Fifths

[Vincent Capostagno]

Our instruments are tuned n fifths. There is a "Circle of Fifths" (and I don't mean a group of pickers with bottles of Jack Daniels). Is there a way I can associate these two on our fingerboard to enhance my music making ability?

[flightmedic]

you may be ready for this
http://www.mandolincafe.com/eschliman1.html

here it will make sense

[Philphool]

If I'm understanding your question correctly I'd just point out:

any note or chord shape can be shifted to the next larger string at the same fret and you will be following the "Circle of Fifths" counterclockwise (which is the most used direction).
e.g. moving across the strings from small to large follows the "Circle", e.g. going across the strings at the 3rd fret, small to large is G, C, F, Bb or similarly at the 5th fret: A, D, G, C.

or playing a G chord (0023) and then moving it to 0230 will give you the C chord which is counterclockwise to G on the "Circle" and following with 230x which is F.
G -> C -> F

You can follow the "circle" with chords by playing a shape on the treble side of the fingerboard, then moving the shape one string larger (same fret), then moving 2 frets towards the nut and playing the original shape, and continuing that progression.

example would be 11-9-6-7 -> 9677 -> 9745 -> 7455 -> 7523 ->5233, thus going from B->E->A->D->G->C etc.

Is this at all related to your question??

[Vincent Capostagno]

Yes. This is exactly the type4 of insight I was looking for.

[Mandobart]

This graphic makes it easier to visualize the circle of fifths:



Notice that roughly the first quadrant spans the open strings of the mandola/mandocello and mandolin (OM). For mando, starting on the open G, you move up one 5th (to the 7th fret) to get to D, then so on up to E. 7th fret on E is B. This should help translate the circle to the fingerboard.