Fretboard Roadmaps - Mandolin: The Essential Patterns That All the Pros Know and Use

I got a couple of books which I thought would get me there. This was one of them (the other being Jack Hatfield's "You Can Teach Yourself Mandolin By Ear" which I also recommend), and I was not disappointed.

It does start with some fairly basic stuff (where to find all the notes on the strings), and then introduces some handy scale-learning exercises. Where the real strength then comes in is putting these scales into action when you start playing a tune. It encourages you to start transposing to other keys, and so learn how to play a song in whatever key you happen to find yourself in. The big thing it gave me was how to not lose my never when I played a bum-note. Instead I found I could just go on a slight blues-y riff, and come back via the scale exercises earlier in the book.

On its own I can't recommend it as a tutor. But that isn't its job. Likewise, it won't completely teach you how to improvise, as it is a bit limited in scope for that, and doesn't explain enough about how to fill in the blanks with what you play. But (and it is a big but), it does provide you with the confidence to take a piece of music which you have encountered and move the key, and once you have this, allow you to work at improvising within keys, and moving this around the fretboard.

The accompanying CD is fine for playing along to, but like all these CDs I find they get a bit dull after a while. There's nothing really to stretch you and your playing here, but it is handy as a starting point.

All in all, I would recommend this to a post-beginner to intermediate player who wants to understand music and the mandolin a bit more. I worked at it with Jack Hatfield's book, and I found it to be an excellent combination.