asked:




Consider the instruments used by your favorite celtic group -- certainly, there's a fiddle ... and there may be a tinwhistle and perhaps some bagpipes.  There's probably a guitar and a bodhran (a sort of handheld drum) -- but what about those other stringed instruments?

You may find a mandolin or a mandola in the group -- and perhaps a bouzouki.  In fact, a bouzouki may take the place of the guitar.  What makes these instruments useful in celtic folk music?

First off, you're probably familiar with a mandolin.  It's a small (pretty much violin-sized) strummed or plucked instrument -- you can finger chords on it and strum it, or you can pluck individual strings to play a melody.  Mandolin's are common to most types of folk or country music.  They have essentially the same scale length as a violin (the strings are about the same length) -- in fact, it's normally tuned exactly like a violin -- GDAE!  This makes it very easy to learn both instruments. 

The mandolin has a high, ringing tone.  When playing accompanying chords, the mandolin's high pitch and sharp attach have an almost percussive effect ... making it an excellent rhythm instrument. Since the mandolin isn't loud when individual notes are plucked, most solo playing requires a fast and repeated picking technique.

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