I have put together a sample pack of rootsy solo mandolin, a “matched set” to be used in different places in a long form podcast, radio show, or video. The set contains segments from a second or two up to about a minute, to be used for cues, hits, bumps, interstitials and voiceovers.

The chunks are in a variety of lengths – 2 seconds, 15 seconds, 30 seconds, and 45 seconds – to fit different functional requirements in a radio show or video. The longest segments are for a credit sequence or show opener. The 15 and 30 second segments are for voiceover ads. The 1-2 second bits are for marking the beginning or end of a story or scene.

I was thinking of the way the bass worked in Barney Miller. It was a key part of the theme song, and contributed little riffs at the beginning or end of a scene. Every one of these short bits here is a separate take with its own beginning, middle and end, not a clip from a larger work.

The instrument is my old Fairbanks mandolin. The feel is uptempo, excitable, peppy, perky, traditional, natural, organic, old time, americana. Time signature = 4/4, key = G blues .

This is an experiment, so I’d be grateful for feedback on what worked and what didn’t. How is the sound quality? Are there lengths of cue that you needed that weren’t here? I’m happy to do custom recordings to fill in the gaps. Just ask.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Sampling Plus 1.0 License. If you need a different license feel free to ask.

I have posted the whole set on Freesound and on Soundcloud, and for whenever the time comes that those go south, here they are on my own server:

00:18 (aiff): for a 15-second spot.

00:31 (aiff): for a 30-second spot.

00:31 (aiff): for a 30-second spot.

00:32 (aiff): for a 30-second spot.

00:45 (aiff): for a 45-second spot, for credits, or for a theme song.

00:37 (aiff): for a voiceover that isn’t precisely timed.

00:05 (aiff): quick hit for opening or closing a segment.

00:04 (aiff): quick hit for opening or closing a segment.

00:04 (aiff): quick hit for opening or closing a segment.

00:03 (aiff): quick hit for opening or closing a segment.

00:04 (aiff): quick hit for opening or closing a segment.

Homestyle mandolin cue set by lucas_gonze