Fingerboard Diagram

[belbein]

The first stage of my using it: the timer put me off and made me nervous. The second stage: I ignored it. The third stage : once I was consistently scoring 10/10 three us times in a row, I gave myself permission to watch the timer, and if my times still improved, then I could move to another area. Note that the time isnt the TOTAL time, its the average over 10 "questions" - - so if you're lightning fast on 9 but have a brain freeze on one, it raises the average significantly.

[Pete Martin]

Here is a way I suggest for folks to learn the names of the notes on an instrument:

First, you need to learn all 12 note names in music.
A A#/Bb B C C#/Db D D#/Eb E F F#/Gb G G#/Ab
Name the in between note by BOTH names. So it is "G shape" and "A flat"

Start one string at a time until you know the names of the notes on that string. Do one string for at least a week.

Place a finger on any random fret on that string. Starting with the open string, walk up one fret at a time saying the note names and playing that note. Once again, if the note has two names, say both names and my suggestion is say them out loud.

For example, lets say I fingered the 6th fret of the G string. I would say the following that is in quotes OUT LOUD as I played that note.

G string open "G"
G string 1st fret "G#/Ab"
2nd fret "A"
3rd fret "A#/Bb"
4th fret "B"
5th fret "C"
6th fret "C#/Db"
"6th fret G string is the note C#/Db"

Everyone I've had do this has the notes names very well in hand after about a month. It is something you only need to spend about 5 minutes a day doing.

What is the advantage of knowing note names?

1) communication with players of other instruments "that melody starts on the C# note"

2) If you know some theory, you can put it on the fingerboard "an A major chord is A C# and E. I can play those three notes together here, here and here."

3) Moving things from one instrument to the another.

4) Probably many others I can't think of now.

I have seen a few players who play great who tell me they know no names or any theory, so is it necessary to have this knowledge? No. BUT, there are many of us who knowledge of theory and names give us more confidence in what we are doing. That confidence definitely translates to sounding better.

[Simon DS]

5) Helps to fix each note in a melody onto an exact position on the fretboard rather than in the early stages of learning, a position relative to something else (the root).

[belbein]

First, I'd never disagree with you PM because you are The Man. Second, I grew up with classical musicians, so I grew up with the belief that you have to be able to read music and not vary from the page; know every note on your instrument; and if it says andante you by Good play andante - - no faster, no slower ; etc. But I play mostly with blues and folk musicians, and a HUGE percentage of the time that I say, "What key?" they say they don't know. Or "what note?" and they point to a fret and say "this one.".
I don't think you're wrong - - I just think the prescriptive approach is just one approach, and the descriptive approach is also an approach people use.

[belbein]

MM: I looked at it. It's daunting but useful. There's sure a whole lot of information packed into that chard, but someone who worked through it would see the patterns.

My question is: what does this mean:
I 135
IV 146
V 257
?

[belbein]

First, I'd never disagree with you PM because you are The Man.

I just read that comment 24 hours later and realized that it sounds unbelievably snarky. I meant it as an appreciation for all you give to the Cafe and its denizens. I think you do great work. I have used your stuff and watched your videos and read your comments and you're one of my go-to people, though my befuddled mind works somewhat differently than your method--but that's on me, not you. So please excuse any snarkiness as lack of sleep and general stupidity and accept my apologies.

[mmuussiiccaall]

[QUOTE fromb elbein MM: I looked at it. It's daunting but useful. There's sure a whole lot of information packed into that chard, but someone who worked through it would see the patterns.

My question is: what does this mean:
I 135
IV 146
V 257
?[/QUOTE]



mmuussiiccaall reply:

for example the three major chords in the key of C are:
I=C c e g
IV=F f a c
V=G. g b d

in other words
I=C 1 3 5
IV=F 4 6 1
V=G. 5 7 2
so by using these three chords every melody note (interval) in the major scale has a chord to harmonize it.

search the internet for TENSION AND RELEASE OF MELODIES for more and shoot back any questions

[belbein]

Oh. I get it. But it's not, like, intuitively obvious for we visual learners.

It's easier just to learn the scale patterns and the chord forms, and let the structure of the mandolin do all this I=C135 calculus "in the background." If I have to do it this way I can: I still have my old slide rule. Though I no longer remember where the C scale is on it.

[glaxelson]

Try this page: http://www.mandozine.com/resources/fretboard/index.html

Lots of diagrams, exercises, flash card games aimed at just what you are working on.

This is a terrific resource. Thanks for posting it

[Gina Willis]

I was thinking how cool it would be if there were a mandolin neck -- just the wooden neck but actual size -- with wire frets and strings so it would have a realistic feel -- and little touch-sensitive spots that would activate digitized notes (maybe on an ebony-black LED screen?) and an earbuds jack so that one could pull it out of a backpack and practice/learn the fretboard anywhere -- on a bus, on a break at work -- without disturbing anyone else. There could be a flat, solid oval "body" shape hinged to the neck that you could fold down, so that you could hold the device with correct mando posture and even hook up a strap to it.

[Gina Willis]

I was thinking how cool it would be if there were a mandolin neck -- just the wooden neck but actual size -- with wire frets and strings so it would have a realistic feel -- and little touch-sensitive spots that would activate digitized notes (maybe on an ebony-black LED screen?) and an earbuds jack so that one could pull it out of a backpack and practice/learn the fretboard anywhere -- on a bus, on a break at work -- without disturbing anyone else. There could be a flat, solid oval "body" shape hinged to the neck that you could fold down, so that you could hold the device with correct mando posture and even hook up a strap to it.

[deanf11]

I created this one. has notes with blank grids. Easy to print and use.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KBU...ew?usp=sharing

[Sue Rieter]

belbein, I'm glad you asked about MM's chart. I was going to. I thought it looked potentially extremely helpful, but I couldn't fully parse it.