Mandobass: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Gibson Melody Maids.jpg|thumb|Gibson Melody Maids of Kalamazoo, Michigan from a 1922 trade magazine. One of the musicians is playing a mandobass, center left.]] |
[[File:Gibson Melody Maids.jpg|thumb|Gibson Melody Maids of Kalamazoo, Michigan from a 1922 trade magazine. One of the musicians is playing a mandobass, center left.]] |
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Traditionally the mandolin family of instruments as known in the United States had no bass member.<ref name=museum2>[http://orgs.usd.edu/nmm/PluckedStrings/Mandolins/Gibson/2883/Mandobass1916.html The National Music Museum, ''NMM 2883. Mando-bass by Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Company, Kalamazoo, 1916. Style J. Serial number 25936. Arne B. Larson Collection, 1979.'']</ref> Mandolins were new to the United States, beginning to be known in the mid 1880s and reaching the peak of popularity before 1910.<ref |
Traditionally the mandolin family of instruments as known in the United States had no bass member.<ref name=museum2>[http://orgs.usd.edu/nmm/PluckedStrings/Mandolins/Gibson/2883/Mandobass1916.html The National Music Museum, ''NMM 2883. Mando-bass by Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Company, Kalamazoo, 1916. Style J. Serial number 25936. Arne B. Larson Collection, 1979.'']</ref> Mandolins were new to the United States, beginning to be known in the mid 1880s and reaching the peak of popularity before 1910.<ref>Op Cit. '''Sparks''', Chapters 2, 3.</ref> If mandobasses were being made in Europe, the American public was unaware; Gibson was the only company to address the lack of bass in the mandolin family by marketing a mandolin-family bass.<ref name=museum2/> |
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The [[Gibson Guitar Corporation]] made Mandobasses from 1912 to approximately 1930.<ref name=museum1>[http://orgs.usd.edu/nmm/PluckedStrings/Mandolins/Gibson/5910/MandobassStyleJ.html The National Music Museum, ''NMM 5910. Mando-bass by Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Company, Kalamazoo, ca. 1923-1924. Style J. Serial number 76525 or 74563 (number faded). Arne B. Larson Estate, 1988.'']</ref> The instruments were designed to be played either upright or on their side (like a regular mandolin was held), through the changing of the position of the pins upon which the instrument rested.<ref name=museum1/> |
The [[Gibson Guitar Corporation]] made Mandobasses from 1912 to approximately 1930.<ref name=museum1>[http://orgs.usd.edu/nmm/PluckedStrings/Mandolins/Gibson/5910/MandobassStyleJ.html The National Music Museum, ''NMM 5910. Mando-bass by Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Company, Kalamazoo, ca. 1923-1924. Style J. Serial number 76525 or 74563 (number faded). Arne B. Larson Estate, 1988.'']</ref> The instruments were designed to be played either upright or on their side (like a regular mandolin was held), through the changing of the position of the pins upon which the instrument rested.<ref name=museum1/> |
Revision as of 23:12, 28 April 2015
A Gibson Mandobass (center rear), displayed for size comparison. | |
Classification | |
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Related instruments | |
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Mandobass is the largest member of the mandolin family, sometimes used as bass instruments in mandolin orchestras.[1] It is so large that it isn't held in the lap, but supported on a spike.[1]
Variants
There are three main variants of the mandobass:
- The large four-string mandobass has a much longer neck and is tuned EADG, like a double bass. It was popular in early 20th century American and European mandolin ensembles. Early examples had very large bodies and were often played in an upright position like a double bass is. [1] Later examples often have smaller bodies and are intended to be played guitar style. [2]
- The small four-string mandobass is identical, but built on a smaller scale and usually tuned GDAE, two octaves below the mandolin. Though not as resonant as the larger instrument, players often preferred it as easier to handle and more portable.[3][4]
- The eight-string mandobass, or tremolo-bass,relatively rare, is built exactly like a mandolin but is much larger and tuned either GDAE, two octaves lower than the mandolin, or CGDA, two octaves below the mandola.[5][6]
History
When mandolin orchestras were being organized in numbers, the members became aware of a problem of adding bass to their orchestras. In trying to play the bass range, many mandolin players were reluctant to switch to the contra-bass, because they saw it and its bowed action as intruding into their plucked-string world However they faced the problem that mandolin basses were too quiet; it was hard to get forte from them. Furthermore they didn't get the deep bass notes of the contra-bass. For those reasons most mandolin orchestras preferred to use the ordinary contra-bass, rather than a specialized mandolin family instrument. The bow not only helps with volume for forte sections of music, but the contra-bass has deeper notes available..[7]
Gibson
Traditionally the mandolin family of instruments as known in the United States had no bass member.[8] Mandolins were new to the United States, beginning to be known in the mid 1880s and reaching the peak of popularity before 1910.[9] If mandobasses were being made in Europe, the American public was unaware; Gibson was the only company to address the lack of bass in the mandolin family by marketing a mandolin-family bass.[8]
The Gibson Guitar Corporation made Mandobasses from 1912 to approximately 1930.[10] The instruments were designed to be played either upright or on their side (like a regular mandolin was held), through the changing of the position of the pins upon which the instrument rested.[10]
See also
References
- ^ a b c Paul Sparks, The Classical Mandolin, Oxford University Press, pages 205–206.
- ^ Johnson, Joseph R.; Mandolin Clubs and Orchestras in the United States (1880-1920): Their Origin, History and Instruments; Vermillion: University of South Dakota: 1987), pp. 34, 49-51, 182.
- ^ Ibid.
- ^ American Mando-Bass History 101
- ^ Marcuse, Sibyl; Musical Instruments: A Comprehensive Dictionary; W. W. Norton & Company (1975). (see entries for mandolin, and for individual mandolin family memebers.)
- ^ Johnson, J. R.; The Mandolin Orchestra in America, Part 3: Other Instruments, American Lutherie, No. 21 (Spring) 1990, pp.45-46.
- ^ Op Cit. Sparks, p.199
- ^ a b The National Music Museum, NMM 2883. Mando-bass by Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Company, Kalamazoo, 1916. Style J. Serial number 25936. Arne B. Larson Collection, 1979.
- ^ Op Cit. Sparks, Chapters 2, 3.
- ^ a b The National Music Museum, NMM 5910. Mando-bass by Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Company, Kalamazoo, ca. 1923-1924. Style J. Serial number 76525 or 74563 (number faded). Arne B. Larson Estate, 1988.