Join me and Enda Scahill as we discuss the history, technique, and the heart of the Mandolin in Ireland.

You’ve heard it a thousand times… but do you know who actually wrote the world’s most famous mandolin ringtone? In this interview, I sit down with musician and composer Jim Wood, the man behind the melody that has reached billions, to hear how it all came together.

It would be hard to not get better faster with these awesome mando tips from Wyatt Ellis and Sierra Hull. Use these 10 things to help push past any plateaus you might experience in your mandolin journey.

And be sure to check out Wyatt's New Record! 

Some of the best mandolin advice from some of the best mandolin players in world right here. Y'all! IBMA in Chattanooga was a blast! Gotta check this event out!

Harry Clark is one of most unique bluegrass mandolinists on the scene today, and in this interview we discussed everything from Monroe-style to using the Locrian mode in bluegrass. 🤯

Check out East Nash Grass's amazing new record HERE!

Here we go again! Back at the IBMA conference, and this year we're doing kickoffs! Here are 30 iconic bluegrass mandolin intros that the pros think YOU should know.

No tab for these, but here's a PLAYLIST of some reference recordings for all of these so you can learn them straight from the source.

The great Darren Nicholson recently came down to the studio, and we had this inspiring conversation on how to use right hand techniques to make the mandolin really sing. Happy to share it with you here!

Got to sit down and have an incredibly enjoyable conversation with the great Wayne Benson this week! Be sure to check out Wayne's awesome YouTube channel Wayne's World of Mandolin for more mandolin content.

I recently sat down with John Reischman to get the inside scoop on the unique mandolin techniques he uses for his tune "Salt Spring" which has become an international jam sensation in recent years.

If you'd like the tab/notation for this tune, you can find it in the Transcription Book that I made with John for his recent record over on John's website.

Getting to hang out with Mike Marshall for an hour was probably the best Christmas present I could ask for. Hope you enjoy this conversation with the Mandolin Man himself! And check out Mike's stuff online at the links below:

New Bach Cello Suite No 3 Album

Bush, Marshall, Meyer, Meyer Tour

Artistworks Online Teaching

Mandolin solos have the potential to be so much more than we think they can be. Check out the new Foreign Landers track "When the Morning Comes" HERE

🎶 Grab the PDF transcriptions and MP3 play alongs for this lesson over on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/davidbenedictmandolin/posts/is-this-best-ive-137118534

Here are 30 iconic bluegrass and old time tunes that some of the best mandolin players out there think you should learn. Huge thanks to all the mandolinists out there at IBMA who contributed to this video! 

32 strings, 4 mandolins, 2 Lloyd Loars, and 1 amazing night of music! So happy to share this full concert from 185 King St in Brevard, NC, led by Mike Guggino and featuring Darren Nicholson, Shawn Lane, and myself.

✨ Mike Guggino: https://www.steepcanyon.com/

✨ Darren Nicholson: https://www.darrennicholson.net/

✨ Shawn Lane: https://www.bluehighwayband.com/

These amazing mandolin albums are recommended by the pros themselves! Huge thanks to these folks for contributing, and be sure to check out their amazing music down below too.

Casey Campbell

Emory Lester 

Alan Bibey

Mike Marshall 

John Reischman

Matt Flinner

Joe K Walsh

And check out the Swannanoa Gathering here.

Mandocello maestro Mike Marshall is determined to find out! Fresh off recording all 6 of J.S. Bach's Cello Suites on this mandolin family equivalent, I got together with Mike for an insider preview of his work on the 6th and last Suite--which is out now! Be sure to check out his recordings of all 6 HERE

As I like to say we mandolin players are stronger together. We would love to have you join us, and here are multiple reasons why.

Check out my free beginner mandolin course HERE.

Any guesses? Thanks to all of you for these awesome mandolin questions! What a fun way to celebrate this 50k subs milestone! Hope you enjoy.

Learned so much about Monroe Style mandolin in this hour long chat with the great Lauren Price Napier of The Price Sisters! We covered tons including, double stops, chop chords, right hand technique, transcription work and more. Excited to share it all here in this video, and be sure to check out Lauren's music online below:   

The Price Sisters Website

Instagram 

Private Online Lessons

I learned so much about these 100 year old Lloyd Loar mandolins in my conversation with Tony Williamson that I couldn't even squeeze it all into my recent documentary about the instruments. So I just had to share this full version of our amazing chat here. Get ready for a deep dive into the lore of all things Lloyd Loar, and what made his mandolins so special!

Taylor Swift and the mandolin. This was an incredible conversation.

Banjo Ben's Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/BanjoBen1/videos
Banjo Ben's Site: https://banjobenclark.com/
Banjo Ben's General Store: https://store.banjobenclark.com/

Fiddle Tune February 4, let's goooooooo!!! All traditional Irish tunes on the mandolin this year, and we're going to really dig in on those tricky techniques and ornaments to makes these tunes really come to life!

🎬 Fiddle Tune February Playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCaUTc3E6s3uGsmui-6Frid2bjryCEQE9

I like to think that two mandolins playing together in harmony is the happiest sound in the world. In this video, me and Korey Brodsky will show you how!

🎶 Grab the PDF transcriptions and MP3 play alongs for this lesson over on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/davidbenedictmandolin/posts/learn-to-play-on-128481216

If you're interested in picking up this unique 8-stringed beast, this Octave Mandolin intro video is for you.

This experience just goes to show how international bluegrass and the mandolin really are. Had a blast getting to play with Cup O'Joe in Northern Ireland a couple months ago!

I might have the only Bachelor's of Science in Mandolin Music Performance EVER, and it's time to talk about this experience.

And the answer might surprise you. Bluegrass content creators/instructors Eli Gilbert, Hayes Griffin, and myself discuss the pros and cons of online bluegrass education, and how the internet has shaped our own experiences with the music.

✨ Eli's Banjo Course: https://www.patreon.com/cw/eligilbertbanjo/home

✨ Hayes's Guitar Course: https://www.hayesgriffin.club/

Recently got to chat with one of the Irish mandolin masters of our time! So happy to share this conversation with the great Marla Fibish where we dived into all things Irish mandolin--the history, the players, the techniques, the accompaniment, the ornaments, and much more. Hope you enjoy, and be sure to support Marla and her music at the links below:  

Marla's Peghead Course

Private Online Lessons  

Noctambule Project

Had my mind blown more than once in this amazing conversation with jazz mandolin master Aaron Weinstein. Check out his book and lessons at the links below:   

Aaron's Book - Mandolin Chord Melody System

Aaron's Peghead Nation Courses

Contact Aaron for Private Lessons

Got to sit down for a great talk with amazing Canadian mandolinist Andrew Collins this past week! Check out our conversation here about the Thile Impersonation Syndrome, recording and live sound setup for the mandolin, right hand technique, as well as Andrew's new album Love Away the Hate--available at the link below:   

❤️ Andrew's new album and transcription book.

Here's my Top 10 Fave Mandolin Instrumental Record list! Listening links below. What's your's?  

10. Hot Dawg (1978) - DAVID GRISMAN

9. Instrumentals Vol. 1 (2018) - JACOB JOLLIFF 

8. Walk Along John (2013) - JOHN REISCHMAN

7. Uncommon Ritual (1997) - EDGAR MEYER 

6. Grant Gordy (2010) - GRANT GORDY 

5. Live Duets (2006) - CHRIS THILE & MIKE MARSHALL 

4. Noam Pikelny Plays Kenny Baker Plays Bill Monroe (2013) - NOAM PIKELNY   

3. Whorls (2018) - JEREMY KITTEL

2. Tales from the Acoustic Planet Vol. 2: The Bluegrass Sessions (1999) - BELA FLECK

1. Not All Who Wander are Lost (2001) - CHRIS THILE