Octave Mandolin

[TamboresDeJaykub]

what is this song you are playing?

[mandolinman44]

@mrronburroughs This is a Petersen Octave Level 1. Yes, too bad it's gone. It's somewhere in Louisville, KY.

[asatattack]

Totally cool instrument! Tried one for the first time two weeks ago.

[GOLDENWOOD1020]

Very soulful, man, very soulful.  Thanks...

[MandolinMan93]

I was thinking about getting one of these one day, is it any harder to play then a mandolin?

[mandolinman44]

It is similar to a mandolin in that it has 8 strings, but like a smaller scale guitar neck wise. It's a fun instrument, I wish I still had it.

[MorkaGraven]

Not 8 strings as such, 4 courses... Just to be technically more correct.

[RainMan002]

excellent mandolin playing, but you need to work on the dog... he's so off-beat and out of tune.

[MorkaGraven]

Off the beat huh? He's a RASTA dog.

[Kcat243]

This is really good! i'm so into Irish stuff ever since i learned i was born in Ireland. I wish i could play like that but my music side has me singing and playing piano. Great Job!

Celtic Legend

[lemondirector]

Where do you get these?

[derekwerek]

That is a lovely tune mate, well done

[ladybluluv]

very nice

[RedWolfSV]

That was smooth with just enough bite. Something like a well brewed ale. Thanks so much for sharing you talent.

[Blackthorne32]

i'm getting one of these for celtic music

[bluegrasslovely]

Whatever the name of the instrument your playing , what seems like the most inportant here is the astounding quality of your playing : you are so talented ! are you self taught or did you have some kind of incredible mandolin master to teach you the ropes ?

[kottolerello]

You just got it TODAY?! Are you a musical genius or have you had some previous experience with the instrument? Sounds really good.

[aintnobfd]

bouzouki's are typically strung differently than the OMs. The bouzouki's first two pairs of strings are unison, while the 3rd and 4th pairs are octaves, with the higher of the two on top.

OM's are all unison strings, like the mando.

[gmtdiato]

Well played![ignore the other c---]

[precelek2004]

Every thing grate except of the DOG sound ;)

[robocat66]

Very cool! As the instrument came GG-DD-GG-DD, did you change it to GG-DD-AA-EE tuning? I like it very much, I play mandolin, but I think I'll get an Octave mando too.

[NancyWhiskeyNo1]

beautiful

[TAKENnameARGH]

Great singing too! ... or was it a dog?

[mandofiddle]

guitar mandolins... sometimes i think that musicains take two instruments, put then in a closet overnight and let them breed so that they can play another instrument the next day! whats next, a dobro mandolin?-oh wait...

[incoserv]

Actually, I tried that once. Didn't work too well... |-/

[gretchenman]

Very odd but that is friggin cool!

[AceGui7ar]

hey thats realy cool :)

[GarvassoTheClown]

AWESOME

[ivanandingrid]

Oh you sound great!

[cachetrash]

The tone is great, the tune is great. Nice work. Two suggestions? Lock the dog in another room - and turn around so the light from the window is ON you rather than making a siloutette. Can't see your fancy fingerwork.

Lookup the Dog Whisperer on MSN-Video. He deals with a dog that barks at guitar players. Funny stuff.

[MomIB999]

This instrument has a wonderful sound. How does playing this compare to a mandolin?

[mandolinman44]

it's about the same, just a longer scale neck

[LastTaboo]

I bet it feels great with all that extra room to stretch.

[tifus]

el perro lo jodió al final xD aunke le da su toke >.<

[Keelsman]

I thought a violin and a fiddle were identical instruments, but different styles of playing...

A bouzouki is definitely not the same as an octave mandolin though, the scale is longer, the strings are sometimes in octaves rather than unison, and they're more often seen with round or oval sound holes.

nor is an octave mandolin the same as a mandola, a mandola is sort of the step in between, usually tuned CGDA

[9844267]

unless you get into historical instruments a violin and a fiddle are pretty much the same just different styles of playing. The only difference is fiddle players somtimes flatten the bridge slightly to make double stops and chords easier.

[dillwankster]

beautiful tone, nice work! for mandolin tab try mandolincafe, jazzmando, mandozine..

[roxygrl15]

wow sounds great

[alexmann600]

dude... an octave mandolin IS a bouzuki

[Varian128]

Not really... they're slightly different. Like a violin and a fiddle. I believe a bouzouki has a longer neck and fretboard.

[Shalebot]

Bouzouki is a blanket (and original) term for all of these instruments. "Octave Mandolin" is most commonly used to describe those that are of a scale length of 23-24" and under, while "Bouzouki" is used to describe those 24+.

In the UK, they tend to call them octave mandolas, I believe. You're safest if you call them bouzoukis, probably.

[thismanonfire]

Thats wrong. While they are related the Octave Mandolin and the Bouzouki are different instruments. They have different origins and lengths and even slightly different tunings. The Bouzouki originated out of Greece while the Octave Mandolin originated in Ireland.

[Shalebot]

Unlike mandolins, which are a little more mainstream, there are no scale length, tuning, or even build standards for the longer-scaled members of the mando family. One can presume that this is due to said obscurity.

I stand by my previous comment.

If you are so sure of your stance, I suggest coming up with some working definitions of the two instruments. =]

[thismanonfire]

I think i am starting to fall in love with you

[IsaacBickerstaffEsq]

"One can presume that this is due to said obscurity."

I presume it's because all the names are quasi-arbitrary. They're ALL just necked chordophones. A stick with some strings stretched over and maybe some form of resonator.

The names are just labels for the purpose of easing conversation about them. They don't dictate what the thing IS.

I yam what I yam and that's all that I yam.

[Shalebot]

Perhaps so. I blame people from the UK for any arbitrariness.

And as far as easing conversation / dictating what the instruments are, I fear some of these names (maybe it's just the way people use them) don't really help anything.

I like OM for smaller scale instruments, and Bouzouki for larger ones, as far as that's concerned. But that's just my opinion. I also happen to like the fact that Bouzouki sounds more like "bozooka", so it's quite possible my opinion means little.

[IsaacBickerstaffEsq]

"I blame people from the UK for any arbitrariness."

That blame is misplaced. It is inherent in nature.

I have by my side two instruments. One has a longer scale and is tuned in standard guitar tuning. The other has a shorter scale and is tuned to a chord.

What are the names of these two instruments?

[Shalebot]

That blame doesn't exist, because I was being sarcastic. =]

Well, that depends on quite a few factors, and the more factors it depends on, the better. =]

I think you will see a more rigid identification structure when / if these instruments become more popular (and I think you'll see the bouzouki / cittern family - at least some of the more common forms - becoming more popular, as the mandolin has).

The more people that need to talk about something, the larger the need for useful terminology.

[IsaacBickerstaffEsq]

"the more factors it depends on, the better."

The more factors it depends on the sillier the name becomes.

[Shalebot]

I'll concede that it may sound silly at first, yes (You're probably thinking: "What, are we going to name a new instrument for every scale length / tuning? Please...").

By all means, if you would rather call everything a stick with some strings on it, go right ahead.

But in this case, I feel some more explicit (or at least standard) terminology would be helpful.

[IsaacBickerstaffEsq]

The name of an instrument really only has meaning within a certain context. Change the context and you may have to change the name.

For instance, that only real difference between a violin and a viola is pitch, but that single difference may be important enough to warrant a different name.

In fact, the French simply call the viola an "alto."

In another context, yes, they may both simply be sticks with some strings on them.

[IsaacBickerstaffEsq]

In point of fact the instruments I make are pretty much nothing but sticks with strings on them.

Then in the context of lying across my lap it "is" a mountain dulcimer, but held across my body it "is" a 'zouk.

And yet nothing about IT has changed at all, only the orientation to my body.

[conglieteri]

Just to correct your example: The violin is much lighter and comes in four basic sizes (unless you're a midget), while a viola is generally "fatter" and comes in a virtually limitless array of sizes.

That is all I have to say. The naming argument for citterns has been confusing me, however, so please continue your discourse with Shalebot!

[IsaacBickerstaffEsq]

I have four 4/4 violins. None of them are the same size or scale (which makes changing instruments "fun").

The size of the viola family of instruments is entirely a side effect of their PITCH. Matching the air volume of the body to perfect resonance with their range. Only the violin actually achieves this, which is why there is more variation in viola size than in violin size. The viola would be too large to hold easily if made to the ideal size.

[IsaacBickerstaffEsq]

And of course the preceding does not take into account my fiddles of various pitches which are nothing more than sticks with strings stretched across them, to which I may or may not add a resonator and/or pickup.

When using modeling software they are all the same size. "Violin size," even the cello, because the instruments are defined by their pitch range, not their size.

[IsaacBickerstaffEsq]

As to confusion about the cittern, it's really just a mando with an extra course, unless you alter the body shape slightly, then they're all guitars.

But there are five and six string fretted violins of various body shapes tuned an octave low; and they're still called violins (even though they ought to be called viols, which are really just bowed guitars).

Don't expect it to make sense. It doesn't.

[kottolerello]

... then they probably arent all actually 4/4. or else, by "not the same size" you mean very very small differences. Or you have some real weird violins.

oh, and it's not the pitch of the viola, per se. its the fact they have one lower string, the C. and, it IS a different string. even though you COULD tune a viola up to GDAE, the lowest string would still be a "C" string.

But, what is or is not one thing or another is a really nasty philosophical problem I don't suggest getting into.

[kc7fys]

Tom Jessen in Mankato, MN will make you up a nice mando of that scale length. He builds hurdy gurdys for god's sake! Need a Nickelharpua? Malian thingamajig? Call Tom.

[sylentskreem]

What kind of octave mando is that (Brand, number, etc.)? Also, what's the name of the piece you are playing? I really enjoy this! Thanks for posting!

[mandolinman44]

It is a Petersen Level I. I had just gotten it, and the tune was just improvisation. Thanks for the kind words.

[vanyekim]

man, i have to get a mandola...

[guitarpunkfreakk]

can you please send me so good mandolin tabs?? much thanks

[mandolinman44]

try countrytabs(dot)com, I dont mess with tab that much but that site seems to be a pretty good source

[JuanitoEquis]

way to go bro

[metalman924]

Thats a big mandolin

[ellae31]

great! awesome sound and you rock dude

[musik699]

which do u prefer mandolin or octave mandolin??

[mandolinman44]

Mandolin definitely

[samdashiz11]

dude you suck

[WBBill]

Boy go get back on mama's teet. Come back when you grow up.

[MrMandolin]

Beautiful sound!

-MrMandolin

[mandolinman44]

Thanks MrMandolin

[tehblunderbuss]

sweet mandy

[lazystrings]

I've never seen a mandolin like that, it sounds great.

[snufkin789]

very cool sound, reminds me a bit of egyptian / north african music

[valdae]

Christ almighty, that was wonderful! Wonderful! I was contemplating getting a mando until I started watching vids of the octave mando, and yours opened my eyes to the possibilities! Thanks man, you've helped me make up my mind, TOTALLY! VERY SWEET!

[mandolinman44]

Thanks very much!

[chirfu]

I played an Octave the other day and Em sounds particularly wonderful on the Octave Mando. I played my song Possom Hunter on it and it was so sweet! You sound great on that thing!

Adam

[WBBill]

Cool, look forward to hearing after you've spent some time with it.

[BandOnTheRun87]

what would be the best mandolin for a proficent player like me