Mandolin Reflection #5

Am C G

------------------0--------------0-x-----------------------0-----------x-0-------------------3
----------0--------------0---------x----------3-----------------3-----x------------2---------
--------------2--------------2-----x----------------2--------------2--x----------------0----
-----5------------------------------x----0-----------------------------x---------0-------------



G

---------------3-----------------------3----------------3------------------0------------0
-----2-------------------2-------------------2---------------------0-----------0--------
----------0---------------------0------------------0--------------------2-----------2----
--------------------0--------------------------------------------5-------------------------



G Am C
----------------3------------3-------------------0--------------0--------------------0------------0
-------2------------2-------------------0-------------0--------------------3-------------3---------
-----------0------------0-------------------2--------------2--------------------2-------------2----
---0--------------------------------5-----------------------------------0----------------------------



Am G Am
---------------0---------------0------------------3-------------3-----------------0------------0
-------0-------------0--------------------2-----------2--------------------0----------0--------
-----------2--------------2-------------------0------------0-------------------2-----------2---
---5----------------------------------0---------------------------------5------------------------




C G Am
--------------0------------0------------------3-------------3------------------0
-------3------------3----------------2------------2------------------0---------
-----------2------------2-----------------0------------0-------------------2---
---0-----------------------------0-------------------------------5---------------


Repeat x 2, with harmony second time.


This is the tablature to a song that I composed on the mandolin (which has lyrics that I will not post). It has a fairly basic chord progression, essentially just Am, C, Am, G with some variation, but the plucking pattern is more complex. If you are at all familiar with reading tabs, you will understand; if not, what this says is basically to pluck the bottom string, pluck the third string from the bottom, pluck the second string from the bottom, pluck the last string. That pattern goes for each chord with a smooth transition. At the end of the first verse, the plucking turns into strumming in the same meter, which continues into the third verse; halfway through the third verse, the strumming slows and gets quieter, then turns into the plucking again. I don't know how to post recordings to my blog, but once I do I will. Composing this song was a lot of fun, and it's also brought me some new challenges. Right now I am working on a song built around two chords, but that uses plucking and variations on the chords. It's harder because I have to discover new things and new chords and new sound combinations, but it sounds beautiful so far.