The Year of the Folk Musician: Part 1

Someday I would like to write a book about discovering the different lives people have.  I would immerse myself in a livelihood that sounds interesting, and live it hard for a year.  Then pick another that sounds interesting and live it hard for another year.  Chapter one might be "The year of the beatnik poet, and another might be "The year of the sailboat captain" or maybe even "the year of the homeless drifter."  Imagine what you would learn about people, and perhaps even about yourself.

I'm taking a small step with my first adventure.  This will be the year of the folk musician.  I have classical training on the violin, and J.S. Bach will always be my first love, but after some wonderful brushes with different kinds of folk music, I decided recently that I need to try something new!  I found folk music to be comfortable, easy to listen to, and easy to understand.  It can make your heart race, and give you a curiously familiar home-like feeling all at the same time.   (For inspiration, check out Chris Smither or Nickel Creek - different styles, but wonderful music.)  My instrument of choice was going to be mandolin, because of its similarities to violin, but after some chance encounters with another instrument, I might change my mind!

If you're not familiar with mandolins, they are something like a cross between a violin and a guitar.  They have the size and tuning of a violin, but are played like a guitar with frets and a pick.  Also, there are eight strings - two E's in unison, two A's in unison, two D's and two G's.  

My adventure began last Saturday when I decided to look up some dealers in Minnesota.  The first place I visited was everything you might expect from a hole-in-the-wall folk instrument shop.  It is called The Homestead Pickin' Parlor.  You can't beat that.  It has creaky wood floors, dim lights, and old-timers sitting around strumming guitars.  I loved it instantly.  I talked shop with the manager for a while, and he helped me try out a number of different instruments.  He suggested that I play many different kinds before deciding what I liked - wise advice.  I am very familiar with most stringed instruments, but mandolins are new to me, so it took a while before I could identify what kind of sound I like the best.  

Our second stop was a place called the Podium, a newer, shinier place.  I tried a few instruments there,  and stumbled upon one that was a bit different - slightly larger, and had one lower string.  A beautiful instrument I had never even heard of before: it was the mandolin's alto cousin - the mandola.  (If you're new to stringed instruments, violas are much like violins, but can play five notes lower - mandolas are different from mandolins in the same way.)   I loved the richness of the lower notes, and if I can find an instrument in my price range, I might buy one of those instead!

Heading back to the stores this week, and looking for opportunities to jam.... stay tuned!

Here is blues guitarist Chris Smither performing "No Love Today."