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March ’26 Challenge-Mean Mandolin Blues

Home › Forums › Active Melody Member Challenge Response Submissions › March ’26 Challenge-Mean Mandolin Blues

  • This topic has 28 replies, 28 voices, and was last updated 6 days, 3 hours ago by snakechisler.
Viewing 27 reply threads
  • Author
    Posts
    • April 10, 2026 at 7:08 am #412063
      John H
      Participant

        My favorite weekend of each month!

        Pure and simple, some mandolin blues riffage with my Gibson A-4 and newly acquired Hummingbird. The first verse is based on a blues mandolin study in G and the 2nd and 3rd verses I introduce a ‘rockabilly’ lick then add some rhythm riffs/vamping to create that mandolin ‘CHOP’. I gotta say I love the overall tone and vibe the Gibson’s create. So much fun.

      • April 10, 2026 at 7:15 am #412065
        charjo
        Moderator

          Blues licks on a mandolin?……was not expecting that, John. Love your acoustic sound, very creative.
          I have to ask though, where was that beautiful Les Paul?😉
          John

          • April 10, 2026 at 7:20 am #412067
            John H
            Participant

              Ya know, you wouldn’t think this but it’s easier to find those traditional, post war blues licks on a mandolin than on a guitar. They might be harder to play on a mandolin but they are right there. This took some time to get down because everything is so reduced in scale.

              John

          • April 10, 2026 at 8:34 am #412089
            Michael Krailo
            Participant

              This one put a huge smile on my face. That mandolin work is very good John and was the highlight of the video.

              Go slow and practice correct technique, and your abilities will dramatically improve.

            • April 10, 2026 at 11:05 am #412127
              wannaplayblues
              Participant

                That was *SO* sweet! Loved it!

                "I hear you talkin' son, but you 'aint sayin' nothin'" - Will McFarlane quoting Muddy Waters hearing a really fast guitar player

              • April 10, 2026 at 11:06 am #412128
                Pap
                Participant

                  Bravo John! I broke out my guitar an played along with you. I love that simle progression and the bass line was sweet too. I like the start…I was thinking ZZ top and then I thought a couple more notes and we have Jimi ….something to play around with. Sweet Hummingbird….really rich sound! Cheers my friend! Pap

                • April 10, 2026 at 11:38 am #412143
                  James B
                  Participant

                    Love that ‘front porch’ picking style music, John. Your staccato picking on the mandolin is really good.

                    James

                  • April 10, 2026 at 11:55 am #412147
                    Alan L
                    Participant

                      Both parts sound absolutely fantastic. Well done!

                    • April 10, 2026 at 12:57 pm #412177
                      Michael L
                      Participant

                        Hi John, I’m such a big acoustic music fan, and you do a great job with this. Love the interplay of the shuffle with the mandolin part. Loved it!

                      • April 10, 2026 at 1:05 pm #412188
                        Raffaele S
                        Participant

                          How beautiful…the mandolin idea is fantastic…and your Gibson even more….

                        • April 10, 2026 at 1:10 pm #412191
                          Werner
                          Participant

                            Congratulations on your new guitar. It really is a beauty. And your musical contribution is, once again, something special. Thank you so much.

                            Werner

                          • April 10, 2026 at 1:11 pm #412192
                            JoeD1
                            Participant

                              What a wonderful surprise to hear mandolin and your new Hummingbird. Both parts were incredibly played!

                              Joe

                              The sight of a touch, or the scent of a sound,
                              Or the strength of an Oak with roots deep in the ground.
                              --Graeme Edge

                            • April 10, 2026 at 2:22 pm #412212
                              Guido
                              Participant

                                Very original and lovely composition and rendition John! You’re a great mandolin player and its ringing sound complemented with the warm big sound of the Hummingbird beautifully ! Enjoyed very much to listen to your uplifting blues!

                                Guido

                              • April 10, 2026 at 5:55 pm #412259
                                sunjamr
                                Participant

                                  Hey John, those are two seriously cool instruments, and they sound great together! It’s a beautiful song, well played in every respect. I’m not sure I’ll ever become as good a mandolin player as you. I can play single note melody lines OK, but it’s those chords that kill me. You seem to have those pretty well under control.

                                  Sunjamr Steve

                                • April 11, 2026 at 12:30 am #412310
                                  AndréM
                                  Participant

                                    Awesome rockin blues mandolin.
                                    That Gibson is really beautiful and sound great.

                                    AndréM

                                    AndréM

                                  • April 11, 2026 at 6:35 am #412389
                                    Laurel C
                                    Moderator

                                      John, so good to hear you play the mandolin. A special little instrument. This had me toe tapping and jigging in my seat. I never knew there could be a ‘Mean Mandolin Blues’. Such a happy instrument. And of course great playing on the new Gibson guitar. Awesome result.

                                    • April 11, 2026 at 6:56 am #412400
                                      Manfred M
                                      Participant

                                        I like this groovy, bluesy mandolin you’re playing here, John. And it goes perfectly with your new Hummingbird. Proof that “mean” can sometimes be really good.

                                        Take the chance to meet your AM friends on Zoom
                                        The next Meetup will be May/June

                                        There will be a detailed announcement here in the forum
                                        I look forward to meet you.
                                        Manfred

                                      • April 11, 2026 at 7:15 am #412411
                                        Mark T
                                        Participant

                                          Well, John, all I can say is that I could have listen to a lot more of that! Excellent submission – Mark 🎼🎶🎸👍

                                        • April 11, 2026 at 11:48 am #412492
                                          Paul S.
                                          Participant

                                            A Hummingbird! I’m a little jealous, though lately I’ve been eyeing a Collings D2H.

                                            In any event, you make great use of both these Gibsons to put down some rollicking blues, starting with a cool kick-off on the guitar and some great phrasing and chopping on the mando.

                                            (I’ve considered trying the mandolin, but the small size of the fretboard doesn’t work easily for a sloppy player like me, I am more suited to the bass.)

                                          • April 11, 2026 at 11:58 am #412498
                                            Wayne Nunez
                                            Participant

                                              Love this roots multi instrument playing john,you really got something going here my friend, excellent work! 👍

                                            • April 11, 2026 at 3:28 pm #412572
                                              JoLa
                                              Participant

                                                Ah, what a great sound of the Mean Mandolin Blues, John!

                                                The Hummingbird does indeed give a very solid Nashville style rhythm vibe, it suits you very well, maybe it’s time to move and busk in the music capital of the World? 😉 Also loved the bluesy mandolin, you’re so good with that thing already! You’re right, there’s nothing better than pure and simple blues, guitar and mandolin go well together, especially when you rock them like that!

                                                P.S. I never even touched a mandolin but I imagine the string tension would slice through my fingers instantly!

                                                🎸JoLa

                                              • April 12, 2026 at 2:54 am #412647
                                                Jonathan Amos
                                                Participant

                                                  A mandolin makes a very welcome and refreshing change. The very narrow fingerboard puts me off but doesn’t seem to trouble you at all.

                                                  Jonathan Amos, Matsuyama, Japan

                                                • April 12, 2026 at 3:54 am #412659
                                                  Denise
                                                  Participant

                                                    Mandolin goes Rockabilly, wow how I love that!!
                                                    Great groovy rhythm.
                                                    The Gibson and Mandolin go very well together.
                                                    Thanks for the inspiration, dear friend John.

                                                    More Blues!

                                                  • April 12, 2026 at 4:37 am #412675
                                                    Martin W
                                                    Participant

                                                      That is so cool , and a different approach, with the blues licks on the mandolin ,they sound great especially with the big tone from the hummingbird complimenting.
                                                      I fully agree “ pure and simple “ is the way to go for good music .

                                                      Martin

                                                    • April 12, 2026 at 4:49 am #412679
                                                      Dieter
                                                      Participant

                                                        A great combination—sounds wonderful.

                                                        Dieter

                                                      • April 12, 2026 at 9:18 am #412755
                                                        Gary W
                                                        Participant

                                                          Great stuff John , boy that’s a reall foot-tapper! Love the Hummingbird too, great stuff.

                                                          Gary

                                                        • April 12, 2026 at 8:09 pm #412850
                                                          Bill
                                                          Participant

                                                            Love it! I’ve been playing with a mandolin player lately and makes for a cool duet with an acoustic guitar and Mando. Nice job!

                                                          • April 13, 2026 at 11:47 am #412924
                                                            Bruce D
                                                            Participant

                                                              John,
                                                              Got those mean mandolin blues! Nicely played, love the Hummingbird.

                                                              Bruce

                                                              Just focus on the notes you DID get right . . . Frank Vignola

                                                            • April 13, 2026 at 1:24 pm #412941
                                                              snakechisler
                                                              Participant

                                                                well that was interesting it’s not something you hear in the blues every day

                                                                Thanks for sharing

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