As Time Goes By: Mandolin TAB

This collection captures an often-overlooked chapter in mandolin history when the instrument was central to jazz ensembles rather than a novelty. The arrangements honor that legacy with authentic chord voicings and period-appropriate turnarounds that let players inhabit the sound of 1920s and 1930s jazz without needing extensive harmonic theory. It's rewarding repertoire that sounds sophisticated while remaining genuinely playable.

Stepping into a speakeasy during prohibition, with the warm, bright tones of mandolins weaving through sophisticated chord changes and playful rhythms. The music feels elegant yet unpretentious, swinging with the ease of musicians who knew these songs intimately and played them nightly. There's an infectious lightness to it all, the sense that playing these standards should be fun first and technically impressive second.

Mandolin players who want to explore jazz repertoire beyond classical or bluegrass contexts, or anyone curious about how the mandolin functioned as a serious jazz instrument before the guitar's dominance. This collection works equally well for hobbyists seeking engaging standards and for teachers looking for historically grounded repertoire that expands what mandolin students understand the instrument can do.

• Study the intros and endings provided for each tune; they're not decorative but core to sounding like an ensemble player from the era rather than soloing over standards.
• Let the chords breathe on the mandolin's natural decay rather than constantly restriking; this creates the warmth and swing that defines jazz-age mandolin tone.
• Treat strum patterns as flexible guides rather than rigid templates; the best early jazz recordings show rhythmic looseness that makes the music swing.
• Use the TAB alongside the chord charts to explore different voicing positions on the neck, which will improve your comfort navigating the fretboard across multiple songs.

Program individual tunes as opening numbers for student recitals or ensemble performances, or assemble several songs into a themed set that showcases the mandolin's jazz-era legacy. This collection also works beautifully for chamber settings where mandolin needs to interact with guitar, ukulele, or other fretted instruments in period-aware arrangements.

• Reading and interpreting jazz chord symbols in TAB format
• Executing period-appropriate strum patterns and rhythmic flexibility
• Recognizing and playing authentic jazz-age turnarounds and intros
• Voice leading across chord changes typical of 1920s-1930s jazz harmony
• Sight-reading TAB without losing musical phrasing and swing feel