Techniques and Fundamentals
These lessons are here when you have specific questions or interests. Don’t feel the need to watch all of these at once, you’ll have more fun jumping right into learning tunes and songs.
Basics
- Playing Simple Scales
- Playing Simple Chords
- Parts of the Mandolin
- Setting Up Your Mandolin (Part 1)
- Setting Up Your Mandolin (Part 2)
- The Notes of the Mandolin
- How To Tune The Mandolin
- Switching Between Chords
- Changing Between Chords and Melody
- Sounding Good (Tone Production)
Chords
- Playing Simple Chords
- How To Build Chords
- Learn To Play Every Major And Minor Chord
- Chop Chords
- Switching Between Chords
- Two String Chords: Key Of D
- Two String Chords: Key Of G
- Two String Chords: Key Of A
- My Favorite C Chord
Left Hand Technique
- Hammer On & Pull Off Techniques
- Left Hand Warm Up Exercises
- Left Hand Strength & Confidence Training
- Relax And Optimize Your Left Hand
- Proper Pick Direction Through Accenting Beats
- Keep Your Left Hand Fingers Down
- Don’t Look Down
- What Fingers To Use
- Harmony & Double Stops (Part 1)
- Harmony & Double Stops (Part 2)
- Learn To Play Up The Neck
Right Hand Technique
- Pick Direction – How To Play Reels
- Pick Direction – How To Play Jigs
- How To Play Tremolo
- Right Hand Warm Up Exercises
- How To Play Triplets (Part 1)
- How To Play Triplets (Part 2)
- Don’t Look Down
- Consecutive Downstrokes
- Jig Picking Exercises
- Another View Of The Right Hand
- Swing Rhythm vs. Straight Rhythm
- How Deep to Pick Into the Strings
- Pick Grips
Ornaments
- Hammer On & Pull Off Techniques
- How To Play Tremolo
- How To Play Triplets (Part 1)
- How To Play Triplets (Part 2)
- Upstroke Sweep
- Melodic Variation: Octave Substitutions
- Melodic Variation: Chord Tone Substitutions
- The Power of Drones
- Drones and One String Melodies
Music Theory
- How To Build Chords
- Learn To Play Every Major And Minor Chord
- Learn To Play In Every Key (Every Major Scale) (Part One)
- Learn To Play In Every Key (Every Major Scale) (Part Two)
- Playing Octaves On The Mandolin
- How And When To Use A Capo
- Musical Modes for Fiddle Tunes (Part 1)
- Musical Modes for Fiddle Tunes (Part 2)
- Musical Modes for Fiddle Tunes (Part 3)
- Two String Chords: Key Of D
- Two String Chords: Key Of G
- Two String Chords: Key Of A
- Six Chords From One Shape!
- Scale Degrees
Other
- How To Play Faster
- Cross Tuning (Alternate Tuning)
- How Fast Should I Play?
- Creating Fiddle Tune Sets (Part 1)
- Creating Fiddle Tune Sets (Part 2)
- Sounding Good (Tone Production)
- How And When To Use A Capo
- Palm Muting
- Third Position
- Developing a Practice Routine
- Using A Metronome (Part 1)
- Using A Metronome (Part 2)
- Using A Metronome (Part 3)
- Connecting Your Fingers To Your Brain (Sing What You Play)
- Hybrid Picking
- See How Far You Have Come
- Should You Plant Your Pinky?
- Don’t Look Down
- Melodic Fluidity And Good Tone
- Six Chords From One Shape!
- How to Follow Guitar Players (Part 1): Reading Guitar Chord Shapes
- How to Follow Guitar Players (Part 2): Capo Placement
- How to Follow Guitar Players (Part 3): Walking Bass Lines
- Split String Courses
- $50 vs $350 vs $4500 Mandolin
- Guitar Pick Comparison and Sound Test
- How To Hear Chord Changes (The House, The Yard, & The Woods)
- Scale Degrees
- Mandolin vs. Mandola vs. Octave Mandolin
- Introduction to the Octave Mandolin
- Introduction to the Mandola
- How to Attach a Strap to a Mandolin
- What Are These Things?
- How Much To Practice
- How to Find People to Play Music With: Sessions & Jams
- Turn Any Tune Into a Waltz or Jig or Reel
- Modern F Hole Vs. Vintage Oval Hole Mandolin Comparison
- The Power of Drones
- How To Sound Your Best
- Drones and One String Melodies
Double Stops Series
- Part 1: Using Open Strings
- Part 2: Fretting Double Stops
- Part 3: Thinking About Chords
- Part 4: The Theory Behind Double Stops