It is the first thing I noticed when I "transitioned" from woodwind to mandolin. My conclusions were that woodwinds are built around a major scale, because one scale is usually and by far the easiest to play, requiring only simple finger placement, covering the holes more or less, and few or none of the myriad of extra keys. And another thing - this main major scale the instrument seems to be built around is called C. If the instrument is a standard orchestral clarinet, the actual tones of that scale will be Bb major scale. Thus a clarinet is "in the key of Bb". If the instrument is an alto saxophone, the actual tones of the scale called C will be an Eb major scale. Thus, the instrument is "in Eb". For a regular orchestral flute, the C major scale is the C scale, so a flute is "in C".
Stringed instruments are seemingly revolutionary (when coming from the woodwind world), for a bunch of reasons but this one in particular, that they are not "built" around a particular scale. Just strings and frets. Not only are there many ways to play every scale, but also most every scale pattern one learns will produce a different scale if moved up a string or up a fret. Thus one is quickly able to play a major scale in every key by starting the same pattern on a different note. Mind blown.
And this second leads to another mind blowing - unlike a piano, a stringed instrument has no black keys. Sharps and flats are not exceptions to an easy scale. Scales are just intervals and there is nothing special about any particular scale. Nothing special about the C scale. After full immersion in mandolin many find it much easier to play in G or D than to play in C. Especially when playing by ear.
Ok, on to your question. I would suggest the simultaneous application of two points of view.
I would get a beginner violin book to see how scales are done in so called "first position" and then on to "third position", in order to get a handle on things, and get up the neck. I would use that as a way to read standard notation for example.
Then in parallel i would look into the FFcP which is described in the book "Getting into Jazz Mandolin" by Ted Eschliman. It is an entirely different way of looking at getting up the neck. This is gigantic for playing by ear, getting a new tune under your fingers quickly, jamming with others.
And to the extent possible, i would follow both these paths as far as you have energy and interest. Both.
Everything, (I think) branches off these two approaches, these two ways of visualizing the fretboard, and just about any style of music you pursue on the mandolin.
My prejudice is that it takes a background in woodwinds to understand how amazing a mandolin really is.
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