Mandolin Lesson #2 - Basic licks in the key of A

I show you some open string licks in the key of A, explaining some of the ways you can add to your basic scale for a more bluesy sound, and show an example from the ragtime blues tune "Charleston," by my close personal friend Claudia Russell.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Claudia Russell
• mandolin lesson
• ragtime

[complexmerde]

i just recently picked up the mandolin (my second week) and love how beginner friendly your vids have been. would you mind explaining the 5/6 peddling on A a bit more? (the chuckberry/beachboys/rollingst­ones part)

[BruceKap440]

The idea is to let the root (in this case A) drone by barring the 4th and 3rd string 2nd fret while the 3rd string moves from 2nd fret to 4th fret (3rd finger) to 5 fret (pinky) and back down again. This gives you 5-6-7-6-5. And you would play muted 8th notes, probably with down strokes to get the full effect.

[quaddc]

Great licks, good job on explanation. thanks Bruce!

[SullenVex]

Plz.. Slow down. And mayb figure out what ur doin and goin to say before hand instead of on the fly. It seems ur not surevwhat u just did til u think about it. And mayb not mention the notes. Just the fret and string numbers. U speek too fast sumtimes. This is for beginners right?

[TheHarryink]

Like complexmerde I'm just starting out on the mandolin and I really appreciate you showing me another way forward to add to the 'from the book' lessons I'm trudging through to wake up my picking fingers. I also appreciate your command of the intervals and fret descriptions. Just my level so a real bonus to understanding. Thanks from 'Down Under'.

[gasmoney51]

Great lesson. As a longtime rockabilly guitar picker this type of instruction is really wonderful as it parlays right into what I want to learn.

Thanks so much.

PS Check out my channel for lots of hollowbody gretsch twangin--its free!!

All the best

Fred

[jonwints]

Bruce, you teach mando very well. Thank you sir.