Bouzouki players?

Hi,

did a search for bouzouki & was supprised when nothing came up so thought i'd start it off.

If there are any bouzouki or GDAD octave mandolin players out there it would be great to start a thread.

Brian

Plays Oakwood Bouzouki 

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Permalink Reply by Alan Curtin on July 5, 2011 at 21:29
Well here's GDADer!! I play a Paul Doyle but dream of a Sobell, would happily settle for a Foley if one came up within budget. Might even get a new one made in Sweden if funds permit . . . . . . dreams certainly do!
Permalink Reply by Brian O'Kane on July 5, 2011 at 21:50
Hi Alan,
Thanks for your reply! Have you been playing bouzouki long?
I'm afraid funds are restricting me to window shopping at the moment but I do have a lovely Fylde Mando which I've recently tuned to GDAD as well & really enjoying re- learning some old tunes!
Permalink Reply by Lars 'Larry Mór' Mott on July 5, 2011 at 22:10
Are we talking Michael Sandén? :)

Alan Curtin said:
Well here's GDADer!! I play a Paul Doyle but dream of a Sobell, would happily settle for a Foley if one came up within budget. Might even get a new one made in Sweden if funds permit . . . . . . dreams certainly do!
Permalink Reply by Alan Curtin on July 6, 2011 at 16:19

Lars, isn't he the guy who makes Sofia Karlsson's instruments? I've checked his website before and they look good......certainly sound good on the SF records! If I go Swedish I'll probably check out makers near Stockholm because when I am in Sweden (a few times a year) it is always Stockholm.

Are you a bouzouki player? Stockholm based by any chance?

A.

Lars Mott said:

Are we talking Michael Sandén? :)

Alan Curtin said:
Well here's GDADer!! I play a Paul Doyle but dream of a Sobell, would happily settle for a Foley if one came up within budget. Might even get a new one made in Sweden if funds permit . . . . . . dreams certainly do!
Permalink Reply by Lars 'Larry Mór' Mott on July 6, 2011 at 16:50

If there's a butterfly inlay in the fretboard it is a Sandén. I do think he has made instruments for Sofia. I know Michael from the times he lived down south in Sweden (so answer to Stockholm question is no, neither i nor Michael live there

: )


Also i have given up on stringed instruments, realised i am a woodwind/goatskin man..


 Alan Curtin said:

Lars, isn't he the guy who makes Sofia Karlsson's instruments? I've checked his website before and they look good......certainly sound good on the SF records! If I go Swedish I'll probably check out makers near Stockholm because when I am in Sweden (a few times a year) it is always Stockholm.

Are you a bouzouki player? Stockholm based by any chance?

A.

Lars Mott said:

Are we talking Michael Sandén? :)

Alan Curtin said:
Well here's GDADer!! I play a Paul Doyle but dream of a Sobell, would happily settle for a Foley if one came up within budget. Might even get a new one made in Sweden if funds permit . . . . . . dreams certainly do!
Permalink Reply by Lars 'Larry Mór' Mott on July 6, 2011 at 17:45
Permalink Reply by Ian Stock on July 7, 2011 at 13:16

Here's another bouzouki player 'fessing up. I have a Paul Hathway instrument, which I play ADAE with octave strings on lower courses. I also play octave mandola (also Hathway) in the same tuning, but without the octave strings.

 

Ian

Permalink Reply by Brian O'Kane on July 7, 2011 at 14:18

Hi Ian,

I've never tried ADAE before - do you normally play melody or accompany?

Permalink Reply by Ian Stock on July 7, 2011 at 18:17

Hi Brian. I play both, though normally melody on mandola (and mandolin) and accompaniment on bouzouki, though I do occasionally play tunes on the bouzouki too. This tuning allows you to play tunes on the top (and also have less of a stretch on the bottom string when you need it) and chords on the bottom. With octave strings you can get a decent chord from the bottom two or three strings which in turn compensates for not having that top D drone. Lots of nice movable chords, drone chords and different inversions available, too. G's can be a little tricky without the bottom G but there are some reasonable inversions available, especially if you're prepared to live with modal chords rather than true  majors.

Not many people use this yet, I think, but the number is growing, and apparently includes Joe Foley and the guy who owns Hobgoblin Music. What's good enough from them is good enough for me! I arrived it this simply by experimenting with things to make that bottom stretch easier for playing tunes.

 

Do ask away if you want to know more.

Ian

Brian said:

Hi Ian,

I've never tried ADAE before - do you normally play melody or accompany?

Permalink Reply by Brian O'Kane on July 10, 2011 at 17:26
Hi ian, I can see what you mean about using the top & bottom strings in that way - I often struggle with the high B playing melody on the bouzouki with the dropped D but I love the drone it gives- which is why I tune it this way but I'm sure using the bass strings as a drone (am I right in this?!) would sound great & you'd get easier access to those pesky high notes!
Do you have any video on YouTube?
Permalink Reply by Ian Stock on July 13, 2011 at 16:05

Hi Brian, I do use various strings as drones as different points, but quite often I just play chords on the bottom three strings and reserve the top e for tunes. There are various easy chord shapes that will give drone qualities when you want them. I don't have any YouTube clips at present, though I can make some if you are curious. I do however have some recordings at http://www.myspace.com/547351902 - the first two tracks both feature the bouzouki used in this way at various stages, as indeed do some of the others - though you'll have to bear my beginner's fiddle-playing on the first one too!

Ian

Permalink Reply by Paul Gitlitz on July 14, 2011 at 16:54

Hi All,

I play a Lawrence Nyberg Octave Mandolin. He no longer makes this model, but has many cittern and bouzouki models.

I play regular mando, tenor banjo, and fiddle as well so I'm most comfortable in standard tuning. I also like to play other styles like Greek or Quebecois.   I am in a band with two gaddad guitar players and one also plays cittern, so my standard tuned guitar and mandos give another option and flavour.  I can play swing chords on the guitar which can be amazing with Irish music, though clearly not Trad as it has developed thus far.

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