Getting into Jazz Mandolin by Ted Eschliman (Book + Online Audio)

No longer confined to basic folk genres, any mandolinist aspiring to a broader comprehension of music, including swing, blues, pop, choro, broadway, and even classical can expand his/her playing and through a working knowledge of jazz fundamentals. This breakthrough approach in mandolin pedagogy takes four uncomplicated fretboard patterns (FFcP) and drills a physical familiarity into the player's fingers, softening the fear of upper frets and prepares for the harmonic alterations necessary for effective and intuitive playing of more complex contemporary music.

A brief introduction into modes, the player is eased into jamming with audio accompaniment (CD), and eventually an initiation into the most fundamental jazz chord progression of all, the 'ii V7 I' pattern. From the horizontal (melody) to the vertical (chords) and back, the results are a both instinctive and physical grasp of tonal centers and the improvisational fodder of effective performing. An emphasis on pinky strength, finger control and sustain, the book's exercises also develop the player's concepts of tone and melody.

Introduction and Philosophy
Four Finger Closed Position (FFcP)
Half-Step Scale Degrees
Ionian Mandology
Practice Hints
General Starting Positions One Octave FFcP Major Scales
Moving the FFcP up the Fingerboard
Moving on Up
The Secret of Half Steps
Gravity Notes
Guides and Gravity
Arpeggios: Subconscious Melodic Roadmaps
Maj7 Arpeggios
Dom7 Arpeggios
Min7 Arpeggios
Min6 Arpeggios
Minor 6th and Half Diminished 7ths Chords (m7b5)
Lydian DUDU
Melodic Improvisational Concepts
More Modal Considerations
Dorian Patterns
A Little bit of Gypsy: The Aug 11th Scale
The Altered Scale
Bebop Mandology
Minor in Possession
One small step for a mandolin, one giant leap from a G Chop
Minor: V7(b9)i
Minor Cadences: V7(b9)i
Chord and Melody: Transition
Minor World Dominants
Jazz Harmonic Function
The "ii V7 I"
Sample Stock 'ii V7 I' Chord Fingerings
Sample Stock 'ii7b5 V7 i' Chord Fingerings
How High the Minor Two?
Major ii V7 I 2nd
Major ii V7 I 3rd
Major ii V7 I 1st
Major ii V7 I 4th
Minor ii7b5 V7 i
Minor ii7b5 V7 i 2nd
Minor ii7b5 V7 i 3rd
Minor ii7b5 V7 i 4th
Blues 501: Advanced Blues Progressions
Turn Around Progressions
Mandolin Chord User Template
Turnarounds
Tri-tone Substitutions
Tri-tone Sub Application
Mandolin Chord Economics
Gb13-9 "Chop"
Mandolin Chord User Template
Symmetrical Fretboard "Tricks": Diminished and Augmented Chords
Beyond Tonal Centers
Improvisation: Pattern Based vs Theory Based
Part of the Team: On Ensemble Playing
Parting Thoughts
About the Author
Acknowledgements
Mandolin Chord User Templates