Best Pick For Mandolin - Top 12 Review

A mandolin is a stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally plucked with a pick. It most commonly has four courses of doubled metal strings tuned in unison, thus giving a total of 8 strings, although five (10 strings) and six (12 strings) course versions also exist. The courses are typically tuned in an interval of perfect fifths, with the same tuning as a violin (G3, D4, A4, E5). Also, like the violin, it is the soprano member of a family that includes the mandola, octave mandolin, mandocello and mandobass. There are many styles of mandolin, but the three most common types are the Neapolitan or round-backed mandolin, the archtop mandolin and the flat-backed mandolin. The round-backed version has a deep bottom, constructed of strips of wood, glued together into a bowl. The archtop, also known as the carved-top mandolin has an arched top and a shallower, arched back both carved out of wood. The flat-backed mandolin uses thin sheets of wood for the body, braced on the inside for strength in a similar manner to a guitar. Each style of instrument has its own sound quality and is associated with particular forms of music. Neapolitan mandolins feature prominently in European classical music and traditional music. Archtop instruments are common in American folk music and bluegrass music. Flat-backed instruments are commonly used in Irish, British, and Brazilian folk music, and Mexican estudiantinas.

Mandolines are used to slice ingredients (particularly vegetables) quickly, efficiently and uniformly. They allow you to slice much more quickly than with a knife but take great care – many a chef has lost the tip of a finger to a razor-sharp mandoline blade.

Main Differences Between the Mandolin vs Guitar The main differences between the Mandolin and Guitar are: Guitars have either 6 or 12 strings, whereas a mandolin has 8 strings. Guitars are typically tuned in forths, whereas a madolin is tuned in fifths. Guitar pitch is generally lower, whereas mandolin pitch is higher.

Since the mandolin is a smaller and higher pitched instrument than the guitar. You can emulate the mandolin by playing at the upper end of the guitars fingerboard.

Sometimes you will play strings without fretting them with the left hand when you don't use your left hand to fret a note but allow the entire string to vibrate. This is called playing an open string.