Mandolin Player: The instruments: The tenor (octave) mandola

The tenor (octave) mandola



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This particular page was created 15/03/2004 and last updated 15/03/2006
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Picture from Music123

    Data:
  • Body shape: Lute
  • Top: Flat, bent or arched
  • Back: Flat, arched or bowl
  • Bridge: Floating or fixed
  • Frets: Fixed chromatic
  • Strings: 8
  • Courses: 4 ( 2 - 2 - 2 - 2)
  • Scale: 508 - 610 mm
The tenor mandola (better known as the octave mandolin or octave mandola and also occasionally known as the ocotofone) is usually tuned one octave below the mandolin and fills the gap between the alto mandola and the mandocello Confusingly enough the term tenor mandola is also often used for the smaller alto mandola.

Tenor sized mandolas are known at least since the 17th Century and they were quite common in 19th Century mandolin quartets. During the first three quarters of the 20th Century they went of fashion however, and the "octave mando" didn't resurface until the 1970s when Irish bands began playing large mando type instruments.

Naming

Mando players never can agree what this instrument should acutally be called. There are valid arguments for and against all the three common names:
Octave mandolin:
+ It's usually tuned an octave below a mandolin.
- There are other tuning alternatives as well.
- It isn't actually a mandolin.
Octave mandola:
+ It's a mandola.
- The tuning doesn't have any octave relation to any instrument called mandola.
Tenor mandola:
+ Probably the most accurate name. It's a mandola and it's tuned approximately in the tenor range.
- The name is often used for the smaller CGDA tuned mandola, causing more than a little confusion.
If this doesn't confuse you enough, read what Robin Bullock has to say about the issue ;-)

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