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
Årepolskan Melody - Mandolin Lesson - Nordic Folk Music
In this video lesson, I show you how to 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.
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
Classical Mandolin Duet - Magnus Zetterlund & Karl Tiren - Minuet in G major by J S Bach
In this video, Magnus Zetterlund and Karl Tiren play the Minuet in G major (BWV Anh. 114) by Johann Sebastian Bach. It is a delightful tune to play on the mandolin and is a lovely introduction to classical and Baroque music. Our mandolin arrangement includes a melody part and a harmony part that can be played on both mandolin and octave mandolin. Thanks to Academy member Jane Gregory for her contribution
This piece was originally included in the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach (1725), which JS Bach presented to his second wife. The piece has long been attributed to JS Bach, due to its inclusion in the Notebook, but was actually written for the harpsichord by a contemporary of Bach's, Christian Petzold.
In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:
- Sheet music/tabs (PDF)
- Backing and play-a-long tracks (MP3)
- How-to-play-instructions
How to successfully reach your Mandolin Goals in 2023
The beginning of January is an exciting time of year. It’s a time for fresh starts, new beginnings, and a chance to look forward to what can be accomplished in the year ahead.
We want to embrace the opportunity and set some exciting mandolin goals.
In this video lesson, I will share tips for making your own SMARTER goals to set you up for a successful 2023. It’s like a workshop, helping you get concrete ideas for new projects and plans for improving your mandolin playing this year.
Worksheets, support and audio tracks for this lesson you’ll find in Mandolin Secrets Academy.
Click the link to watch the video
Nordic Folk Music on Mandolin, Octave Mandolin & Fiddle - Silkesvalsen
Happy New Year, my mandolin friend!
The first video out in 2023 is a golden memory from the previous summer.
We are playing a traditional Scandinavian dance tune on the mandolin, octave mandolin and fiddle. This is the Silkesvalsen (the Silk Waltz), a traditional dance tune from Älvdalen, Sweden.
We recorded a spontaneous jam session in Falun, Sweden early July 2022. The band is Magnus Zetterlund (Sweden) octave mandolin, Hayes Griffin (Ohio, US) mandolin, and Ondra Kozak (Czech republic) fiddle.
In Mandolin Secrets Academy you’ll find:
- Sheet music/tabs (PDF)
- Play-a-long tracks (MP3)
- How-to-play-instructions
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