Mandolin may also be found. Chord dictionaries Method and instructional guides Mandolin A mandolin ( ; literally "small mandola") is a stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is usually plucked with a plectrum or "pick". It commonly has four courses of doubled metal strings tuned in unison (8 strings), although five (10 strings) and six (12 strings) course versions also exist. The courses are normally tuned in a succession of perfect fifths. It is the soprano member of a family that includes the mandola, octave mandolin, mandocello and mandobass. There are many styles of mandolin, but three are common,
Mandolin mandolin. Musicians began playing it in Celtic, Bluegrass, Jazz and Rock-n-Roll styles — and "Classical" too. Mandolins have a body that acts as a resonator, attached to a neck. The resonating body may be shaped as a bowl () or a box (). Traditional Italian mandolins, such as the Neapolitan mandolin, meet the necked bowl description. The necked box instruments include the carved top mandolins and the flatback mandolins. Strings run between mechanical tuning machines at the top of the neck to a tailpiece that anchors the other end of the strings. The strings are suspended over the neck and