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Aonzo Family Scales

Carlo Aonzo


Here are the (now famous) Carlo Aonzo Family Scales. Aonzo said when his father started teaching him mandolin this was the first exercise he learned. His grandfather taught them to his father. He said to do them every day and to keep the fingers down on each note when ascending each string. Make sure each note has good, clean, strong, tone and volume. Use a metronome and increase the speed as you become proficient. Carlo's other instructions are below. At the low end of the neck they're a b*tch, in the middle easy, then get tough again high up. Have fun kids...


|----------------|--------0-2-3-2-|----------------| |----------------|0-2-3-5---------|7-5-3-2---------| |--------0-2-4-5-|----------------|--------7-5-4-2-| |0-2-4-5---------|----------------|----------------| |----------------|----------------|1-3-4-3-1-------| |----------------|--------1-3-4-6-|----------6-4-3-| |----------------|1-3-5-6---------|----------------| |7-5-4-2-1-3-5-6-|----------------|----------------| |----------------|----------------|--------2-4-5-4-| |1---------------|----------------|2-4-5-7---------| |--6-5-3-1-------|--------2-4-6-7-|----------------| |----------6-5-3-|2-4-6-7---------|----------------| |2---------------|----------------|----------------| |--7-5-4-2-------|----------------|--------3-5-6-8-| |----------7-6-4-|2---------------|3-5-7-8---------| |----------------|--7-6-4-3-5-7-8-|----------------| |3-5-6-5-3-------|----------------|----------------| |----------8-6-5-|3---------------|----------------| |----------------|--8-7-5-3-------|----------------| |----------------|----------8-7-5-|3---------------|

Aonzo's paraphrased exit comments "Continue this pattern step by step until the index finger is on the 10th fret then reverse the starting note (down a half step) and go back down to the open position. Repeat this 3 times! and you'll become a mandolinist."