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Mandolin From the Ground Up with Ethan Setiawan | New Workshop Available Now

 

 
By: Dan Gabel
May 15, 2026
 
 

We are happy to announce a new stand-alone workshop, Mandolin From the Ground Up with Ethan Setiawan. In this Peghead Nation Session, Ethan Setiawan, who also teaches our Weekly Mandolin Workout subscription course, covers his approach to the foundations of mandolin playing, including picking- and fretting-hand techniques, pick grip and angle, tremolo, cross-picking, and more. He shares practical exercises to help you develop better technique, tone, and control, and applies all of these fundamentals to playing the bluegrass tune ”Cherokee Shuffle.” He shows you both his basic arrangement of the melody and then some variations that will put you on the path toward improvising. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to refine your technique, this Mandolin From the Ground Up Session is a clear, thoughtful approach to building a strong foundation on the mandolin. This is a pre-recorded, on-demand workshop, available right now!

The one-time fee for Mandolin From the Ground Up is $35,
and you retain access to the material in the Session permanently as part of your Peghead Nation login.
Sign up now!

This is part of our new Peghead Nation Sessions, which are focused, stand-alone workshops that explore a specific topic in an efficient, deep-dive format. You purchase once and have permanent access in your Peghead Nation account, alongside your longer-form Course subscriptions or Live Workshops, so you can refresh your skills whenever you need to.

The Mandolin From the Ground UpSession Includes:

  • 90 minutes of video instruction
  • Permanent access to the material in this workshop as part of your Peghead Nation login
  • Lessons on picking-hand fundamentals, including holding the pick, pick angle, and efficient motion of your arm
  • Techniques for creating good tone and playing in time
  • Introduction to tremolo and cross-picking, with demonstrations and exercises
  • Detailed explanation of fretting-hand technique, including how to hold the mandolin neck and where to place fingers on frets
  • Tips for keeping your fingers from flying off the fretboard
  • Exercises to apply fretting- and picking-hand techniques together
  • Instruction in Ethan’s arrangement of “Cherokee Shuffle,” including the basic melody and multiple variations
  • Downloadable notation and tab for “Cherokee Shuffle”
  • Play-Along Tracks for the melody and variations of “Cherokee Shuffle”

Ethan Setiawan Bio:

Ethan Setiawan, Mandolin From the Ground Up Peghead Nation

Originally from Goshen, Indiana, Ethan Setiawan tried out numerous instruments before finding his way to the mandolin, making a name for himself when he won both the National Mandolin Championship in Winfield, Kansas, and the Rockygrass Mandolin Championship in Lyons, Colorado. Years later, Setiawan has become a leading voice of the mandolin, his path wending its way through traditional bluegrass, to Bach partitas, and free jazz. He performs regularly with his progressive bluegrass band Fine Ground, and Scottish fusion duo Hildaland. His previous solo albums, Flux and Gambit (produced by Darol Anger), were made up of original tunes drawing from all these wells, and employed a traditional full band format. On his most recent record, Encyclopedia Mandolinnica, he explores the many possibilities of mandolin music through duets and trios with friends, mentors, and heroes.

Ethan also teaches Weekly Mandolin Workout on Peghead Nation!

 

 

The one-time fee for Mandolin From the Ground Up is $35,
and you retain access to the material in the Session permanently as part of your Peghead Nation login.
Sign up now!

 

 

 

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spotify icon facebook icon instagram icon twitter icon youtube icon newsletter icon
    ● Courses
    ● Live Workshops
    ● Instructors
    ● Sample Lessons
    ● Notation Guide
    ● For Beginners
 
 
    ● Vintage Vault
    ● New Gear
    ● Fine Lutherie
 
 
    ● Workshops
    ● Advice
    ● Repertoire
 
 
    ● Recordings
    ● Events
    ● Breaking News
 
 
    ● In The Studio
    ● Live Onstage
    ● Backroom
 
 
    ● New Products
    ● Inside Look
    ● Performances
    ● Partner Pages
 
Peghead Nation logo
 
© Copyright 2026 PegheadNation.com