Newbie Question: Why is the bass tuned E-A-D-G?

[Richard Lindsey]

Mandobass can be seen as an enormous Acoustic Bass in the shape of a Mandolin.

Only if you try really hard and ignore what the name actually says. Remember, "bass" is not technically an instrument, just a short nickname for one (or for a vocalist). It's a register or function. An instrument that's a "bass" is always really a bass something (viol, flute, drum, guitar, etc).

 

[Oscar Stern]

Really, 18 years after the last post?

Anyway, I don't think it's accurate to say it's a version of a bass viol. Rather, it's the corresponding member of a different instrument family that serves a similar function. If it were merely a travel-sized version of the bass viol, it would be played upright, using bass viol technique, and would never have had frets.

Oh that, it would've been a fractional sized upright bass.

 

[Oscar Stern]

Only if you try really hard and ignore what the name actually says. Remember, "bass" is not technically an instrument, just a short nickname for one (or for a vocalist). It's a register or function. An instrument that's a "bass" is always really a bass something (viol, flute, drum, guitar, etc).

Mandobass is a Bass Mandolin tuned as a Double Bass used in Mandolin orchestras.

 

[Ritter667]

One word: LSD!

 

[Ritter667]

Also Piccolo Bass and Tenor Bass is really Piccolo Bass Guitar and Tenor Bass Guitar, whereas Tenor Baritone is really Tenor Guitar Baritone.

Which completely negate the argument that they are contractionary terms.