Octave Mandolin

History of the Octave Mandolin

The octave mandolin shares a common history with all the instruments in the mandolin family, which developed from variations of the lute. The lute was a stringed chordophone that can be traced back as far as 2000 BC in art and literature. Variations on the lute evolved in Europe to become the Greek’s bouzouki and Russia’s balalaika. Italian instrument makers in the 15th century used the lute’s design to produce the bowlback mandolin, the earliest ancestor of the mandolin and octave mandolin. Luthiers such as Pasquale Vinaccia of Naples were thought to have had a large influence on the proportional design of the mandolin. The popularity of the mandolin soared in America in the 19th century as the white middle class began to adopt the instrument. By the late 19th century, mandolin orchestras and ensembles began to appear, much the same as banjo ensembles of the time. These ensembles called for varying tunings and pitch registers which is perhaps how the octave mandolin came into being. Early patents in the late 19th century include designs by Orville Gibson who sold his patents for them to be mass produced at the start of the 20th century. Scholars also believe that the octave mandolin may have been influenced by the cittern, a renaissance lute that resembles the teardrop body of an octave mandolin. Modern tunings and constructions of both of these instruments make them nearly identical. Mandolin enthusiasts favour the octave mandolin for its tuning that enables musicians to read a treble clef on sheet music rather than the less common alto clef. The instrument is still most common in mandolin ensembles and modern folk music.

Inventor: Unknown