Let’s learn a blues lead break in the key of G on the mandolin! 12 bar blues with a shuffle feel, twice round, with lots of licks using the major & minor blues scale, up & down the neck. Also featuring double stops, slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs and a bend, this will certainly challenge the advancing picker! Go to lesson...
In this mandolin lesson, we’ll learn a Blues in G, combining both rhythm & lead in the one arrangement. With 2 variations over the 12 bar blues, lots of licks & rhythm variation, this is a lot of fun on the mandolin! It works well at a variety of tempos, as a solo piece or with accompaniment. Go to lesson...
The Three Sea Captains is a traditional Irish jig, played at a medium tempo, in the key of G. With a jolly melody, both the A & B parts are longer than the usual fiddle tune, making for a more substantial tune to pick. I’d suggest that you need to be comfortable with the jig picking structure, as this tune takes it up a notch with a variety of rhythmic variation featured throughout, making this tune more suited to the advanced intermediate picker. Go to lesson...
Cooley’s Reel is a traditional Irish reel in the key of Em (Dorian) and this arrangement contains two variations. It has a great feel and features some difficult passages that use arpeggios, triplet slurs and pedal tones, all while giving your right-hand a brilliant work out. While a challenge for the advanced picker, Cooley’s Reel is super fun to play & sounds great! Go to lesson...
Colonel John Irwin is an Air, composed by Turlough O’Carolan. There are two parts to the tune, in the key of D and this arrangement is played in the chord melody style. With a very pretty melody, the chord melody structure adds another layer to the mix, giving it great depth and is a tune well suited to the advanced picker. Go to lesson...
The Maid Behind The Bar is a traditional Irish reel, with a 2 part form, in the key of D. While an easy tune to pick up with a sweet melody, the tempo is fast, making it a great tune for the advanced picker wanting a challenge! In the lesson, we’ll cover the important techniques to focus on to help you get the tune up to speed. Go to lesson...
Da New Rigged Ship is a traditional Scottish reel, with a 3 part form. Part A & C are in Am (dorian), while part B modulates into A Major. There are two variations within the arrangement, the basic melody and a more advanced variation, featuring some great rhythm ornamentation. While the basic melody is easy enough to pick, this tune would suit the advanced picker due to the tempo and will be a great addition to your repertoire. Go to lesson...
The Monaghan Jig is an awesome tune in the key of Em, played at a fast tempo and suited to the advanced picker. There are four parts to the tune, each presenting their own challenges; arpeggios, picking technique, 16th note rhythms plus ensuring the 6/8 feel is accented. Spend some time on this tune, it will certainly develop your picking and will be a great addition to your repertoire! Go to lesson...
In this lesson for Joy To The World on the mandolin, we’ll take a look at a fun arrangement of the Christmas Carol played in a bluegrass style, for the both the intermediate & advanced picker.
In the key of A, there are 2 versions inside this arrangement. The first is a basic version of the melody with plenty of space in the rhythm & a little extra bluegrass flavour added. Go to lesson...
O’Carolan’s Dream has a beautiful melody composed by Turlough O’Carolan. In the key of Am, this arrangement features the chord melody technique throughout, which enables us to support the melody with the chords we find in the harmony, allowing this piece to sound great as a solo mandolin arrangement. With some difficult fretting hand positions, this piece is suited to the advancing intermediate picker – but, spend some time learning the melody and chord positions, and this piece will certainly be a rewarding addition to your repertoire. Go to lesson...