Here’s a quick video I did after realizing a super simple cool little fingering trick you can do to convert the G, D, or A major scales into their respective blues scales, just by sliding your hand up a 1/2 step!  Member Bill Ferguson (lazydog) helped in the inspiration while at a private mandolin lesson with me (He’s now calling this the “Ferguson Method” ;~).

Bill just made the simple mistake of having his hand positioned one fret (one half-step) up while doing a major scale improv with me, and we both realized that it sounded pretty cool… by accident!  Why?  I explained that the blues scale in 2nd position, has a nearly identical fingering (see the video) as your standard major scale fingerings in the keys of G, D, & A! …the cool part is that, though I do this little trick all the time when I personally am jamming, I never thought of explaining or teaching it this easy way before!  Thanks lazydog!  I hope you enjoy and find this method useful!

Here’s a fingering chart for the D version: You can do this same trick in the key of G or A too by just moving this fingering up or down one set of strings.

Hope that helps!  Remember, if you want to see all lessons in the Fiddle Jam Institute, consider joining us as an All Access Pass member!  Join Now!

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Happy jamming,

Fitz

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