Finding notes on the fretboard: good article

[Toby Walker]

Originally Posted by EllaMom

Thanks, Toby. That's exactly what my teacher told me in yesterday's lesson. And...keep your eye on the bass notes (often the root is in the bass line).

Oooo... Oooo... here's another cool tip: if the root note is on the 5th string, then the fifth of that is on the 6th string, same fret. Of course, this works all over the guitar - with the exception of the 2nd to 3rd string, but it's a great way of learning an alternate bass note to the chord you play.

Take the open C chord. The bass root note (C) is located on the 5th string, 3rd fret. The alternate bass note - (G) is on that 6th string, same fret. The fun never stops!

[EllaMom]

Originally Posted by Toby Walker

Oooo... Oooo... here's another cool tip: if the root note is on the 5th string, then the fifth of that is on the 6th string, same fret. Of course, this works all over the guitar - with the exception of the 2nd to 3rd string, but it's a great way of learning an alternate bass note to the chord you play.

Take the open C chord. The bass root note (C) is located on the 5th string, 3rd fret. The alternate bass note - (G) is on that 6th string, same fret. The fun never stops!

OOOOoooo OOOOoooooo! Toby, THANKS! See? These are the kinds of little tips and shortcuts and I am only just discovering, thanks to you and others. Much appreciated!

[Geof S.]

Something which helped make learning the fretboard easier for me was just learning the natural notes on each string. If you know the natural notes you also know the sharp/flat notes next to them. Also, the natural notes make a nice pattern which makes them easier to remember.

Personally, I feel that really learning the notes on the fretboard is one of the most useful things you can learn on guitar, and it only takes a few hours to do it. The reward-to-investment ratio is off the charts.

[EllaMom]

Originally Posted by Geof S.

Something which helped make learning the fretboard easier for me was just learning the natural notes on each string. If you know the natural notes you also know the sharp/flat notes next to them. Also, the natural notes make a nice pattern which makes them easier to remember.

Personally, I feel that really learning the notes on the fretboard is one of the most useful things you can learn on guitar, and it only takes a few hours to do it. The reward-to-investment ratio is off the charts.

Yes, I agree. First, the notes, as well as chords. Then, the degrees for each note in those chords, From there I can figure out where to find variations (fifths, sus, etc.).

I am using several 'exercises' to learn my way around the fretboard. It's interesting... in yesterday's lesson, my teacher was saying to play a certain chord but to not play the fretted E for this particular section. I didn't know which note that was. I think he assumed I already had that knowledge "under my fingers." I could figure it out, where that fretted E is, but that 'stops production.' Well, that is now changing!

Previous teachers I've had would show me how to play the C major chord in the first, second, third frets (cowboy chord), but we never discussed what notes comprised that chord! I was only shown where to put my fingers to make the chord. I never thought to ask about its construction! It wasn't until recently that I realized that when you fret a cowboy C chord, and play strings 1 through 5, the only notes being played are C-E-G! The very basics somehow were not part of my early lessons with previous teachers. It's kind of mystifying how that could have been left out. And how would I know to ask about what I don't know about!

On track now. Carry on!

[SunnyDee]

Originally Posted by Toby Walker

Oooo... Oooo... here's another cool tip: if the root note is on the 5th string, then the fifth of that is on the 6th string, same fret. Of course, this works all over the guitar - with the exception of the 2nd to 3rd string, but it's a great way of learning an alternate bass note to the chord you play.

Take the open C chord. The bass root note (C) is located on the 5th string, 3rd fret. The alternate bass note - (G) is on that 6th string, same fret. The fun never stops!

Good one!

[Grinning Boy]

Originally Posted by Toby Walker

Oooo... Oooo... here's another cool tip: if the root note is on the 5th string, then the fifth of that is on the 6th string, same fret. Of course, this works all over the guitar - with the exception of the 2nd to 3rd string, but it's a great way of learning an alternate bass note to the chord you play.

Take the open C chord. The bass root note (C) is located on the 5th string, 3rd fret. The alternate bass note - (G) is on that 6th string, same fret. The fun never stops!

Thanks. This is a very useful tip Toby!!

[SunnyDee]

Pretty good site for learning notes, too. Day 8 and 9 were things I did that I don't see mentioned too often. I found them really helpful to do early on because they give you the intervals of 4ths and they are good landmarks.

Learn the Guitar Fretboard

One other thing I found particularly helpful in learning the notes is to practice intervals of minor 3rds and major 3rds. Makes building triads easy.

[Cameron_Talley]

If you remember that every fret represents a half-step, you can pretty much figure out the whole fretboard if you only know a few of the notes.

[SunnyDee]

Originally Posted by Cameron_Talley

If you remember that every fret represents a half-step, you can pretty much figure out the whole fretboard if you only know a few of the notes.

Oh, yes, you are right. I think we are talking about the difference between deriving the fretboard and instant recall of notes and maybe a lot of levels of "knowing" in between those. Thoughts?

[amyFB]

Originally Posted by SunnyDee

Oh, yes, you are right. I think we are talking about the difference between deriving the fretboard and instant recall of notes and maybe a lot of levels of "knowing" in between those. Thoughts?

i think less of note names and more of intervals. Hearing intervals between chord changes as well as feeling the interval under my hands as it moves multiple frets away from the starting point.

my facility with moving between chord inversions is the result of lots of repetitive practice to install both the audible as well as the muscular memory conditions that exist today.

ears are muscles too, and can be trained just like hands and fingers.

keep playing!

[SunnyDee]

Originally Posted by amyFB

i think less of note names and more of intervals. Hearing intervals between chord changes as well as feeling the interval under my hands as it moves multiple frets away from the starting point.

my facility with moving between chord inversions is the result of lots of repetitive practice to install both the audible as well as the muscular memory conditions that exist today.

ears are muscles too, and can be trained just like hands and fingers.

keep playing!

Ears are muscles, too! I like that.

Me, too. I don't think note names at all unless I'm just setting up to play a new key or something. Once I'm in the key, it's a third here, a fifth there....

[Cameron_Talley]

Originally Posted by SunnyDee

Oh, yes, you are right. I think we are talking about the difference between deriving the fretboard and instant recall of notes and maybe a lot of levels of "knowing" in between those. Thoughts?

Yes, my point was merely that the more you could use that as a starting point to figuring out the notes as you work on memorizing them. Honestly, I'm not sure learning the accidentals are even necessary, since if you know where all the G's are, you know where all the G#s are, and so on. I still have a long way to go in memorizing the fretboard myself, but I find that's a great place to start.

[EllaMom]

I'm in the process of learning the notes on the fretboard as well. I've got C nailed pretty much. From there is D, then E, and so on. I'm starting to see patterns in the process, where before I just saw a chaotic jumble of letters. It's a slower process than I thought it would be, but I'm sticking with it...and it's sticking with me as a result.

[SunnyDee]

Originally Posted by Cameron_Talley

Yes, my point was merely that the more you could use that as a starting point to figuring out the notes as you work on memorizing them. Honestly, I'm not sure learning the accidentals are even necessary, since if you know where all the G's are, you know where all the G#s are, and so on. I still have a long way to go in memorizing the fretboard myself, but I find that's a great place to start.

There are so many complex patterns to be found in the fretboard that everyone can find their own way in. I knew enough before trying to memorize to name any barre chords, etc., but when I started wanting to play more with melody, I wanted to know where I was when improvising.

For example, if my finger is here where is the next major 3rd that's still in key? And where's the next minor 3rd, so I can form a major triad?

I learned the naturals first, but found that I'd hesitate over flats/sharps so I've added them to my efforts now. It's only 5 more at this point and because I'm learning them as 4ths/5ths, it works to memorize the Circle of 5ths at the same time. I haven't memorized them as note names, though. I've memorized them as intervals within a scale using solfa syllables so I can change them easily to any key. In a sense, I'd still have to derive the note names but, for me, this worked better right now.

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by EllaMom

I'm in the process of learning the notes on the fretboard as well. I've got C nailed pretty much. From there is D, then E, and so on. I'm starting to see patterns in the process, where before I just saw a chaotic jumble of letters. It's a slower process than I thought it would be, but I'm sticking with it...and it's sticking with me as a result.

Take it just one note at a time, a day at a time, and do't try to rush it. As you have observed, the pattern starts to become clear after a while of doing this exercise. You don't need to buy a book or a method. You don't need to think of this string against that string. In time, and with patience, you will "see" the fretboard clearly - all the notes where they are without the need for any tricks.

The analogy I use is when watering a lawn. You can dump water on it, and most of it just runs off onto the street. You can alternatively use what we used to call a "soaker" - a long, flat hose with little holes all along its length that you put out on the lawn and just turned the water flow up enough so a light spray covers the lawn area. It would take several hours to water the lawn that way, but the lawn got all the water.

Unfortunately, in our culture, we don't want to wait. Amazon has built an empire on this - a mouse click and in two days its Christmas any day of the year. Unfortunately, some things just can't be rushed, and this is one of them. But, then, neither can the process of learning to really play the guitar be rushed. It is a process, not a destination. As the book "Mastery" by George Leonard discusses, we are working against our culture when we choose to take the long term approach to a project such as this.

I realize that in posting this, I am probably "preaching to the choir", but sometimes we need this reminder, and I am certainly reminding myself in this post.

Tony