The Cipher for Mandolin and Tenor Banjo         Before reading this be forewarned that I use Commonsense String Numbers in all explanations. Index of The Cipher for Mandolin (Tenor Banjo and Violin): 3 Minute Introduction for Mandolin Commonsense String Numbers for Mandolin Number formula translation tables: intervals, scales, and chords Seven Degree Calculation Line for Mandolin Cipher Demonstrations for Mandolin Pattern of Unisons and Octaves for Mandolin Triads on the Mandolin fretboard (two pages) Scales, Major and minor, in parallel, on the Mandolin fretboard Chord Progressions for Mandolin (Triads of Major) Notes of Mandolin fretboard spelled Blank 4 string fretboard grid paper in PDF Commonsense string numbering order means your low G is string-one, high E is string four. For mandolin or any string instrument tuned to fifths, the following Cipher Components are used: See the Three Minute Introduction for Mandolin.   A Seven Degree (Perfect-Fifth) Calculation Line is used.   The exact same Cipher number formula (for intervals, scales, and chords) used for guitar are used here as well. The formula are simply plotted relative to the Seven Degree Calculation Line and it’s resulting counting grids. Again, these patterns and counting grids are natural to these instruments. This is how they truly work (in their standard tuning). If you already play guitar and always wanted to learn mandolin (lets say) once you familiarize yourself with the Cipher System on guitar come back here and see how fast you can pick up the mandolin! You’ll have a thorough working knowledge of how fifths-tuned instruments work in an instant. You’d be able to make up your own chord voicings with absolute confidence (no guesswork) immediately because you’d know exactly what was going on within the instrument itself and you’d have the formula and knowledge of how to use them. So the mystery of how all common stringed instruments work is now lifted for you as well. Commonsense string numbering order applies to four-string instruments as well those with six (meaning guitar), see Figure 1.   A Pattern of Unisons and Octaves specific to the fifths tuning pattern is also needed. See the large 4 page section.   The notes of the Violin-Mandolin fretboard spelled with letters is also required — is applicable to: violin, fiddle, mandolin, tenor banjo, and more.   Blank 4 string fretboard grids paper in PDF (Adobe Acrobat Reader). Can be used as: mandolin grids, bass grids, tenor banjo grids, ukulele grids, and more. [PC users right-click and “save target as”. Mac users, click-hold and select “download link to disk” from the pop-up menu.]   Mandolin Cipher demonstrations Common musical materials By string-sets All intervals on the mandolin fretboard Also see: Mandolin scales   Mandolin triads   Mandolin chord progressions             Figure 1           Figure 2           Up to Top of page