In this mandolin lesson, Hayes Griffin shows you how to play the melody to the Bill Monroe tune “Tennessee Blues.”

There are many ways that modern players choose to interpret this tune, but this lesson is focused on learning the unique “crooked time” signature of the original Bill Monroe version.

Here is a mandolin duo arrangement of the Irish tune called Wren's Nest.
This jig was written by the great fiddler Frankie Gavin of De Dannan.

It's a driving melody in E using the Dorian mode. I also included an octave mandolin accompaniment, but we are focusing on the melody in this video lesson.

Here is 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 bluegrass chop chords.

In this video, I also show you a pro tip for keeping the backbeat rhythm rock steady. 

 In M...

Here is a swing lick that works well for ending a jazz tune like the pros!

We play the phrase in the key of A, Bb and C major. Then we demonstrate it for the songs Blues For Ike and All Of Me. It’s a must-know line for improvisers, spicing up a simple major scale with some blues sound.  

In Mandol...

In this video, Hayes tackles an age-old question for guitar players - should you learn to read sheet music?

By the end of the video, you’ll have some interesting points to help you decide whether or not it is worth it for you to invest the time in learning to read standard notation.

If you DO want...

In this week’s episode, Magnus and Hayes are discussing:

Hayes’ and Magnus’ reunion after 7 years! Highlights include:

• Swedish Midsummer
• Torsåker Bluegrass Festival and Jimmy Sunnebrandt
• Red Diamond Mandolins
• Bingjsö Stämman
• Ondra Kozak

Here are weblinks mentioned in the show.
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Here is 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 and bluegrass element to it.

In this video I also show you how to use the legato style that is common ...

In this guitar lesson, Hayes teaches you how to sound like those classic early Johnny Cash records by unpacking Luther Perkins' rhythm guitar style. 

By the end of the lesson, you will know how to play three variations of Luther's signature rhythm pattern. Hayes also gives you some tips for how to ...

In this video, Hayes Griffin shows you how to play another variation of the melody to the Bill Monroe tune “Roanoke.”

In our previous lesson, Hayes taught the melody as fiddlers would typically play it, but here, Hayes shows you some tips and tricks for how to approach this melody to get more of a M...

Yes! 🙂 The Mandolin Secrets website was ranked #2 on this list for Mandolin Websites in 2022. We are very proud of this! 
Check out the complete list below.
https://blog.feedspot.com/mandolin_blogs/ 

On Feedspot you can also find other interesting articles, like the one listed below about study hacks...

In this week’s episode, Magnus and Hayes are discussing:

•   Take aways from the music-summer so far.

•   What is your favorite instrument that you own?

•   What's the worst musical advice you were ever given?

Here are weblinks mentioned in the show:

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In this video lesson, I show you how to play the chords for the fiddle tune Margaret’s Waltz. The octave mandolin accompaniment includes baselines and the typical waltz rhythm for major and minor chords like A, D, E, and Bm and C#m. The tune was written by Pat Shuldam Shaw (1917-1977) in 1959. This ...