The fruits of my labor last night have arrived: full 22-fret banjo fingerboard maps for all 12 major scales.  Click the image above to download the 3-page pdf file. 

I like these diagrams because they let you easily see the relationships between scales and chord.  Most banjo players venture up the neck by learning new chord positions.  If you find your up-the-neck chords on these diagrams you can easily see how they fit in with the rest of the scale. 

Another interesting thing to do with them is build scale shapes.  For example, take this G diagram.  If you pick a G note and find a pattern that connects G - A - B - C - D - E - F# - G up the neck, you’ve created a scale.  This also applies to the modes.  Just start on a different note and do the same thing (A - B - C - D - E - F# - G - A, for example).

I’ve pointed out the most useful modes of these scales (if you really need a phrygian, lydian, or locrian scale to play, I’m assuming you already know how to find it).  In American traditional music we play mixolydian and major scales very interchangeably, and what we call “modal” or “mountain minor” usually refers to the dorian mode.

If you’ve got any questions, feel free to email me!  Thanks for stopping by!

I’m stoked to announce that I’ll be playing at the 4th annual String Thing here in Arcata, with a new bluegrass band with members of the Absynth Quintet and the Bucky Walters!  We’re not on the flyer, just sneaking in on the tweener stage.  Expect a lot of original songs, harmony singing, licks to make you giggle, and electric resophonic bass?