Connect the Pentatonic to the Major Scale

• STEP 1: WATCH & DO. Watch the video to see how to connect major scale pattern 1 and the pentatonic at the keynote.
  • Now, asssume you’ll play in the key of C Major (where “C” is the keynote).
  • Next play Major Scale Pattern 1 up and down starting from the C note.
  • Then slide your ring finger down to the keynote and play the pentatonic pattern, still in C Major, with your ring finger landing on C on the G string.
  • REMEMBER in this lesson you should already know both patterns without looking. If you haven’t internalized each of these patterns, go back  and practice the previous lessons until you can play these patterns pretty well without looking at the charts or videos.
• STEP 2: PRACTICE – EXPERIMENT – IMPROVISE  Go to YouTube and search for “C Major Backing Track”. Alternatively, use one of our C Major tracks included below. Choose a track that sounds interesting to you. I’d suggest a song at a slow tempo, in the key of C Major.
  • Improvise (just explore and experiment – don’t worry about sounding great) using BOTH scale patterns, one at a time.
  • Start with Major Scale Pattern 1, then after a couple of minutes, slide your ring finger down the G string so that it lands on the “Keynote”, then experiment with the pentatonic.
  • Notice the difference in “sound characteristic” between the two scale patterns. Major scale pattern 1 may sound “fuller” or “fancier” while the pentatonic sounds “simpler”.
  • Continue to improvise with the C Major backing track, switching between major scale pattern 1 and the pentatonic scale patterns until it’s clear to you how to switch between both patterns within the same key.
• STEP 3: REVIEW.  If necessary, review the section of the video on how to change keys by sliding both major scale pattern 1 and the pentatonic connected together as one unit. Make sure you’re clear on how to change keys (by simply sliding both patterns together up and down the fretboard – where major scale pattern 1 starts on the “keynote” depending on which key you’re in).
• STEP 4: CHANGE KEYS. Repeat Step 2 (by playing both scale patterns over backing tracks), but this time in the keys of
  • B Major
  • D Major and
  • Db Major.

→ Move on when you are clear on how to play BOTH major scale pattern 1 and the pentatonic in all three of these keys.

C Major Backing Tracks (for step 2)

B Major, D Major and Db Major Tracks (for step 4)

Bonus …

This is a bonus for you to use to learn more about major key roots. I am offering this to you only if and when you have already learned to use the two patterns without looking! If you are at that point, study the charts below. Then use the charts to improvise while learning the sound of the root notes and remembering where they are.

Here is an image that may help a bit when improvising. It shows an extra bit of information.

• The arrows there show how the patterns align on the fretboard. The arrows point to the same note on the fretboard.
• All notes colored in green indicate the roots, or keynotes.
• Note how both patterns cover two octaves of the root note. The root note, or keynote, appears three times in each pattern.
• Next, study how the Pentatonic Pattern has many fewer notes than Major Scale Pattern 1.
  • The pentatonic scale is based on the major scale (technically, the diatonic scale).
  • The pentatonic scale only has 5 ‘unique notes,’ where the major scale has 7 ‘unique notes’ (note names).
• When you connect these patterns and improvise within them, you will be playing across 9 full frets of your mandolin.
• Take your time improvising in the lessons above. Learn where the major scale keynotes are found in the connected patterns and pay attention to the feeling these notes conjure up as you practice.