Hi from Japan, Ben. Great lesson! Opened up the neck even more for me.
Thanks!!
Discuss the Mandolin lesson: Mandolin Fretboard Geography- 1, 4, & 5 Chords
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Great lesson! I had been working on this myself off and on but not really getting it. I especially like the economic combo - I won’t really have to move much at all if I can get really comfortable with this - handy at bluegrass speeds. The shifty combo is a great thing too…sooo much to learn. I’m trying to get things like this into the fiddle tunes I play, sometimes it works out pretty good. Thanks Ben!
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Great lesson! Great title…fretboard geography!
I hope this will help me use my capo less, as I practice this lesson more.
Also, I noticed that often when I use my pinky on a fret, my ring finger is often times on top of it, assisting, though my pinky is strong enough. As I practice this lesson I’m getting some separation between my pinky and ring finger!
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Still putting the time into this lesson…I’m appreciating your using the same lick throughout while the info sinks in. I’ve been able to improvise a little because I now understand where my fingers need to end up.
Will you be producing another video to help us get to other chords? For instance when an A or an Em is sometimes used in a G tune. Or is that kinda what we need to think about and work on?! Either way, I’m getting to be a better player and appreciate your work.
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That’s the idea.
to improvise in the key of G
To go to an A move 2 frets higher (for Am you have to change the C# note to C)
To go to an Em go lower three frets (1/2 steps) and use the notes that are in the G scale. (E, F# G A B C D ), or just stay in G position and emphasis the E note.
keep in mind that you’ll have to alter the lick a bit for minor chords because the III note of a minor is 1/2 step flat (one fret lower) from the III note of a Major.scale/chord
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You lost me here. Is this supposed to be C# to C?
When playing chords up the major scale, I think the chord progression is M - m - m - M - M - m - dim and back to M. (M = Major, m = minor, dim = diminished)
So, in the key of G, it’s:
G - Am - Bm - C - D - Em - F#dim - and back to G.
Mark, thanks for catching that…fixed.
I gave both options on the II chord (A) because you may run into either.
For instance you don’t normally lead into a V (D) chord with an Am in country, fiddle tunes, or bluegrass.
But there are many instances where a minor II is used in other places.
Just depends on the tune/song.
Playing within a scale is one thing, but the lesson actually deals more with starting to improvise and finding/moving through positions for playing the different scales required to get through a tune
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There’s actually a really good reason for that that was spelled out for me a few years ago, and it blew my mind. The 2 chord of G is Am, but the reason that the A chord sounds so good as a transition chord to D (the 5 chord) is that A is the 5th of D. So you’re playing the 5th of the 5th, which causes the listener’s ear to beg for that resolution to D.
This is why I love music theory. 
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yep.
III, VI, II, V change, or parts of it, is heard over and over in western styles. when heading to the I
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Yes, I am doing more, but the A chord can be found by moving up 2 frets when on the G. The E minor can be found 2 frets above the D (just keep it in the G scale and you’re good!).
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Ben, do we have such fret board lesson for guitar?? This is coool!!
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Not yet, but it’s on the docket!
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That would be awesome, Ben! When that happens, probably I would not know how to thank you enough! Not that I’m not thankful enough already. Keep up the good work!
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Wow, Thank you Ben. The light is coming on, now I understand how to work the whole neck. Not good at it yet but that will come with time.
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One hour playing and i feel completly difreent. Really nice job. Greatings from Spain
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Wow! That’s quite an endorsement! I may have to pick up my mandolin and spend some time with this lesson. (Probably after the camp.)
Thanks for the feedback, @jornada82!
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Wow, great feedback, thanks!
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I am brand new to your site and am working my way around. For this particular lesson, I am having difficulty in figuring out which fret each of the measures is starting on. Hope that makes sense. For instance, in the lesson that includes measure 21, what fret do we start on. For measure 25, what fret do we start on, etc.? Thanks.
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Hi @dusty1014 Lowery Welcome to @BanjoBen 's Forum.
Measure 21 Eco Combo is the start of the exercise pattern which runs from 21 throu to measure 28
Measure 29 is the start of the next exercise Shifty Combo,
You will see Ben has given each exercise a name above the start of each exercise, Hope this helps
PS. If your working from the PDF Tab Files I would strongly encourage you to download the free tab player Tefview ( then download the lesson tef files) that way you can listen and see what going on in the Tab and makes it so much easier to follow the lesson…
Checkout the thread below which explains more fully the benefits of working with TEF TAB Files
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Welcome to the forum, @dusty1014! @Archie gave some good advice, and I don’t know if you have a question beyond what he stated. It sounds like you might need to watch the lesson on how to read tab: https://banjobenclark.com/lessons/how-to-read-mandolin-tab-mandolin-beginner
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