The mandolin is a plucked string instrument of the lute family, known for its bright, resonant tone and versatility across folk, classical, and popular traditions.
Originating in Italy in the 18th century, the mandolin has since developed into a family of related instruments, inspiring generations of virtuoso performers.
Getting its name from the Italian mandolino, the mandolin is a plucked chordophone with four courses of paired strings, usually tuned G-D-A-E, like a violin. It evolved from earlier lutes such as the mandora and mandolino in Italy during the 17th and 18th centuries. Its modern form was strongly shaped by Pasquale Vinaccia of Naples, who standardized the Neapolitan mandolin with metal strings and a bent soundboard.
The mandolin descended from the lute and oud, which spread into Europe via Moorish Spain and Crusader contacts. During the 18th century, it became popular in Italy and Germany, with composers writing for the mandolin in both courtly and folk contexts. The Neapolitan mandolin became dominant in the 19th century, spreading across Europe and the Americas. In the 20th century, the mandolin found a home in bluegrass (Bill Monroe), folk revivals, and even rock and jazz.
The instrument's body is traditionally teardrop-shaped, with either a bowl back (Neapolitan) or flat/arched back (American and modern folk styles). There are eight strings in four pairs, played with a plectrum. The soundboard, often made of spruce, has oval or f-shaped soundholes. Its timbre is described as bright, percussive, and quick-decaying, making it well-suited to rapid tremolo picking.
The mandolin belongs to a larger family of related instruments, each tuned in fifths but covering different ranges. These include the mandolin (G-D-A-E), with a soprano voice; the mandola (C-G-D-A), with an alto voice; the octave mandolin (C-G-D-A lower), with a tenor voice; the mandocello (C-G-D-A lower), with a bass voice; and the mandobass (E-A-D-G), with a contrabass voice. Variants also include the mandriola (12-string, triple-course), the Irish bouzouki, and regional cousins such as the bandurria and domra.
Prominent mandolinists include Bill Monroe, David Grisman, Chris Thile, Dave Apollon, and Andy Statman.
You will find several online informational, instructional, or entertainment-based resources for the mandolin below. Retail websites selling mandolins or mandolin-based equipment can be found in the Musical Instruments section of our Shopping & eCommerce area.
Recommended Resources
Alison Stephens Classical Mandolin
Born in Bickley, Kent, England, Alison Stephens began playing the mandolin at age seven, inspired by her father, who had played it during World War II. She gave her first public performance of a concerto in 1987 and subsequently gave recitals all over the world, playing for opera and ballet companies, and performed in several films. She died of cancer in 2010. Her biography, memorial fund, instruments, and photos are featured, and CDs are available for purchase.
http://www.alisonstephens.com/
This is a non-commercial project dedicated to publishing photographs of mandolins collected from a variety of sources, with the primary aim of gathering, in one place, as much information as possible about mandolin makers, past and present, to assist with the identification, dating, and attribution of instruments. The archive serves as a reference resource for musicians, collectors, researchers, and musicologists studying the history and development of the classical mandolin.
https://mandolinarchive.org/
Classical Mandolin Society of America
Founded in 1986, the CMSA is a not-for-profit corporation committed to promoting the playing and study of mandolin instruments in the United States. The organization publishes a quarterly newsletter, "The Mandolin Journal," that includes legal notifications for the corporation, current organizational news, and contributed articles and music. Its website featured a profile of the CMSA, including its activities, membership applications, and registration forms.
https://classicalmandolinsociety.org/
Mando Hangout is an online community and resource hub for mandolin players that combines forum discussion, lessons, classifieds, and media to serve players at many levels. Its primary purpose is to be a comprehensive mandolin resource and community where players can share knowledge, find lessons, buy and sell instruments, and access media, such as videos, jukebox playlists, and so on. The site is built around peer-to-peer exchange and musician-created content rather than a single instructor.
https://www.mandohangout.com/
Mando Mike is a subscription-free mandolin teaching site run by Mike Giverin that aims to help players at any level improve their skills through free lessons published each month. The site is built on a free-content model supported by optional one-time purchases and voluntary donations. Users can buy specific lesson options from the shop or donate to help keep the site running rather than paying a recurring subscription fee. Core lessons are free, paid items are optional.
https://www.mandomike.com/
Operating as a non-profit community ensemble, the Mandoleers are a long-running mandolin and guitar orchestra based in the Washington, D.C. metro area. They provide classical, semi-classical, jazz, folk, and contemporary repertoire built around the mandolin family, guitar, and bass. Founded in 1923 as the Takoma Mandoleers, they are one of the oldest continuously operating mandolin orchestras in the United States, and has a documented history of community concerts and local media coverage.
https://mandoleers.org/
Founded in 1995, Mandolin Cafe is an online hub and community centered on the mandolin and related acoustic string music. It publishes news and interviews, hosts a long-running online forum and classifieds, maintains directories for builders and events, and provides learning materials such as tablature and chords. The site presents as both a journalistic resource and a practical marketplace/community for players, builders, and fans. Registration allows participation in forum discussions.
https://www.mandolincafe.com/
Created by Hermon Joyner as an online journal in 2015, "The Mandolin Player" is designed for mandolin players, builders, and enthusiasts. It features profiles and longer pieces on notable players and builders, short album and EP reviews focused on bluegrass, old-time, and Americana music, a calendar of events, an Americana column connecting mandolin music with broader Americana traditions, and an informational blog with regular updates, event listings, and site news.
https://www.themandolinplayer.net/
Hosted on Intostrings, which focuses on string instruments, this section of the site focuses on the mandolin, including buyer's guides for various types of mandolins, the gear needed, tips, and tutorials for selected songs. The types of mandolins covered include archtop, bowlback, double-top, electric, flatback, and mandolin banjo. Also included is a list of the author's considerations for the best mandolins and mandolin brands; a full list is available.
https://intostrings.com/mandolin/
Available in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish, the long-running website is focused on the mandolin. After selecting the desired language, the homepage provides an overview and a brief history of the mandolin. Other pages present videos, photographs, and informational articles, largely introducing various mandolin players. Beginner to advanced mandolin lessons are available via Skype, in English, French, Italian, and Spanish. Details are provided, along with contacts.
http://themandolinworld.com/
This is a long-running online mandolin resource aimed at self-taught players and mandolin enthusiasts, offering a large archive of tunes, learning tools, and downloadable utilities to support practice and transcription, and building interest in the mandolin. It provides free or low-cost learning materials and reference tools for mandolin players, especially those teaching themselves and seeking practical practice and transcription resources, and serves as a hub for mandolin communities.
https://mandozine.com/
Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra, The
Established in 1900 as the Bonne Amie Musical Circle during the peak of mandolin orchestra popularity in the United States, the Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra is a long-running mandolin ensemble, and possibly the oldest fretted-instrument organization in the United States. Membership dipped in the 1920s and again later in the century, and the group amended its bylaws in 1962 to include women and reformed under its current name in 1982. Schedules, videos, and contacts are provided.
https://www.milwaukeemandolinorchestra.org/
The San Diego Mandolin Orchestra is a long-running community ensemble focused on the mandolin family and related plucked-string repertoire, mixing international and Americana styles, welcoming players and listeners in the San Diego, California area. The website invites visitors to sit in on rehearsals and emphasizes a friendly, inclusive culture for people who enjoy the mandolin. Schedules, times, seasonal programs, and specific events are noted on its calendar, along with musical styles.
https://www.sandiegomandolinorchestra.org/
