ended on getting Long Scale 10 strings Irish Citterns , P.W.Crump lll , Long scale 3 Nyberg Citterns in different woods. I hoping to get a small scale cittern kinda like octave mandolin /mandola with 2 extra strings. Keep on picking Lady Em :)
I play guitar (6 yrs- progressed rapidly)- perform. Play fiddle: 10 yrs. etc. I am debating $300 Loar vs $1k Eastman Octave - which should be my FIRST purchase? 🤔 I sing and perform 8-12x a month- cafes, festivals, venues, busking. I expect to take to either mandolin rapidly- I have played Irish session-traditional for 25 yrs. NOT inclined to play bluegrass! Should I invest cheaper $ into the mando, and wait...or go for the octave? 🤔 oh the decisions!! 😅 ❤
Love your channel, BTW!!
Thanks!! Ohh that is a tough one! I’d say that the Octave Mandolin is far better for accompaniment while singing. If that is what you think you will be using it for most, I would go with that one! However if you like playing more instrumental music or really fast tunes, then the mandolin might be your best bet. Octave Mandolin is great for instrumental music as well. I’m sure you will love either one!! They are both fantastic instruments and can be used multiple different ways.
Well and beautifully explained!
Thank you!
Great video. Subscribed and liked. :-) For me, I found that tenor banjo fingering patterns work well on the octave mandolin. Of course the tuning of a tenor banjo is different (CGDA) but the neck length and fret sizes are similar.
Thank you! Ah that’s interesting!
Any suggestions for a mandolin with a wider neck? I played a mandolin for years but stopped as I couldn’t get used to the thin neck profile especially on the first few frets.
Thanks for the video...but I'd like to know the difference between an octave mandolin and a Irish bouzouki.?..cheers from France
The Mandolin family is much like the Violin family.. Same deal, but bigger.. Violin..Viola..Cello..Double Bass.. (Probably missed some..) A Bazouki is the longer scale..
That was great thanks for posting. Do you also tune your octave to GDAD and play irish and celtic on it? If so would love to hear you do a song in both tunings sometime.
Thank you! I haven’t ever tuned my octave to that tuning, but it would be fun to try it sometime!
My Sobel is 14 inches long, 18 frets and I always thought it was an octave mandolin?
Would love to know the difference between an octave mandolin and a mandocello.
Mancocellos are tuned a fifth lower than an Octave Mandolin. CGDA as opposed to GDAE.
What is the difference between Octave Mandoline and Irish Bouzoki? 🤔
From my understanding, the Irish Bouzouki is a couple inches longer in its scale length than the octave mandolin and is tuned to G D A D instead of G D A E like the octave mandolin.
I play irish bouzouki tuned to GDAE
Hi Lady Em
I don't know if you or your friends know about this book Mike Marshall's Mandolin method The Great Book of Finger Buster
It's a fantastic book get your right hand moving . Mike Marshall any others big on Pick Down on the beat and up stroke on &. I came across a book Art of Picking by Jimmy Bruno Jazz Guitarist. One of the exercises is playing with the accent on the up stroke. Using Mike Marshall exercises then going in reverse with the accent on the up stroke.
Most people play jigs Dud Dud Dud leaning Jimmy Bruno technique playing with the accent on the up stroke Dud Udu Dud Udu. Leaning both techniques one is free . Like Johnson livingston seagull Novella by Richard Bach
Fying without fying or Bruce Lee Fighting without fighting. I hope this make sense
Happy Picking my friends
“You must be shapeless, formless, like water. When you pour water in a cup, it becomes the cup. When you pour water in a bottle, it becomes the bottle. When you pour water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can drip and it can crash. Become like water my friend.”
― Bruce Lee
I find it hard pressing on standard mandolin...is it easier on the octave mandolin?
Hmm…the strings are bigger on the octave so they don’t hurt quite as much because of that. However, they do require just as much pressure to get pushed down all the as the mandolin does. The set-up of your instrument does make a big difference when it comes to this! If you’re having trouble with pressing down on the mandolin, you might consider getting the action of your instrument looked at to see if it could come any lower. It does take practice and stamina to build up your fingers to being able to play for long periods of time though.
Thanks shalom
How beautiful you are ........!!!!!