Best
Quality Beginner Mandolin
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Overall: Designed with Solid Alpine maple back and sides for extra punch
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Best Feature: Built with Solid German spruce top gives you clean articulation and a crisp, bright tone
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TedScore™: 9/10
Best
Value for Money Mandolin
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Overall: The teardrop shape is popular among beginners and more affordable than F-style mandolins.
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Best Feature: Maple neck and rosewood fingerboard are well-polished and provide comfort to players
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TedScore™: 8/10
Best
Budget-Friendly Beginner Mandolin
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Overall: Has a black ABS pickguard and white ABS binding around the body, neck and head
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Best Feature: Maple top, back, sides and neck, with adjustable compensated Rosewood bridge
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TedScore™: 7.5/10
The mandolin’s unique sound makes it an essential instrument in genres such as bluegrass, folk, and Celtic music. When creating melodies and harmonic progressions, it’s really important to understand the fretboard and how to play chords accurately.
In this article, I’ll explore the basics of mandolin chords and how you can master them. I’ll also discuss some popular chord progressions and how to use them to create memorable compositions.
So, let’s grab your mandolin and start strumming!
Introduction to Mandolin Chords
Before jumping into more complex chord stuff, you should get acquainted with the most popular mandolin chords and learn how to read them.
The mandolin has different chord shapes that can be played on different strings in standard tuning.
Tuned symmetrically, the mandolin has double strings to provide a fuller sound and longer resonance. The mandolin chord diagram visually represents its fretboard with chord symbols indicating which notes and strings to fret.
The Mandolin Chord Diagram
Basic Mandolin Chords for Beginners
Playing beginner mandolin chords yourself is a great way to start learning the instrument and even play along with your favourite tunes.
The good news is that some easy two-finger and open chords require minimal effort from your left hand.
These include G, C, D, A, and E chords, which, believe it or not, make up most songs and their progressions.
You can also practice by strumming to recorded songs to get a good sense of rhythm and see how a few chords can make up a whole song.
How to read mandolin chord charts
Reading mandolin chord charts can seem daunting at first, but with a little practice, it becomes second nature.
The chord charts show the finger placement for each note on the fretboard. Each dot on the chart represents a note corresponding to a string and fret on the mandolin.
The top line of the chart represents the thinnest string, while the bottom line represents the thickest string.
The numbers on the chart indicate which fret to press down and play. The X symbol means not to play that string at all.
5 Tips for Improving Your Mandolin Chording Technique
3 Best Budget-Friendly Mandolins for Beginners
DESIGNED FOR: beginners
FEATURES: Maple top, back, sides and neck, with adjustable compensated Rosewood bridge
OTHER INFO: 8-string traditional A-style Mandolin
Hola! Music HM-3TS A-Style Mandolin
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Adjustable Truss Rod inside the neck - wrench included
- With 20 silver nickel frets, chrome-plated open-gear tuners and tailpiece
- Has a black ABS pickguard and white ABS binding around the body, neck and head
- The tuning heads can be difficult to adjust
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
DESIGNED FOR: beginner and intermediate players
FEATURES: Built with Solid German spruce top gives you clean articulation and a crisp, bright tone
OTHER INFO: Designed with Solid Alpine maple back and sides for extra punch
Kentucky KM-150
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Has a Slim Alpine maple neck for comfortable, easy action
- Choice tonewood fingerboard ensures silky smooth playability
- High-gloss sunburst finish creates traditional beauty and lustre
- May not project as well as more expensive mandolins
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
DESIGNED FOR: beginners
FEATURES: The teardrop shape is popular among beginners and more affordable than F-style mandolins.
OTHER INFO: Maple neck and rosewood fingerboard are well-polished and provide comfort to players
Rogue RM-100A A-Style Mandolin
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
- Chrome tuning machines and an adjustable compensated rosewood bridge make the instrument easy to handle and maintain
- Well-built and looks more expensive than it is
- Produces well-rounded, deep, and resonant sounds,ideal for playing bluegrass and other genres
- The original strings with the instrument are not very good and must be replaced
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Mandolin Chords
Summary
Congratulations! You’ve taken the first step towards learning how to play the mandolin by diving into the world of chords.
It can be daunting at first, but by familiarizing yourself with the different chord diagrams and practicing regularly, you’ll soon be easily strumming along to your favourite songs.
Remember that learning any instrument takes time and patience, but the result is a skill that will bring you joy and fulfilment for years. Keep practicing, stay curious, and don’t be afraid to seek guidance from a teacher or fellow mandolin player as you continue on your musical journey.
Happy strumming!
Before you go…
If you’re serious about playing the mandolin, tuning your instrument is another skill you must have! Want to learn how to do it? Jump into the next article to learn more!
I appreciate articles like this that make music more accessible to everyone. I’ve been teaching mandolin for years, and it’s resources like this that I often recommend to my beginners. It’s straightforward and lays a good foundation for understanding the basics of mandolin chords. Well done.
I bought a mandolin but its harder to play than I thought. The chords are super confusing and my fingers hurt, maybe this isn’t for me.
Hey, so i’m kinda confused about reading the chord charts. Like, I get the basics but sometimes it feels like I’m missing something. Any advice for getting better at this?
While the article does a fine job explaining the basics, it’s important for beginners to remember that technique and posture play a significant role in how effectively you can play these chords. It’s not just about where your fingers go but also about how you hold the instrument.
Does anyone have experience with the budget-friendly mandolins mentioned? I’ve been thinking about adding a mandolin to my collection, but I don’t want to break the bank on my first one. Would love to hear about the quality and playability if anyone’s tried them out.
I’ve tried one of the budget-friendly options mentioned in the article. For the price, the sound quality is decent and it’s a great option for beginners who are still testing the waters.
Just starting my mandolin journey and found the section on basic chords really helpful. It’s nice to see the similarities to guitar chords but also the unique qualities of the mandolin. Excited to try more!