Forum - Banjo Ben Clark

Why did you choose the mando?

#1

I like to hear others reasons on why they chose to play mandolin. Who and what inspired you to pick it up?

For me, I come from the iron range area in Mn near Duluth. I had heard of a fastgrass band coming up called Trampled By Turtles. I purchase a few of their cds and started listening. I know it’s not traditional bluegrass but I was blown away. Originally I thought the high pitched leads were played on a guitar with a capo super high up on the neck.

Fast forward to me going to one of their shows and I saw Erik Berry playing a weird 8-stringed instrument. I searched online right after that to figure out what it was and found it to be the mandolin.

I waited a couple months and asked my parents for one for Christmas. Christmas Day I was back home from college and they had purchased me a cheap beginner mando.

I was off and running. Since that Christmas Day I haven’t gone without playing atleast one quick song on a mandolin.

I know Erik Berry and Trampled By Turtles approach to bluegrass isn’t traditional, but man, they got me hooked on an instrument I wouldn’t have found and a music genre I didn’t know.

Cheers!

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#2

I enjoy these stories.

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#3

For me, we knew a family that had a family band a while back… one of the children played mandolin (incidentally he didn’t even like the mandolin that much but happened to be one of the younger children and that’s all that was left for him to play in the band! :joy:). But somehow it still inspired me and I wanted one for years before I actually bought myself one on Amazon, the cheapest one I could find when I was 15 years old. Then later that year after I had owned one for a few months we took a trip to the mountains and that’s when I started to really get serious with playing!! :notes:

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#4

For me it was actually having nothing to do on a Friday night and watching TV. We were home and the TV was just playing. I always enjoyed the show Crossroads on CMT. I saw that coming up next was Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby on Crossroads. I grew up listening to Ricky Skaggs on Country Radio and always loved Bruce Hornsby’s piano. I had never really listened to hard driving bluegrass like Skaggs and his band played that night. That led me down the road of bluegrass. After years of discovering new mandolin players like Sierra Hull and Sam Bush, I became kind of obsessed but never had even come close to touching a mandolin. Finally after years of talking about how cool I thought the mandolin was, my wife just came home with a starter Fender mandolin from the local music store and said here…quit just talking about mandolins. Starting to learn music at 49 makes for a great way to spend time (i can’t believe it’s been 5 years since starting). I’m kind of a jack of all trades but master of none so that mandolin lead to want to learn fiddle, mandocello and guitar, too.

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#5

I love it! Someone’s lack of passion fueled your own.

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#6

My wife did the same thing after my first stater I kept looking at the loar mandos on banjo Bens. She ordered for me and said “now you can’t complain about not getting better.” Haha. Great story!

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#7

My love of fiddle tunes, and bluegrass started at a young age while visiting Silver Dollar City. However, I was well into adulthood before I ever got the bug to actually learn an instrument. One day while listening to an instrumental bluegrass album, a song sparked my interest. That song was a rendition of Red Haired Boy. I decided right then, and there that I wanted to play music. I dabbled with the idea of learning the hammered dulcimer, or banjo, but ultimately decided on the sweet tone of the mandolin.

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#8

I guess because the banjo was much too difficult! Boo Boom :bomb:

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#9

I wanted to be able to squeeze every bit of value out of Ben’s site :slight_smile:

Seriously, just being around the instrument, I got interested. Got a crappy mando in trade for a crappy guitar and tried it a bit. Flamed out shortly thereafter. The fact it was fairly loud and of a not too pleasant tone made it hard on those around me. I got to talking to a mandolin builder and decided to give it another shot, this time on a flat top “old timey” sounding mandolin. Got the bug a bit. Started playing some bluegrass and got a more grassy instrument. I go in phases, but I have enjoyed it ever since.

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#10

I came across a Christian/bluegrass who came to a certain church that we usually watch after going to our church. I saw the way they played(that’s when I fell in love with Christian/bluegrass). I had already been playing the guitar(not in that style), but when I saw the one kid played a mandolin and heard all the different techniques he did with it, I knew I had to get one too. At Christmas, I received a Oscar Schimdt Mandolin from my Grandparents. After that I never been able to put it down, that or any other instrument I can get my hands on.

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#11

I started playing mandolin because nobody olayed them at the jams I attend. As a guitar player in the crowd, I was not adding much value to the overall sound. Plus, it’s easier to lug a smaller, lighter instrument and not take up much space in the circle. Besides, even though I’m not good at it, it’s fun to learn something new.

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#12

At the very least, can you just show up to a jam and chop to provide rhythm?