Mandolin master, Mike Marshall, has been quoted to say that, “If you play the mandolin for 30 years, you end up tuning it for 15 years and you play it out of tune for 15 years.” It’s true, it takes patience and skill to tune a mandolin and to get it just right.

The difference between a mandolin and most fretted instruments is that there are two strings for every note. It’s tuned exactly the same way as the violin, but is arguably more difficult to tune because of all of the pairs. There are several ways to go about tuning your mandolin, and in this video Mike touches on some simple tricks and tips when it comes to tuning your mandolin. He delves into the pros and cons of using an electric tuner, how you should always check your octaves (is your low A reading with your open A, the fretted E note against the open E, etc.), and why you shouldn’t default to trusting your eyes but to get your ear involved when tuning your instrument.

If you wish to try some FREE SAMPLE LESSONS with Mike Marshall, click HERE!

Want to win a trip to the ArtistWorks headquarters to meet, learn, and jam with legendary bluegrass icons: Mike Marshall (mandolin), Tony Trischka (banjo), and Michael Daves (guitar, vocals)? Sign-up for our ArtistWorks Big Bluegrass Giveaway to win air and ground transportation (up to $500) to our studio in Napa, CA, hotel accommodations, full studio tour, in-person masterclass focused on your playing, jams with teachers and fellow students, intimate performances from Mike, Tony and Michael, ArtistWorks SWAG Bag including signed CD's, shirt, and other goodies! Click HERE to learn more and to sign up today!

Relevant Content

Beginner Mandolin Practice Tips

Mandolin Chords - The Wabash Cannonball

Tune Your Mandolin: Our Top Expert Tips

Seven Easy Bluegrass Songs for Mandolin Players