I do this vocally by ear so I have a hand up with harmony. The thing is a third is the place to start. Here is an exercise … Play a C scale CDEFGABC .record it then play a C scale pattern starting with the G Most of the tones will sound good when played together . THe others can be adjusted to work. Keep in mind the harmony line may or may not sound good played without the melody. Chords are the beginning …. a major third and a minor third …. two harmonies make a major chord..... look into modes. W = whole step H = half step W-W-H-W-W-W-H …. H-W-W-W-H-W-W … best I recall R/
I love hanging out with mandolin nerds . . . . . Thanks peeps ...
Thanks David, Mark and Phil. That wasn’t such a good week for me!
To play fifths above, you just put a capo on the seventh fret and play the tune just the same way EXCEPT every time you get to the position in the scale where the major seventh is on the original tune, then you play the note a semitone down.
-but of course it’s easier just to play open, no capo, and to start the tune on the next string up (nearer the ground). That’s fifths too. Also you can choose original tunes that don’t go much onto the E string.
Thirds above, I’ve not tried. Maybe capo on the fourth fret and the different pattern, and translate on the fly?
Though again, it’s maybe easier just to learn to play thirds at the open position, and by ear?
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