The mandolin has a bowl-shaped back and a flat soundboard, with a fretted neck and four or five strings. The strings are arranged in pairs, with the lower pair being tuned an octave apart. The strings are typically tuned to G, D, A, and E, but there are many different tunings that can be used.
The mandolin is a popular instrument in many genres of music, including folk, bluegrass, country, and classical. It is often used as a solo instrument, as well as an accompaniment instrument in larger ensembles.
Some famous mandolin players include Bill Monroe, David Grisman, Chris Thile, and Béla Fleck.