Improvise With Patterns 1-3 Connected

This entry is part 16 of 24 in the series The Fundamental Mandolin Framework

How To Improvise with Major Scale Patterns 1, 2, 3 Connected

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Learn how to use Major Scale Patterns 1, 2, and 3 in the same key. Make them connected to improvise across a wide fretboard. This approach helps you hit all the right notes.

(Video)

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Watch the video to review how Major Scale Patterns 1, 2, and 3 are connected together. Pattern 1 starts on the “keynote” (remember, this is for MAJOR keys). Pattern 2 starts two frets “up” (toward your body) from pattern 1. Pattern 3 starts two frets “up” (toward your body) from pattern 2.
Practice playing each one of the scale patterns, one at a time, in their appropriate locations (in the order they’re connected together). Start pattern 1 on the 3rd fret (“G” note). Play pattern 1 “up” and “down” (ascending and descending) at least FOUR times. Then, start pattern 2 on the 5th fret – play pattern 2 “up and down” at least FOUR times. Then start pattern 3 on the 7th fret – play pattern 3 “up and down” at least FOUR times.
Go to YouTube to find a SLOW backing track in the Key of G Major. Practice IMPROVISING using each of the scale patterns ONE AT A TIME. This means that you will hit “play” on the backing track, then use pattern 1 ONLY to practice improvising for ~5 minutes. Then move on to pattern 2 starting on the correct fret to be in the same key as pattern 1 (pattern 2 will start on the 5th fret) and use pattern 2 ONLY to practice improvising for ~5 minutes. Repeat for pattern 3 (which will start on the 7th fret).
Repeat step 3 but practice playing each one of the patterns in the key of A Major and F Major (one at a time). Remember, to change the key, you will need to “slide” the entire “connected unit” of patterns 1, 2, and 3 together as one piece so that the first note in pattern 1 lands on the keynote. When you have practiced improvising with EACH pattern in EACH of the three keys, move on to the next lesson.