Yeah a guy told me about 5 years ago that if I would learn theory I would be a much better player. While I still cant always get my stubby fingers to do what I want them to, at least I know what I want them to do.
Discuss the Mandolin lesson: Introduction to Pentatonic Scales
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Thank you so much or bring this to my attention. I have been struggling with these scales, and didn’t find your lesson until now. I have been working on them for a week now, and am having fun using the C and G scales for noodling over a few of my tunes and having fun.
Jan Dufseth
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Awesome, I don’t play the mandolin but I have been looking to increase my musical IQ. Now, when can we get some pentatonic work for the banjo? The ability to noodle, improvise, and single string on banjo via the pentatonic has always been something I’ve been interested in learning.
Cheers!
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The famous ‘blues-scale’ is another neat scale. Blues scale = Root-Flat 3rd, 4th, Flat 5th, 5th, Flat 7th (or in the key of C would be C,Eb,F,F#,G,Bb,C). I got tons of mileage out of this scale in college jazz band on my trumpet as it can be used over all chords in a standard 12-bar blues progression and make you instantly sound like a Pro. A key component of the blues-scale, is the so-called “blue notes” which is the flat-3rd, flat-5th, flat-7th. These “blue-notes” somewhat defy description, as they are lower than what the ear is expecting as the musician plays on them, perhaps resolving up a ½ step. I’m not sure how well the blues-scale translates to bluegrass. Certainly for 12-bar blues, but……….will have to experiment!
Key-Point to remember: It’s never a wrong note, you’re just resolving up (or down) to the right note! 
That’s good stuff Neil. Just like where Alan Munde said on Fretboard Geography. “It’s not what you do getting there, it’s where you stop”. (Or words to that effect).
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So, if you land on a wrong note, just move up half a step, really fast, and you’ve resolved it…Eureka!
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@BanjoBen please do some videos like this for Banjo - Major/Minor, Pentatonic, Bluegrass, and Blues scales for closed positions with single string style.
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This lesson is hurting my brain. In a good way. I’ve watched the first 3-4 videos of this lesson several times and keep doing the exercises over and over again, trying to cram the info into my brain. So much to learn! Thank you. Just learning mandolin after playing guitar for 25 years. I’m hooked. And my fingers hurt!
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