9 Best Mandolin Courses Online
Want to learn how to play a unique instrument? Mandolin online courses are just the answer for you!
Mandolin is considered to be one of the easier instruments to play because it has fewer strings compared to a guitar or a violin. If you want to learn a unique and easy instrument, Mandolin is your best bet.
That said, finding online music courses can be difficult. Don’t worry, We have compiled a list of the 9 best Mandolin courses which we believe offer amazing learning.
We have reviewed each of these mandolin lessons, based on the following factors:
- Who can take this course? Beginners, Intermediate, and Advanced Level
- Details of the course
- Course duration
- Price
- What the students have to say about the course
- Numbers of students who enrolled in this course
Overview of the 9 Best Mandolin Courses Online
- Mandolin Lessons – Learn Mandolin From Scratch – Udemy – Best for Beginner Level
- Master Mandolin Course – Intermediate and Advanced Mandolin – Udemy – Our Top Pick
- Improv Bluegrass Theory works for Guitar, Mandolin, Fiddle – Udemy – Best for All Level
- Beginning Mandolin with Sharon Gilchrist – Peghead Nation – Most Affordable
- Theory for Mandolin and Fiddle with Chad Manning – Peghead Nation – A Popular Course
- Bluegrass Mandolin Jam Favorites with Joe K. Walsh – Peghead – A In-depth Mandolin Lesson
- Mandolin Lessons Online with Mike Marshall – ArtistWorks.com – Best for Advanced Level
- Classical Mandolin with Caterina Lichtenberg – ArtistWorks.com – Editor’s Choice
- Learn Mandolin Online – AIM – Free Trials Included
Note that these courses have not been listed in any particular order. However, we have our top two picks: numbers 1 and 2.
1. Mandolin Lessons – Udemy – Best for Beginner Level
This beginner-level course covers everything there is to know about how to play the Mandolin.
You will learn a lot from this course including:
- Have an in-depth understanding of how to play the mandolin from scratch
- D Major Pentatonic Scales and Mandolin Tricks
- Fine Motor Skills exercises
Overall the course duration is 7 hours, consisting of 7 hours of on-demand videos, 1 article, and 59 lectures.
This comprehensive course is only available for $14.99 which is pretty great.
Students love the course as well as the instructor. We went through the reviews and saw comments like: “The instructor is very passionate about this subject. It’s really inspiring. Thank you so much for taking the time to make sure that we get it. I’m loving the instructor’s teaching method! It makes you want to play well – AND IT WORKS!”
The online mandolin lesson has an exceptionally great rating of 4.8 out of 5.0 and is a bestseller on Udemy for its category. This speaks for itself.
Overall the course has 2,602 students enrolled in it, proving its popularity. For beginners, we would give this course a rating of 9.0/9.0.
2. Master Mandolin Course – Udemy – Our Top Pick
Next up, we have the highest-rated Mandolin course from Udemy which is designed for both intermediate and advanced learners.
You will have learned a lot by the end of this course including:
- Have an in-depth understanding of how to play the Intermediate and Advanced Mandolin
- Closed sales and New Bluegrass Chopping
- Fine Motor Skills exercises
Overall the course is extensive with 22 hours of on-demand videos and 154 lectures. Moreover, it will take you 21 hours and 46 minutes to complete. The course is pretty fast-paced and will surely teach you a lot!
For the learning it offers, the course is only priced at USD 13.99 which is pretty cheap considering other similar courses.
What more?
Students love the course. We went through reviews and saw this comment which we believe sums up this course accurately: “Wow, such an incredible and informative course. I loved the pace and I was able to follow closely and get a chance to move my skills a notch higher.”
This highest-rated course has a rating of 4.8 out of 5.0 and 1,039 students have already benefited from it.
Since this course has a solid rating and positive reviews, we would give the course a rating of 9.0/9.0.
3. Improv Bluegrass – Udemy – Best for All Level
This next course is great for all levels. It covers a lot including:
- Ability to understand how to improvise in the Key of G on any instrument
- Ability to improvise at different speeds in the key of G on instruments such as
- Learn how to play guitar, mandolin, fiddle, melodic banjo, bass, dobro, and other instruments such as harmonica, ukulele plus many more.
This is a relatively short course that will take you 2 hours and 23 minutes to complete. Overall the course has 2.5 hours of on-demand videos and 42 lectures.
All of this, just for the price of USD 13.99.
Students absolutely love this course. Here’s one comment that caught our attention: “I’m blown away so far! Great instruction, knowledgeable and amazing at conveying complex ideas in ways that make them easy for me to understand. Well done.”
It is rated highly as well at 4.7 out of 5.0 stars. Moreover, the number of students enrolled in this course is 1,089 which is good.
Considering that this course teaches you how to play other instruments too, we would give this course a rating of 8.5/9.0.
4. Beginning Mandolin with Sharon Gilchrist – Peghead Nation – Most Affordable
Next up is a beginner-level Mandolin course from Peghead Nation.
The course covers all the basics including:
- 14 great mandolin tunes to play
- Extensive right- and left-hand technique lessons
- Get started off right on the mandolin, with basic techniques, scales and chords, and simple and popular bluegrass and old-time tunes to play
The course is composed of more than 80 videos and has a total of 9 hours of instructions.
Currently, it is priced at USD 20/ month which is fair considering how much you will learn from this course.
Student reviews and ratings are not mentioned on their website, however, we feel that this course is totally worth taking considering the remarkable course content it offers.
We give it a rating of 8.5/9.0.
5. Theory for Mandolin and Fiddle with Chad Manning – Peghead Nation – A Popular Course
This Peghead Nation course is ideal for beginners. It covers all the basics such as:
- In-depth instruction on chord and scale theory for instruments tuned in fifths
- More than 40 practical, hands-on theory lessons designed specifically for fiddlers and mandolinists
- Lessons on improvising and soloing using different tonalities and arpeggios
Chad, the instructor, guides you through the creation of a theory-practice program that covers two-octave major scales, modes, diatonic triads, seventh chords, pentatonic scales, and more. Depending on your familiarity with the topic, the exercise will take 5–15 minutes.
The course duration is not mentioned but if you go through the course content, you’ll be surprised to see how much you will learn in just USD 20 per month.
We couldn’t find the reviews or ratings for this course, however, its price and course content seems worth it.
Overall, our rating for this course would be 8.0/9.0.
6. Bluegrass Mandolin Jam Favorites with Joe K. Walsh – Peghead – A In-depth Mandolin Lesson
Next up, we have Another amazing course that is great for beginners. The course covers a lot including:
- In-depth mandolin instruction on fiddle tunes and popular bluegrass instrumentals
- More than 45 instrumental favorites from mandolin greats Sam Bush, Jesse McReynolds, Bill Monroe, Chris Thile, and more
- Play-along tracks so you can practice what you’re learning
Like the previous course, to access this course, you will need to pay USD 20 per month which is fair considering how much you will learn.
We couldn’t find the reviews or ratings for this course, however, the in-depth course content seems worth it.
Considering how much you’ll learn from this affordable course, we give it a rating of 8.0/9.0.
7. Mandolin Lessons Online with Mike Marshall – ArtistWorks – Best for Advanced Level
The next course is great for all levels and covers the following:
- Bluegrass to Brazilian choro
- Chordal exercises
- Lots of mandolin tabs
This course is unlike any other. The option to submit a video for critique via the ArtistWorks Video Exchange Learning® platform is what ultimately distinguishes this Mandolin course from others.
This course includes hundreds of mandolin lessons that you can take at your own pace.
If you opt for this course, you will be able to complete it within 3 months. Since this course spans a longer duration it is pretty great learning-wise.
The course is priced at $105 which is relatively expensive but justified considering the learning. For this price, you get unlimited access to all the course content and Video Exchange Library. In addition to that, you’ll be able to submit up to 5 videos to teachers for review.
How cool is that!
Despite not being able to find student reviews and ratings, we would give this amazing course a rating of 8.0/9.0. After all, there aren’t many courses that let you get feedback from the instructor.
8. Classical Mandolin with Caterina Lichtenberg – ArtistWorks – Editor’s Choice
This next ArtistWorks course is great for every level because it teaches you the Mandolin from basics to more advanced levels.
The course covers:
- Picking and tremolo lessons
- Tons of play-along tracks
- Speed & coordination exercises
Just like the previous course, this course also lets you submit your videos for critique via the ArtistWorks Video Exchange Learning® platform.
This course will take you 3 months to complete and is priced at USD 105 which is expensive, however, you do get personalized feedback from the instructors. You will be able to submit up to 5 videos for teacher review.
We couldn’t find the reviews for this course, however, considering the interactive nature of this course, our rating would be 8.0/9.0.
9. Learn Mandolin Online – Free Trials Included
The last course we have lined up for you is great for all levels and focuses on the Mandolin about Irish songs. Here is what you will learn:
- 14 Irish music instruments
- 28 renowned Irish music tutors
- Includes mp3 files and sheet music
The course is priced at USD 20 per month after a free trial. The price is pretty great considering the learning. Moreover, the free trial will help you figure out if the course is suitable for you.
We couldn’t find the reviews for this course, however, considering how much learning it offers, we would give this comprehensive course a rating of 8.5/9.0.
Courses Other Than online Mandolin Courses
Best Mandolin Courses - FAQs
Can you learn mandolin online?
Yes. You can easily learn Mandolin online. The emergence of e-learning platforms has made online learning very easy. Several Mandolin courses are available online that teach you the instrument step-by-step, making it very easy for you.
What is the best way to learn the mandolin?
The best way to learn Mandolin is to take lessons from an experienced Mandolin player. There are several courses available online with very skilled instructors that teach you the basics of how to play the Mandolin.
Are mandolins hard to learn?
Mandolins are not as hard as other instruments when it comes to learning. This is because Mandolin has fewer strings so it makes it less complicated. With the right help and mentorship, you will easily be able to learn how to play the Mandolin.
How long does it take to learn to play the mandolin?
If you put in the effort and practice the Mandolin for 30-60 minutes every day, you will be able to master the art of Mandolin playing within 3 months. With the right instructors, you will be able to grasp the basics pretty easily, shortening the learning process further.
Conclusion
If you want to learn Mandolin, this is the best place for you. We have found some of the best online courses out there.
Course numbers 1 and 2 are amazing courses if you want to learn how to play the Mandolin from scratch. These courses are affordable and have flexible deadlines.
Make sure to enroll today!
If you like this lineup of courses, we’re sure you’ll also like our list of best rock guitar courses, Carnatic courses, and music composition courses.
