Mandolin Scales

Learning to play scales on your mandolin is an essential step to improving your technique, enhancing your mandolin soloing skills, and gaining a better understanding of the mandolin fretboard. Mandolin scales and patterns serve as the foundation for melodies, improvisation, and even chord construction, making them a crucial part of your practice routine. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments!

Need a Book?

My Mandolin Primer for Major Scales is a great companion when you are starting out learning scales or just want something to brush up on (or for other teachers to use with students!). The book dives into the major arpeggios, major diatonic, and major pentatonic and includes practices, exercises, and the classic “bag of riffs” to help you put these scales in action. While the below is great free stuff – the book is a great add on (and can even be used in Offline Mode!)

Explore Mandolin Scales

On this page, you’ll find graphical representations and charts for various mandolin scales as well as standard notation and tablature. These materials provide an excellent reference for practice, warmups, and developing finger dexterity.

These mandolin scale charts include:

• Major Scales in two octaves, shown in both “open” and “closed” positions when possible.
• Alternative positions for keys without open notes, such as C#, which are shown in “first” and “second” positions.
• Fingering suggestions to help you develop fluidity, though players are encouraged to experiment with variations.

General Scale Studies and Patterns

• Diatonic Major Scale
  • Vertical graphic with Scale degrees
  • Horizontal Graphic
• Diatonic Minor Scale 
  • Vertical graphic with Scale degrees
  • Horizontal Graphic
• Pentatonic Major
  • Vertical graphic with scale degrees
  • Horizontal Graphic
• Pentatonic Minor
  • Vertical graphic with scale degrees
  • Horizontal Graphic
• Harmonic Minor
  • Horizontal Graphic

Specific Keys

Diatonic Major Scales

• C Major Scale
• G Major Scale
  • G Major Scale Notation
  • G Major Scale Graphic Positions
• D Major Scale
  • D Major Scale Notation
  • D Major Scale Graphic Positions
• A Major
  • A Major Scale Notation
  • A Major Scale Graphic Positions
• E Major
  • E Major Scale Notation
  • E Major Scale Graphic Positions
• B Major Scale
• F# / Gb Major Scale
• C# / Db Major Scale
• Ab Major Scale
• Eb Major Scale
• Bb Major Scale
• F Major Scale

Diatonic Minor Scales

• A Minor Graphic Positions
• E Minor Graphic Positions
• B Minor Graphic Positions
• F# Minor Graphic Positions
• Db Minor Graphic Positions
• Ab Minor Graphic Positions
• Eb Minor Graphic Positions
• Bb Minor Graphic Positions
• F Minor Graphic Positions
• C Minor Graphic Positions
• G Minor Graphic Positions
• D Minor Graphic Positions

Major Pentatonic Scales (1 2 3 5 6)

• C Major Pentatonic
• G Major Pentatonic
  • G Major Pentatonic Notation
  • G Major Pentatonic Graphic Positions
  • G Major Pentatonic – All Black Notes
  • G Major Pentatonic – All Black Notes Clean
• D Major Pentatonic
• A Major Pentatonic
  • A Major Pentatonic Notation
  • A Major Pentatonic Graphic Positions
  • A Major Pentatonic – All Black Notes
  • A Major Pentatonic – All Black Notes Clean
• E Major Pentatonic
• B Major Pentatonic (Alternate Graphic)
• F# / Gb Major Pentatonic
• C# / Db Major Pentatonic
• Ab Major Pentatonic
• Eb Major Pentatonic
• Bb Major Pentatonic
• F Major Pentatonic

Minor Pentatonic Scales (1 3b 4 5 7b)

• A Minor Pentatonic
• E Minor Pentatonic
• B Minor Pentatonic 
• F# Minor Pentatonic
• C# Minor Pentatonic
• G# Minor Pentatonic
• Eb Minor Pentatonic
• Bb Minor Pentatonic
• F Minor Pentatonic
• C Minor Pentatonic
• G Minor Pentatonic
  • G Minor Pentatonic Notation
  • G Minor Pentatonic Graphic
• D Minor Pentatonic

Harmonic Minor

Coming soon

Arpeggio Exercises

• Cycle of 4ths 

Looking for More on Mandolin Scales?

For a more comprehensive approach to mandolin scales including major pentatonic scales and major diatonic scales, check out Mandolin Primer Volume 2: Major Scales at my store. This book provides an in-depth look at scale patterns, finger positions, and practical exercises designed to improve your technique.

Learn More with Personal Coaching

For more in depth studies that highlight more variations and other scales (including minors, harmonic minors, and etc), contact me for a lesson.

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