Lesson 1. From open strings to the first use of the little finger

With the first exercises of the Munier Elementary Studies we begin to familiarize ourselves with the instrument.
We will see in particular the exercises from number 1 to number 11.
Some small recommendations.

The first notes on the mandolin. Let's tune the instrument

The four double strings of the mandolin must be tuned in unison, that is, each string must be tuned in the same way as its twin.
Since there is an old joke that says that mandolinists spend half their time tuning the instrument and half playing with the instrument out of tone, it's better to spend thirty euros more for a good mandolin and ten euros for an electronic tuner.
The first two strings or cantini are tuned to the Mi and are those of thinner steel.
The second two strings must be tuned on the A and are always made of steel but a little bigger.
The third two strings are coated and must be tuned to the king.
The fourths, also coated, are to be tuned on the G.
Tune the strings one at a time, that is, do not try to tune both strings of the pair at the same time, because you will only waste time.

So are you ready?
And let's start with this adventure

Ethan Setiawan and Jeff Brassell in concert, 7 p.m., Thursday, March 23, 2017 in Bluffton, Ohio

Setiawan and his brilliant mandolin will share the stage with the voice of Brassel at Bluffton Town Hall Concert Series at 7 p.m., Thursday, March 23, in Bluffton, Allen and Hancock counties, Ohio.
If you find over there the evening could be really interesting

2017 Monroe Mandolin Camp. Nashville 13 to 17 September 2017

It will be held September 13 to 17 the 2017 edition of Monroe Mandolin Camp. The event is scheduled in Nashville, Tennessee, the city where great part of American music was born.

New this year is the inclusion of a course on blues influences. The course will be taught by the excellent Rich Del Grosso, a great in the teaching field of the blues mandolin.

The fees are reasonable, although it still has to be added to the microscopic detail of the trip, but there are discounts and grants.

More information can be found here

2017 Summer camp of the International Italian Mandolin & Guitar Accademia

Maestro Carlo Aonzo, the great italian mandolin virtuoso, announced that this year the annual Summer camp will be held again in Acqui Terme, a small city close to Alessandria, in the north west of Italy, August 20 to 27.
More informations about location, enrollment, courses and accomodation can be found here 

An interesting article in the Wall Street Journal on the great Avi Avital

The personal history of Avi Avital, the Israeli mandolin player based in Berlin, resembles in many respects a fairy tale.
The Wall Street Journal tells this tale on Feb. 9, 2017.
The article can be found here, it really worth to read it

Whole picking and half picking. Tremolo e staccato

Let's face it. Talking about 'half-picking' and ‘whole picking’ will give you, at a minimum, alarmed reactions of astonishment. The question will come in a second, how can even exist a pick in half.

But in the mandolin whole and half picking do exist and their definition is common to the vast majority of the classical methods for mandolin.

In particular, the whole picking is the movement by which the pick hits the strings TWICE, one down (from SOL to MI – from G to E) and up (from MI to SOL – from E to G).

The half picking is the movement with which the pick hitting the strings ONCE, up OR down.

When a note is played with 4 whole picking the strings will then hit 8 times, four down and four up.

Munier in the method assigned at the beginning, a 'correct' number of whole picking for different note values ​​ranging from 8 whole picking for the whole note, which is worth 4/4, up to 2 for the quarter note, which is worth ¼.

To this definition I would also add 1 whole picking  for the chroma, which is 1/8, cause that definition is then given (for the initial phase of the staccato study) and used in the text.

The use of whole picking in the precise measurement is used in the development of the tremolo mechanism, the wrist, arm and hand will gradually adapt to this new movement and, once well mastered the movement, you will first increase the speed and then double the number of whole picking per note, bringing to 16 the whole picking for whole note and to 4 whole picking for the quarter note.

San Diego Classical Mandolin Camp 2016. Feat. Chris Aquavella

From 25 to 31 July 2016 will be held in San Diego, California. The Mandolin Camp organized by the excellent Chris Aquavella.

Here the link to the event

Here the link for hotel accommodation

If you go there do not forget to send us some pictures

Gubbio Summer Festival 2016

Will be held in the beautiful setting of this small town in the Umbria region the Gubbio Summer Festival, it is the 27th edition of this international cultural event which every year sees as protagonists famous musicians, teachers and concert artists, and countless young talents from all over the world.
For the mandolin will be in charge Dorina Frati. The courses will be held from July 28 to August 2.


Here your information

The same post on the italian blog

Mandolino Italiano in Brisbane June 5, 2016

On the 5th June in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, an interesting concert will be held as part of the celebrations planned for the Italian Week.

The Mandolins in Brisbane group will perform in both playing groups, the Brisbane Mandolins and Queensland Mandolin Ensemble.

The program includes music by Verdi, Vivaldi and Italian popular songs.

Here the link to the program

The same post on the italian blog

Mandolin lessons. Why the Carlo Munier method rather than others?

The mandolin lessons that we will publish on this blog will have as a 'textbook'  the "Metodo pratico completo - Scuola del Mandolino" written by Carlo Munier.
The choice, long and weighted, was done mainly, but not only, for the following reasons:
1) It 'a great method, has clear illustrations and is easy to read, the text is in english, italian and french, the exercises are numerous and gradual, in some parts too gradual so that we will skip someone and we will resume some in "summary exercises".
2) It's available for free on the web (find the link here or on the right side of the blog) which means you can download it, print it, spread it, but it also means that it will not be a problem if you forget the method going somewhere, you can re-download and keep going with your exercises.
3) It is part of a overall and powerful work  of which primarily we will use the Method, the "Scioglidita" (finger melter!!) with specific scales studies, preludes and cadences aimed at improving the speed, and the "Utile dulci" who starts the study of duets.
The author himself is a sort of rockstar in the history of the mandolin, for a discussion on the figure refer to his Wiki page.
Other methods are still very valid, and many are also available for free, such as the Method in 125 lessons written by Giuseppe Branzoli.

The same post on the italian blog

Learning to read music or learn to read TABs?

Music notation is the one read by the system of dots and other symbols, on the pentagram, the TABs report instead the four pairs of strings on which is marked a number for the key to be pressed. For example for playing the 1st pair of open strings into musical notation a dot will appear in the space between the two lines of the higher stave, in a TAB appears a zero (which indicates the string to  be played 'open', without a ginger on the fingerboard), on the highest line .
Many believe that they save time by learning to read the TABs, ignoring musical notation.
I know I'm about to say something unpleasant but the investment of learning to read music is one of the best that we can do and I highly recommend it for, among others, those reasons.
1) It 'a universal language, which applies to every musical instrument, if you show your mandolin TAB to a flute player or a pianist they will ask you what on earth is that piece of paper, if they see a score they will start mumbling the song.
2) Once you learn to read music it can be applied to every instrument, albeit with limitations, the score of your instrument will be in fact identical, to read, to the flutist part.

The same post on the italian blog

The first notes on the mandolin. Tune the instrument

The four double mandolin strings are tuned in unison, that is, each string must be tuned the same way his twin.
Given that there is an old joke that says that the mandolin players spend half of their time to tune the instrument, and half playing with the instrument out of tune spend thirty bucks more for a good mandolin and ten bucks for an electronic tuner.
The first two or treble strings should be tuned on E and are those of thinner steel.
The second two strings should be tuned on A and are of a bit thicker steel.
The third two strings are coated and must be tuned on D.
The fourth, also coated, should be tuned on the G.
Tune the strings one at a time, that is, do not attempt to simultaneously tune both strings of the pair, You will only waste your time in such attempt.

So are you ready?
Let's start with this adventure

The same post on the italian blog