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I just got a mandolin to learn on. Took it out of the box got my tuner then next thing ya know I bust all 4 of my top strings. Apparently you cant use a guitar tuner to tune a mandolin? I cant tune by ear so does any one have suggestion? Do they make an electric tuner for mandolin? Or am I an idiot who did something wrong?
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when i got my mandolin it was an inexpensive korean made and all the strings broke...cheap strings and probably old... E,A,D,G also this is a good site:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/tuning.html if i were you I'd find light gauge strings tune to your guitar if it is in tune and start lower than higher....Russel is a good one to ask questions to..have fun its a tight little bugger
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selso the way I remember what strings are what and also a useful guide for some chords
the mandolin strings are the same as a guitar but upside down, lol.
top string ( thickest) G
down to (thinnest string) E
this is also the same for the violin.
The chord F is not too easy to do so I imagine the F chord on a guitar and place my fingers where they would be on a guitar but upside down.
And you can use a guitar tuner, or I do. I also use my guitar tuner for my wife's violin and my Uke and mandolin.
ken
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Your mando is upside down tuned.
your top guitar strings are E A D and G
Your mando is G D A and E
Were you trying to tune the G to E?
That might be why it broke.
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If you have a chromatic tuner you should be able to tune it. Most of the clip-ons will work. I'm deaf, so I depend on my tuner.
It sound's like you may just need to replace the strings. Doing that can be difficult, depending on the style of your mandolin's tailpiece. I have an old mando-banjo that is nearly impossible to string with the d and g string.
And when you do get it strung, don't just stick with the chords. Your guitar playing will benefit most from playing melody. The mandolin forces you to use your pinky till it hurts. The mandolin tuning is also much easier to play melody on than the guitar because of the tuning system.
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Selso---another thing that might help, the open G string on the mando is the same note in the same octave as the open G on the guitar. the open D on the mando is the same as the 3rd fret 2nd string on the guitar, open A on the mando=5th fret 1st string on guitar and the open E on mando =12th fret 1st string of guitar. You will have to use your ear to get close. Most chromatic tuners will take you the rest of the way up, with no problems.
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I am just a beginner on mandolin, and I am still tuning to my boyfriend's guitar so we are playing in tune. Maybe I need a better set of strings, if anyone has a preferred brand that they can recommend, please... We just replaced mine a few weeks ago, and they already go out of tune faster than I expected.
BTW, I had a really tough time remembering which string was which, esp. because I had learned most of the guitar strings and how to tune them - I could not keep the mandolin strings' order straight in my mind... So, a friend helped me out by telling me to remember G-D-A-E; he pronounces it in a semi-Australian accent as if he is saying "G'day" (i.e. g'day mate!) Anyway, all I have to do is say g'dae and I have my strings in order.
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Good Dogs Are Everywhere GDAE from top to bottom...I use a guitar tuner and just start slowing and carefully tune to pitch...
www.mandolincafe.com as suggested by marcalan is an excellent site...
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From the thickest to the thinnest GDAE. I use a multipurpose chromatic tuner to tune 5 string banjo, mandolin, octave mandolin and guitar; but you can buy a dedicated violin tuner (try eBay) that does the job.
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My guitar tuner (clip on vibration type) has a method for switching to mando tuning (also violin, etc). I've just purchased a Fender mando but not yet received it... so I haven't tried tuning one yet. I bet new strings (Martin, light gauge?) would help. I know I use extra lights on my Martin D-1 and it's a huge improvement over low-end strings.
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