What do you do to get beyond the fifth fret?

[rick-slo]

If you are composing (or perhaps just arranging ) an instrumental piece how conscious are you about using more of the fretboard
(at least on some pieces), adding more variety and avoid over repetition of the same phrases? Do you follow through on trying out
different ideas and approaches you might think about?

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

If you are composing (or perhaps just arranging ) an instrumental piece how conscious are you about using more of the fretboard
(at least on some pieces), adding more variety and avoid over repetition of the same phrases? Do you follow through on trying out
different ideas and approaches you might think about?

Hi r-s…

When arranging fingerstyle pieces, I often arrange a middle verse an octave higher or flip the harmony above the melody in a passage.

Sometimes I transpose the bridge up a 4th or 5th, and then return to original key by the last refrain/verse.

I'm very conscious about not boring the audience (or me the player) by repeating passages verbatim.

If I'm playing in a duet with a proficient player, I deliberately live above the 5th fret a great deal of the time.

Actually when in a band or duet situation, I imagine I'm on a teeter-totter and my job is to adjust my position so I'm balancing the main player. If he/she is strumming in the first position, I'm picking/or arpeggiating at least ½ octave higher. If he/she's picking, I'm often strumming just partial chords at medium volume.

I don't copy other player's fingerstyle arrangements, but learn their pieces and adapt them to my style.

An important part of that involves changing dynamics, and range throughout a piece.

Another technique I use is dropping the bass - Dopped D (or C) so I have better placement of bass notes which become reachable while playing higher on the neck.

Hope this adds to the discussion.

[jklotz]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi r-s…

When arranging fingerstyle pieces, I often arrange a middle verse an octave higher or flip the harmony above the melody in a passage. Sometimes I transpose the bridge up a 4th or 5th, and then return to original key by the last refrain/verse.

I'm very conscious about not boring the audience (or me the player) by repeating passages verbatim.

If I'm playing in a duet with a proficient player, I deliberately live above the 5th fret a great deal of the time.

Actually when in a band or duet situation, I imagine I'm on a teeter-totter and my job is to adjust my position so I'm balancing the main player. If he/she is strumming in the first position, I'm picking/or arpeggiating at least ½ octave higher. If he/she's picking, I'm often strumming just partial chords at medium volume.

I don't copy other player's fingerstyle arrangements, but learn their pieces and adapt them to my style.

An important part of that involves changing dynamics, and range throughout a piece.

Another technique I use is dropping the bass - Dopped D (or C) so I have better placement of bass notes which become reachable while playing higher on the neck.

Hope this adds to the discussion.

Larry pretty much covered it IMHO. I also like to use the chord inversions up the neck to get a different voicing for certain things, especially when playing with another guitar player. As an accompanist, my job most of the time is to stay out of the way of the vocals. If we are both sitting on cowboy chords, it gets muddy and competes with the singing. If I go up the neck and play different inversions/voicing of the same chords, it sounds fuller and more musical and leaves a bit of a pocket for the vocal to sit in.

[rick-slo]

Thanks for the replies. Some good approaches laid out.

[SongwriterFan]

Not what you're looking for, I'm sure, but I seem to always write songs where I sing in Bb or C, and I play in the G-shape and capo at either the 3rd or 5th fret to do that.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by SongwriterFan

Not what you're looking for, I'm sure, but I seem to always write songs where I sing in Bb or C, and I play in the G-shape and capo at either the 3rd or 5th fret to do that.

You're correct!

[islandguitar]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

If you are composing (or perhaps just arranging ) an instrumental piece how conscious are you about using more of the fretboard
(at least on some pieces), adding more variety and avoid over repetition of the same phrases? Do you follow through on trying out
different ideas and approaches you might think about?

Hi Derek!
Yes, I'm constantly thinking about this stuff with my tunes....to the extent that it's almost a "given" that I'll be beyond the 5th fret for some portion of a tune as I find my way around. I'm really conscious of over repetition of phrases and while listening back will intentionally change stuff for the benefit of my ear.....and hopefully the listener! I never do more than 3 passes on a phrase and sometimes less.
I also like some basic harmonic work to help with balancing out the entire spectrum of sound.
I do think for some pieces I search out "tension and release" and look for notes or partial chords in certain sections that can deliver the tension ahead of resolving and releasing. I'm comfortable with a little dissonance up or down the fret board to get there!
If I'm working on something and it's evolving, it's something that's with me no matter whether I'm playing my guitar, or driving, or in the shower or talking with my wife! Hearing stuff (playing it in my head)......seeing chords.....assessing a melody that's lurking.....it all kind of takes over (me).......and that may remain until it's 'finished"......or recorded, or both. All this includes passages up the neck, or finding ways to get there via my process.
Thanks for starting the topic!
Fred

[Robin, Wales]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

If you are composing (or perhaps just arranging ) an instrumental piece how conscious are you about using more of the fretboard
(at least on some pieces), adding more variety and avoid over repetition of the same phrases? Do you follow through on trying out
different ideas and approaches you might think about?

Well Derek, having listen to a few of your wonderful sound samples I don't think that you are missing anything by not venturing up to the dusty end of the fretboard that often. You produce such beautiful and varied playing and arranging already.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by Robin, Wales

Well Derek, having listen to a few of your wonderful sound samples I don't think that you are missing anything by not venturing up to the dusty end of the fretboard that often. You produce such beautiful and varied playing and arranging already.

Thanks. Was not really asking the question for myself. Just a thread of some things to think about for those who compose
or arrange that keep themselves more confined. Some good answers so far.

[Robin, Wales]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

Thanks. Was not really asking the question for myself. Just a thread of some things to think about for those who compose
or arrange that keep themselves more confined. Some good answers so far.

Ahh, I am not really qualified to offer an answer. But I do capo high quite often. Not just for pitch, as I could get the same pitch with different inversions lower down the fretboard, but for timbre. Playing the bass strings higher up significantly reduces the sustain and overtones - it makes my guitar easier to sing across.

Perhaps someone in the situation you describe could use that change in timbre of the bass strings played at higher frets to their advantage during a composition of an instrumental piece?

[blue]

I'm no pro. let's just state that up front.

What opened up the upper register for me was immersing myself in Slack Key, where I stuck mostly to Open G music.

Going up the neck, and coming back down is just a part of it. In no time you know where all the Major and Minor chords are, and no, I'm not simply talking about laying your index finger across the neck, and adding a finger or two!

And of course you get used to arpeggiating them, which is one very small step away from being able to improvise melodic solos.

Did it transfer completely to standard tunning? Nope. Did it open up the potentials and help? Yup!

[charles Tauber]

To Be.... or not to be...

[TBman]

I would have to probably develop the melody above the 5th fret and then go down for variety. Could be interesting.