How To Play a Scale on One String

This entry is part 17 of 24 in the series The Fundamental Mandolin Framework

How To Play One String Major Scales

How to play with the “major scale” sound along one string so you can improvise horizontally across the fretboard

(video)

Black and white fretboard diagram showing major scale notes across a single string

Action Steps

Watch the video and view the chart to learn the “formula” for playing a major scale along one string.
Following the chart, start on the 2nd fret (A note) on the Low G string. Use only your first finger to play a one-string major scale along that string. Make sure to count the numbers OUT LOUD as you play each note. In other words, “play it and say it”.
Once you have played through all the notes – 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1* (1* is the Octave of 1 – they should be the same LETTER note), then play the scale backwards, starting at 1* and going DOWN in pitch in this order 1* 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. Make sure to SAY ALOUD each NUMBER as you play it.
Repeat this step until you can accurately play all the notes in the one string major scale ascending (going up in pitch) and descending (going down in pitch) from memory WITHOUT looking at the one string scale chart.
Repeat step 2, but with different starting notes: Start on the 1st fret (Ab note) and repeat step 2 starting on that note. Then, AFTER you can successfully play a one string major scale WITHOUT looking at the chart, starting from the 1st fret, then change the starting note again. This time, start on the 5th fret (C note), and repeat step 2.
(Optional but highly recommended) Repeat step 2 beginning on other starting notes of your choice. For example, you could start on the 4th fret, 3rd fret, etc.