Ragtime Annie is a quick tempo, trad fiddle tune, played in the key of D. It’s a great session tune, and this arrangement features double stops – built to be played with power and at speed, great for a rowdy session! As we break down the tune slowly, it is quite manageable, all with the aim of once memorised, you’ll be able to dial up the tempo as needed! Go to lesson...
John Ryan’s Polka is a well known traditional Irish polka, played in the key of D. In this lesson, we’ll cover the basic melody, but as simple as the melody is, we’ll then turn our attention to increasing speed in our playing. We’ll cover several speed exercises and an important strategy to help in your progress. Go to lesson...
Cripple Creek is a popular bluegrass tune, played in the key of A. In this arrangement, we’ll cover four variations, beginning with an intermediate version, progressing into advanced variations that include some great techniques, double stops and bluesy embellishments on the melody. It’s a great tune, popular with banjo pickers, and with this mandolin break, you’ll keep up with the best of them! Go to lesson...
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...
Eleanor Plunkett is an Air (3/4), composed by Turlough O’Carolan and in the key of G. It has a very sweet melody, moves along gently and very rewarding to play. This arrangement is in a chord melody style, well suited to the intermediate picker wanting a challenge and sounds great played solo or with accompaniment, take your pick! Go to lesson...
The Boys of Ballycastle is a traditional Irish hornpipe in the key of Em. In this fun arrangement for the intermediate picker, we’ll cover various ornaments & rhythmic variation within the melody; plus it’s a great exercise for the left-hand using all four fingers on the open position. Jump into the lesson & we’ll break down the tune together. Go to lesson...
Trip To Sligo has a beautiful, yet haunting melody and in this lesson we’ll take a look at an arrangement on the mandolin in the key of Em. In 6/8 time (Jig), there are some challenging right-hand picking combinations, plus some great arpeggio & scale movement, making this lesson suitable for an intermediate 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...
Southwind is a traditional Irish waltz, played in the key of G. It has a very beautiful melody that we’ll first learn in its basic form, then spice it up with a chord melody arrangement that also features a little crosspicking. While the basic melody is very simple, I’d suggest the more advanced variation of the tune is suited to the intermediate picker. Go to lesson...
Cherokee Shuffle is a popular American fiddle tune, played in the key of A. This is the second version here at Pickin’ Lessons and is a variation that features the lower tones of the mandolin. If you’re familiar with the open A major scale, it will help you get started, as I’d suggest this tune is suited to the intermediate picker. Go to lesson...