Årepolskan // Nordic Folk Music // Mandolin Duo
In this video, Karl Tiren and Magnus Zetterlund play play a traditional Swedish fiddle tune called Årepolskan. This dance tune is a triplet polska from the region of Jämtland.
The melody is interesting, wandering from G-major to E-minor in a typical way for this tradition. It is a soulful and elegant fiddle tune.
In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:
- Sheet music/tabs (PDF)
- Backing and play-a-long tracks (MP3)
- How-to-play-instructions
Our arrangement is a three-part arrangement with a melody and harmony part on the mandolin and the chords part on the octave mandolin.
Mandolin Ragtime Chords Lesson // Sailor’s Hornpipe // Octave Mandolin
In this video, I will show you how to play the chords and harmony for sailor’s hornpipe on mandolin and octave mandolin. This melody is an iconic fiddle tune that dates back to the 18th century.
This traditional music is presented in Celtic, Bluegrass, and Scandinavian music. However, my duo arrangement has a little ragtime flavour to it.
The tune is sometimes referred to as "Jack's the Lad" and was also played in the animated cartoon series Popeye, so some people refer to this as Popeye's hornpipe.
In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:
- Sheet music/tabs (PDF)
- Backing and play-a-long tracks (MP3)
- How-to-play-instructions
Powerful Exercise for Fretboard Freedom on the Mandolin // Tutorial
In this video lesson, I want to show you an excellent exercise for improving your fretboard freedom and fretboard knowledge.
The concept is simple. You are taking a fiddle tune you already know in the first position, playing it up the neck in the closed position.
This exercise is a great vocabulary builder to strengthen your musical skills and playing technique.
I’m demonstrating the exercise with the tune Cherokee Shuffle, but I recommend using the concept for any fiddle tune you know.
In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:
- Sheet music/tabs
- Backing and play-a-long tracks (MP3)
- How-to-play-instructions
Bill Cheatham // Bluegrass Mandolin Lesson // Melody with Variations
In this video, I will show you how to play the old-time fiddle tune "Bill Cheatham" on the mandolin. This fiddle tune is a very common jam tune, and you will find it in bluegrass, old-time, and Irish music sessions.
It appears with some different spelling for the name; I've seen Bill Cheatem and Bill Cheatum. It's primarily played in A-major, and that's how I present it here.
I will demonstrate a couple of ways to make easy variations for it, focusing on the pickup line.
I will also show you how to play the melody on the octave mandolin, using different fingerings.
Here I'm playing the tune with my friend Lena Jonsson who is an amazing fiddle player from Sweden.
In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:
- Sheet music/tabs (PDF)
- Backing and play-a-long tracks (MP3)
- How-to-play-instructions
Tennessee Blues // Straight Melody // Mandolin Lesson
In this mandolin lesson, Hayes Griffin shows you how to play the melody to the Bill Monroe tune “Tennessee Blues.”
There are many ways that modern players choose to interpret this tune, but this lesson is focused on learning a version of the tune that “straightens out” the original crooked time signature of the Bill Monroe version. This version is closer to what Chris Thile and Michael Daves play on their cut of this tune.
In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:
- Sheet music/tabs
- Play-a-long track
- How-to-play-instructions
Essential Mandolin Fretboard Pattern - Box 3 - Mandolin Lesson
Today we are playing a pentatonic lick in box number 3. This closed position pattern is one of the essential shapes for playing up the fretboard. This little etude makes you do extreme position shifts so that Box no 3 becomes effortless in your playing. I’m demonstrating the lick in C-major and F sharp major.
In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:
- Sheet music/tabs
- Backing and play-a-long tracks (MP3)
- How-to-play-instructions
Octave Mandolin Lesson - Chords for Årepolskan - Scandinavian Folk Music
In this video lesson, I show you how to play the chords for a traditional Swedish fiddle tune called Årepolskan. This dance tune is a triplet polska from the region of Jämtland.
The melody is interesting, wandering from G-major to E-minor in a typical way for this tradition. The chords used are G, Em, D, C, and Am. It is a soulful and elegant fiddle tune and the chords ads a pleasant touch to it.
Our arrangement is a three-part arrangement with a melody and harmony part on the mandolin and the chords part on the octave mandolin.
I play the tune with my friend Lena Jonsson, a fantastic fiddle player from Sweden.
In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:
- Sheet music/tabs (PDF)
- Backing and play-a-long tracks (MP3)
- How-to-play-instructions
Sailor’s Hornpipe // Mandolin Lesson // Melody
In this video, I will show you how to play the melody for sailor’s hornpipe on mandolin. This melody is an iconic fiddle tune that dates back to the 18th century.
This traditional music is presented in Celtic, Bluegrass, and Scandinavian music. However, my duo arrangement has a little ragtime flavour to it. The tune is sometimes referred to as "Jack's the Lad" and was also played in the animated cartoon series Popeye, so some people refer to this as Popeye's hornpipe.
In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:
- Sheet music/tabs (PDF)
- Play-a-long tracks (MP3)
- How-to-play-instructions
Chromatic Jazz Lick // Mandolin Lesson // For Swing Bluegrass & Country
In this mandolin lesson, Hayes Griffin shows you how to play a chromatic lick that you can use to end your favorite jazz tunes or spice up your improvised solos.
We are playing a descending arpeggio line that resolves very nicely. Hayes also explains a one-chord trick that lets you use this lick for other styles like bluegrass and country music. Many others have done it before; now it’s your turn to get this classic line into your vocabulary!
In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:
- Sheet music/tabs
- Play-a-long track
- How-to-play-instructions
Podcast Episode #22 What are your music goals for the New Year?
In this week’s episode, Magnus and Hayes are discussing:
- What are your music goals for the New Year?
- Let us know what you're practicing right now!
- Guitar Club Transition
Here are weblinks mentioned in the show.
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