Fretboard Studies for the Improvising Mandolinist

By Mandolin Cafe
April 26, 2013 - 9:00 am

Fretboard Studies for the Improvising Mandolinist - by Todd Collins

Pacific, Mo. — Mel Bay Publications, Inc. has announced the release of Fretboard Studies for the Improvising Mandolinist by Todd Collins, a collection of tools to help improve one's knowledge of the fretboard.

Scales, arpeggios, patterns, intervallic exercises and progressions are included. Exercises help the player build muscle memory and musical ideas anywhere on the fretboard. A collection of tunes is also included. Connect the physical with the theoretical and become a better improviser.

Contents:
Introduction
Foreword
Keys - Circle of 5ths
Major Scale
Modes
Diatonic 7th Chords
Tremolo and Pick Direction
Exploring the Possibilities
Credits
Major Scales
Major Scales 2 Octaves
Major Scales - Up One Key Down the Next
Major Scale Variations
Single String Exercises
Single String Scales
Single String Triplets
Single String Variations
2 String Exercises
Double Stops in 3rds and 6ths
2 String 2nd Interval Variation
2 String 3rd Interval Variation
2 String 4th Interval Variation
2 String 6th Interval Variation
2 String 7th Interval Variation
2 String Octave Variation
Diatonic 7th Chord Scales - Root Position
Arpeggios
Diatonic 7th Chords 2 Octaves, Start with 1st Finger
Diatonic 7th Chord Arpeggios, Start with 3rd Finger
Diatonic 7th Chord Arpeggios, Start with 4th Finger
Chromatic Scales
Diminished Scales and Variations
Half / Whole Step Diminished Scales, Arpeggios and Variations
Whole Tone Scale and Variations
Tunes
June
Can't You Hear
Blues in F
Bf Rhythm
Prince

Additional information:
Purchase: From Mel Bay Publications
Purchase: From amazon.com

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Reader Comments

Red_Label

April 26, 2013 12:06 PM

Quote from NewsFetcher: The Mandolin Cafe has posted the following news release:
Fretboard Studies for the Improvising Mandolinist

Mel Bay Publications, Inc. has announced the release of Fretboard Studies for the Improvising Mandolinist by Todd Collins, a collection of tools to help improve one's knowledge of the fretboard.

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NOTE: You may use your board membership to comment on news articles published by the Mandolin Cafe. Your comments will appear here and also will be appended to the end of the news article for public viewing. Standard board membership posting guidelines apply. End Quote

Nice! I'll be on the lookout for this one.

JonZ

April 29, 2013 07:00 PM

Mel Bay does it again! A whopping 3 sample pages, so you know exactly what you are buying--and one of those pages is a circle of 5ths chart!

It looks like it could be an interesting book, but I wouldn't risk my money with so little information.

Steve Gorman

May 07, 2013 02:12 PM

I purchased this book and though I do have a couple of complaints I would recommend it highly to Intermediate/Advanced players that are searching for the secrets of improvisation. The is largely a very thorough set of exercises that are really interesting and fun. I have been playing mandolin for 10 years now and in the last 5 have been practicing a couple hours a day almost everyday. This book showed me some really cool ways to practice and see the Fretboard in some ways I haven't been able to see as of yet. The exercises range from closed position scales, arpeggios double stops, single string shifting... a whole bunch really cool ones. If your interested in understanding the fretboard completely (if you want to improvise you had better) this book is worth it.

I would not recommend it for beginners and I have found a few typos that kind of pissed me off. Other than that I love it.

CavScout

October 13, 2013 08:19 PM

Quote from Steve Gorman: I purchased this book and though I do have a couple of complaints I would recommend it highly to Intermediate/Advanced players that are searching for the secrets of improvisation. The is largely a very thorough set of exercises that are really interesting and fun. I have been playing mandolin for 10 years now and in the last 5 have been practicing a couple hours a day almost everyday. This book showed me some really cool ways to practice and see the Fretboard in some ways I haven't been able to see as of yet. The exercises range from closed position scales, arpeggios double stops, single string shifting... a whole bunch really cool ones. If your interested in understanding the fretboard completely (if you want to improvise you had better) this book is worth it.

I would not recommend it for beginners and I have found a few typos that kind of pissed me off. Other than that I love it. End Quote

The Author discusses this book:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKMYvSYLDWM