Skip to content
Banjo Ben Clark
Log in Join Now

Ear Training & the Pentatonic Scale

mandolin beginner

In this lesson

  • Lesson Preview preview
  • ๐Ÿ”’ Scale Overview & Simple Phrases
  • ๐Ÿ”’ Sing What You Play!
  • ๐Ÿ”’ Upping the Complexity

Can you find these pentatonic scale-based melodies by ear? In this lesson, I'll guide you through some ear training so that you can begin recognizing licks & melodies by ear...then PLAY them! We'll also connect our voice to our instrument, so that improvisation happens more naturally!

Discuss this lesson

5 replies Visit the forum โ†’
  1. Wes Pittman

    โ™ฅ 3

    Got about 80% of this one down but the third measure keeps tripping me. Anybody else find that part awkward at speed?

  2. Nate Overby

    โ™ฅ 7

    That's the one that made me finally understand backup. Stick with it.

  3. Mick Stanton

    โ™ฅ 6

    Try it without the pick for a few passes. Sounds silly but it told me my right hand was doing too much.

  4. Junior Pace

    โ™ฅ 10

    Recording yourself is humbling but it's the fastest fix I've found.

  5. Gene Sowell

    โ™ฅ 3

    There's a slower jam track under the resources tab on this lesson, worth grabbing.

  6. Ben Clark Instructor

    โ™ฅ 6

    Don't force the pinky stretch. Move your thumb down behind the neck first and the stretch mostly takes care of itself.

Join the conversation

Sign in to reply โ€” it takes an email address and nothing else.

Sign in to reply