mandolinsecrets

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Nordic Folk Guitar Duo // Magnus Zetterlund // Gärdebylåten // Free Tabs

In this video I, Magnus Zetterlund, play a traditional Swedish march called Gärdebylåten. This is one of the most common fiddle tunes in Scandinavian Folk Music. I like playing it with an American touch, adding some Western swing element in the accompaniment. Get the free sheet music and tabs for Gärdebylåten. Explore the exciting style of Nordic folk music, characterized by intricate melodies and driving rhythms. https://www.mandolinsecrets.com/nordic-folk-guitar

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Podcast Episode #41 Learning a new instrument

In this month’s episode, Magnus Zetterlund and Hayes Griffin are discussing:

- Learning a new instrument.

- 5 Tips for Jam Sessions

- The great online resource for learning the bass guitar, Study Bass by Andrew Pouska 

- Things to consider when purchasing an instrument.

- Here are the weblinks mentioned in the show.

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Mandolin Technique Exercise // Pinky Power

This video lesson will strengthen your pinky finger and revolutionize your mandolin playing! 

Let's accept it. Playing with four fingers is better than using only three fingers. 

This simple but effective exercise will transform your weak pinky and build your skills from the ground up.

What you'll learn in this technique lesson: 

Specific exercise to strengthen your pinky finger

Closed position playing 

Proper finger placement of the left hand

The use of under-pressing for improved speed and accuracy

Perfect for: 

Beginner and intermediate mandolin players

Musicians looking to improve overall finger dexterity

Players struggling with pinky weakness

Anyone wanting to expand their technical capabilities

Grab your mandolin, find a comfortable seated position, and get ready to unlock a game-changing technique that will elevate your playing to the next level!

You'll find sheet music, tabs, audio tracks, and instructions for this tune in Mandolin Secrets Academy.

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Blackberry Blossom // Bluegrass Mandolin Tutorial // Chords

Play a sequence of chop chords that is perfect for developing comping dexterity.  

In this mandolin lesson, we'll explore the chords for the classic fiddle tune "Blackberry Blossom”. We are using bluegrass chop chords for the right sound of the back-up rhythm.

Perfect for intermediate mandolin players looking to expand their skills and repertoire!

What You'll Learn:

- Complete chord breakdown

- General back up rhythm tips

- Alternative chord fingerings 

- Tips for fast chord transitions

You'll find sheet music, tabs, audio tracks, and instructions for this tune in Mandolin Secrets Academy.

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Podcast Episode #39 How to use the entire fretboard

In this month’s episode, Magnus Zetterlund and Hayes Griffin are discussing: • What is your biggest struggle when it comes to fretboard knowledge? • How do you visualize scales on the mandolin and guitar? Boxes, finger patterns, etc. • Is there a book you’ve read that was valuable for your music playing? • Magnus’s new video lesson shows a hero lick from Sierra Hull. • The upcoming Fretboard Success program, in April 2025. • Hayes’s one string guitar solo.

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Quickly get into intermediate and advanced mandolin playing!

💥 Join us in our free webinar dedicated to the Mandolin Fretboard! 😃 ✅ Discover 3 Pro Tips regarding the Mandolin Fretboard that you need to know to take your playing to the next level! 1. The most ESSENTIAL relationship of music 2. How to Play Comfortably in Any Key 3. The KEY for Up-The-Neck playing “As a bonus, I’ll teach you the ONE thing that helped me to master the Mandolin Fretboard in half the time!” 🤔 👉 Click the link to learn more: https://www.mandolinsecrets.com/webinar

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Master the Powerful 3-9 Melodic Pattern // Jazz Mandolin Lesson

Discover how to create authentic jazz mandolin lines using the popular 3-9 melodic pattern! In this comprehensive lesson, I'll show you: - How to outline chord changes with this essential jazz technique - Practical applications for dominant, minor, and Major7th chords - Music theory talk and playing demonstrations

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The Best Mandolin Mic For FX - Schertler DYN-M P48

In this video, I show you a mandolin microphone that I use a lot. You attach the Schertler DYN-M P48 to the top of your mandolin. It’s a Plug’n’Play piece of equipment, and if you pair it with the Schertler YELLOW preamp, you are prepared for any amplification situation. Ideal for club gigs, jam sessions, and using your mandolin with sound effects. 

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Bluegrass Mandolin Lesson // Sierra Hull Lick

Play a remarkable mandolin phrase inspired by bluegrass virtuoso Sierra Hull! 

In this lesson, I'll break down a signature lick that adds some pro-level flair to your playing. 

Whether you're a beginner looking to expand your skills or an intermediate player wanting to spice up your mandolin repertoire, this quick tutorial will give you a tasty musical phrase inspired by one of bluegrass mandolin's brightest stars.

What you'll learn in this melody lesson:

 • Specific slide technique used by Sierra Hull

 • Melodic phrasing in the bluegrass style

 • Precise picking and fretting approach

 • How to incorporate this lick into Blackberry Blossom and other fiddle tunes

Perfect for:

 • Bluegrass mandolin enthusiasts

 • Intermediate players looking to expand their technique

 • Musicians studying Sierra Hull's playing style

 • Mandolin players wanting to add authentic bluegrass licks to their repertoire

Grab your mandolin, get ready to practice, and let's dive into this cool lick that'll have you sounding more like Sierra Hull in no time!

You'll find sheet music, tabs, audio tracks, and instructions for this tune in Mandolin Secrets Academy.

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Day 4 - Pro Tips For Making Arrangements | MANDOLIN PLAYERS HOLIDAY CHAL...

Impress your family and friends with mandolin playing during the holidays. Share the joy of music with your loved ones!

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Day 2 - Double Stops | MANDOLIN PLAYERS HOLIDAY CHALLENGE (Your FREE 5-D...

https://www.mandolinsecrets.com/holiday Impress your family and friends with mandolin playing during the holidays. Register through the link above. Welcome to the MANDOLIN PLAYER'S HOLIDAY CHALLENGE. This is a 5-day Video Course helping you: Take your favorite holiday song and transform it into a rich and stunning mandolin performance. The subject for today: Add intricate two-note chords to your song and turn the vocal melodies into a mandolin arrangement. SCHEDULE: DAY 1 - Playing Songs DAY 2 - Double Stops DAY 3 - Groove & Rhythm DAY 4 - Arrange like the pros DAY 5 - Create Quality Videos

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Beginner to Advanced // Mandolin Tutorial // We Wish You A Merry Christmas

Unlock the magic of holiday music with this complete "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" mandolin tutorial that takes you from your first note to advanced performance techniques! 

Our three-part arrangements of the classic holiday song include multiple skill levels for the melody, a harmony part, and a bassline played on the octave mandolin.

What you'll learn in this melody lesson:

Beginner version: Basic single-note melody with vocal qualities. 

Intermediate version: Make the melody sing with added double stops

Advanced level: Intricate picking that makes the melody stand out as a solo piece. variations

Perfect for:

Beginners wanting to start their mandolin journey

Intermediate players looking to expand their holiday repertoire

Advanced musicians seeking creative interpretations of a classic carol

Gear and Instruments used:  Red Diamond Vintage F mandolin Weber Bridger A Octave mandolin Phoenix Jazz Mandolin Magnus Zetterlund Signature Hense Pick, 1,4 mm

Tune in, learn, and prepare to spread holiday cheer with your mandolin! 

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Vivaldi Mandolin Concerto - Play Along with Avi Avital

In this video, I step into the world of baroque music with this play-along video featuring Antonio Vivaldi's Mandolin Concerto in C Major, RV 425: 1. Allegro.

Join me and the internationally acclaimed mandolinist Avi Avital and play along with one of the most beautiful mandolin concertos ever composed. 

Avi Avital is a massive source of inspiration for me, and in this recording, he's playing with The Venice Baroque Ensemble. 

The video is perfect for mandolinists and music enthusiasts looking to practice or simply enjoy Vivaldi's energetic style!

I plan to learn the entire concerto so that I can later perform and record it. I will also make tutorials for it when I am ready. 

You'll find sheet music and tabs with detailed notation, including fingerings and picking directions inside Mandolin Secrets Academy.

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Bluegrass Mandolin Lesson // Blackberry Blossom // Melody

In this lesson, we'll dive into the classic fiddle tune "Blackberry Blossom”, a staple that shows up in both old-time, bluegrass, and Celtic music traditions.

Perfect for intermediate mandolin players looking to expand their skills and repertoire!

What You'll Learn:

- Complete melody breakdown

- Proper fingering techniques

- Control over picking directions

- Tips for clean articulation with the pinky 

The A-part starts in the key of G-major and it gives you a nice challenge with some interesting melodic sequences. The B-part is in the key of E-minor. 

You'll find sheet music, tabs, audio tracks, and instructions for this tune in Mandolin Secrets Academy.

On my right side, I have the excellent Swedish bluegrass guitarist Mikael Grund

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Podcast Episode #34 How to succeed with contest playing

In this podcast episode, Hayes Griffin and Magnus Zetterlund discuss the interesting subject of contest playing. Why do it? How to apply? What to focus on? It's not only a general discussion; they also look deeper at Hayes's successful adventure when he placed 2nd at Walnut Valley Festival, National Flat-Picking Championships, Winfield, KS, in September 2024. 

We are highlighting:

- The good reasons to attend a contest

- What makes a good contest repertoire

- How to craft a winning arrangement

- Hayes's new Collings guitar

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Discover the Beauty of Classical Music on Mandolin: Bach's Cello Suite N...

Attention folk and bluegrass mandolinists! 

Dive into the world of classical music with this intermediate-level lesson on J.S. Bach's Cello Suite No. 1 BWV 1007 Prélude. 

Enhance your solo repertoire to impress your family and friends. Perfect for those moments when they ask you to 'play some mandolin, please.

In this series of lessons, you'll bridge the gap between traditional mandolin styles and classical masterpiece repertoire.

While studying this piece, I've been getting a lot of inspiration from players like Avi Avital, Yo-Yo Ma, and Caterina Lichtenberg. 

Key features of this lesson:

 • Learn to play Bach's iconic Prélude on your mandolin

 • Ideal for intermediate players looking to expand their musical horizons

 • Explore the connections between folk/bluegrass and classical techniques

 • Memorize music easily using the powerful back-chaining teaching method

In the first of four lessons, we'll start by breaking down and closely examining bars 1-10.

Whether you're curious about classical music or seeking to broaden your mandolin skills, this lesson offers a perfect introduction to Bach's timeless composition. 

Subscribe for more genre-crossing mandolin tutorials!

You'll find sheet music, tabs, audio tracks, and instructions for this tune in Mandolin Secrets Academy.

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Red Haired Boy // Bluegrass Mandolin Lesson // Chords

Welcome to my mandolin tutorial for the classic tune "Red Haired Boy"!

This tune is part of the music traditions of bluegrass, old-time, Ireland and Scotland. It’s a must know fiddletune!

Whether you're a beginner looking to expand your repertoire or an intermediate player seeking a new challenge, this series of videos will help you master “Red Haired Boy” and add a delightful tune to your mandolin repertoire.

 • How to play the backup rhythm of "Red Haired Boy”.

 • Essential closed position chop chords.

 • General tips and techniques for playing bluegrass rhythm.

Tune up your mandolin and join me in exploring this classic tune.