How to Use Finger Patterns on a Mandolin

As one of a variety of string instruments musicians use for traditional melodies, the mandolin has its own tuning and fretboard note structure that you'll need to know if you want to play it. Here's how to use "finger patterns" on the fretboard for producing melodies on the mandolin.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Tune your mandolin. The finger patterns musicians have written for mandolin melodies and chords will not sound right if you are not in standard mandolin tuning. The four strings of a mandolin, bottom to top, should be tuned to these four notes: G, D, A and E.

2. Identify the harmonic scale on your mandolin. This is the collection notes that you will use to make fingering patterns. Find your mandolin scales and scale notes online at Mandolin Café (see Resources below), a comprehensive resource for the instrument.

3. Put together chord recipes. Take the first, third and fifth scale notes for any given key and identify these on the fretboard, repeating one on the fourth string. This will give you the fingering pattern for a major chord.

4. Use finger patterns for chord structures. When you've found your chord recipe, put all of your fingers on the fretboard and strum the strings to get that major chord sound.

5. Play chord variations by changing major chord finger patterns. You'll use note changes to get minor and diminished chords and other chord structures.

6. Play through scale finger patterns to get good melodic note sequences or solos on the mandolin.

Resources

• Mandolin Chord and Scale Notes at Mandolin Café