Some simple patterns

**mandolirius** · Aug-22-2008, 9:55pm

I was reading another thread on ways of seeing the fretboard and thought I'd mention a couple of simple patterns that are helpful for improvising bluegrass solos. Experienced players will likely recognize these shapes.

This is the first one, in G. It uses open strings in this key:

E # |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A # |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D #0|---|---|-0-|-0-|---|---|---|
G #0|---|-0-|---|-0-|---|---|---|

This is the second pattern in G:

E # |---|---|-0-|---|---|---|---|
A # |---|-0-|-0-|-0-|-0-|---|---|
D # |---|---|---|---|-0-|---|---|
G # |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|

Here is the first pattern in Ab. There are no open string substitutes available in this key:

E # |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A # |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D # |-0-|---|-0-|---|---|-0-|---|
G # |-0-|---|-0-|---|-0-|---|---|

And the second pattern in Ab:

E # |---|---|---|-0-|---|---|---|
A # |---|---|-0-|-0-|-0-|-0-|---|
D # |---|---|---|---|---|-0-|---|
G # |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|

This is the first pattern in A, using the available open strings:

E # |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A #0|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D #0|---|-0-|---|-0-|---|---|---|
G # |---|-0-|---|-0-|---|---|---|

It could also be played without open strings, fretting the notes on the seventh fret instead:

E # |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A # |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D # |---|-0-|---|-0-|---|---|-0-|
G # |---|-0-|---|-0-|---|-0-|---|

When you do it this way, it looks exactly the same as the pattern in Ab, only one fret up. That makes it moveable, up and down the neck.

This is the second pattern in A. It's also moveable:

E # |---|---|---|-0-|---|---|---|
A # |---|---|-0-|-0-|-0-|-0-|---|
D # |---|---|---|---|---|-0-|---|
G # |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|

This didn't line up quite right, but it's close.

**Jim Broyles** · Aug-22-2008, 9:58pm

Originally Posted by (mandolirius @ Aug. 22 2008, 22:55)

I was reading another thread on ways of seeing the fretboard and thought I'd mention a couple of simple patterns that are helpful for improvising bluegrass solos. Experienced players will likely recognize these shapes.
<span style='font-family:courier'>This is the first one, in G. It uses open strings in this key:

E # |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A # |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D #0|---|---|-0-|-0-|---|---|---|
G #0|---|-0-|---|-0-|---|---|---|

This is the second pattern in G:

E # |---|---|-0-|---|---|---|---|
A # |---|-0-|-0-|-0-|-0-|---|---|
D # |---|---|---|---|-0-|---|---|
G # |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|

Here is the first pattern in Ab. There are no open string substitutes available in this key:

E # |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A # |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D # |-0-|---|-0-|---|---|-0-|---|
G # |-0-|---|-0-|---|-0-|---|---|

And the second pattern in Ab:

E # |---|---|---|-0-|---|---|---|
A # |---|---|-0-|-0-|-0-|-0-|---|
D # |---|---|---|---|---|-0-|---|
G # |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|

This is the first pattern in A, using the available open strings:

E # |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A #0|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D #0|---|-0-|---|-0-|---|---|---|
G # |---|-0-|---|-0-|---|---|---|

It could also be played without open strings, fretting the notes on the seventh fret instead:

E # |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A # |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D # |---|-0-|---|-0-|---|---|-0-|
G # |---|-0-|---|-0-|---|-0-|---|

When you do it this way, it looks exactly the same as the pattern in Ab, only one fret up. That makes it moveable, up and down the neck.

This is the second pattern in A. It's also moveable:

E # |---|---|---|-0-|---|---|---|
A # |---|---|-0-|-0-|-0-|-0-|---|
D # |---|---|---|---|---|-0-|---|
G # |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|</span>

Courier font puts the frets in the right locations.

**mandolirius** · Aug-22-2008, 10:23pm

<Courier font puts the frets in the right locations.>

Good to know. Thanks, Jim!

**Mike Bunting** · Aug-24-2008, 2:48pm

[QUOTE] Quote (mandolirius @ Aug. 22 2008, 22:55

E # |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A # |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D #0|---|---|-0-|-0-|---|---|---|
G #0|---|-0-|---|-0-|---|---|---|

Mike, am I reading that lick correctly? from the G string up G, A, B, D, F, F#.

I find that just using he pentatonic scale (G, A, B, D, E, G) works well too.

**mandolirius** · Aug-24-2008, 3:47pm

<Mike, am I reading that lick correctly? from the G string up G, A, B, D, F, F#.>

No. This is the corrected version that Jim did in Courier:

E |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
A |---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
D 0|---|---|-0-|-0-|---|---|---|
G 0|---|-0-|---|-0-|---|---|---|

<I find that just using he pentatonic scale (G, A, B, D, E, G) works well too.>

Yeah, that's what it is. When you combine it with the second pattern, which has a shape like the top three notes of a chop chord and would be familiar to anyone who plays Monroe-style, you have a base for improvising and faking breaks to a lot of tunes. When you throw in the "blue" notes, the flatted thirds and sevenths, you can do quite a lot.

**mandolirius** · Aug-24-2008, 3:48pm

Arghh! I'm having some trouble getting my computer to change fonts. Refer to the version Jim posted.

**Mike Bunting** · Aug-24-2008, 4:18pm

I tried to copy that one, but it didn't work, but my question remains. Both versions look like the highest note is on the D string, 4th fret. Does one continue on with the 2nd pattern that starts on the 5th fret? (As I write this, the bulb is coming on and methinks this the correct interpretation.)

**mandolirius** · Aug-24-2008, 5:12pm

<I tried to copy that one, but it didn't work, but my question remains. Both versions look like the highest note is on the D string, 4th fret. Does one continue on with the 2nd pattern that starts on the 5th fret? (As I write this, the bulb is coming on and methinks this the correct interpretation.)>

Definitely feeling the limitations of this form of communication

The highest note of the first pattern (in G) is the g note on the fifth fret, D string. That is also the first note of the second pattern.

The first pattern uses the open G and D string notes. The second pattern is all closed position (like a chop chord).

**mandocrucian** · Aug-24-2008, 6:20pm

Bluegrass Up The Neck

**Chris "Bucket" Thomas** · Aug-24-2008, 6:26pm

Originally Posted by (mandocrucian @ Aug. 24 2008, 19:20)

Bluegrass Up The Neck

I am working thru this now..........(slowly)

**mandolirius** · Aug-24-2008, 6:59pm

"Bluegrass Up The Neck", for sure! If these patterns make sense to you, this book would be the next logical place to go.

**mandolirius** · Aug-24-2008, 7:08pm

Mike, I see what you mean. The notes for the top line of pattern one for G are in the wrong place. I'm not sure if I did that or it's a glitch. Probably when I was trying to get them to line up right. My funky, old computer's letting me down. Anyway, sorry to confuse you. The rest of them look right.

As I said, the first pattern is just the pentatonic scale, G-A-B-D-E-G

**Mike Bunting** · Aug-24-2008, 7:57pm

Aha, the circle IS unbroken!

**mandolirius** · Aug-24-2008, 11:40pm

<Aha, the circle IS unbroken!>

Yep, but hopefully patched up.

I don't know what level you're at as a player but these would be familiar to most bluegrass players who are intermediate and beyond. Where I've found them really useful is with students who are relative beginners but are in, or want to take part in, jams. They want to be able to play something...anything.

All the good stuff about scales, doublestops, learning the melody etc takes time. But with these two patterns and a moderate amount of technique, most students have reported they survived. Improvising is like tightrope walking. It's a whole different story with or without a net. These patterns are a kind of safety net.

**Mike Bunting** · Aug-25-2008, 12:24am

Niles Hokkanen's Pentatonic Mandolin discusses this topic in depth.

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