Do you know the note names on the fretboard?

[RICK FITZPATRICK]

Viola! You have just learned 72 Chords! Congratulations.

Where do you get 72 chords?

M(maj) x 12 keys = 12 chords
m(min) x 12keys = 12 chords
Dom(b7) x 12 keys = 12 chords

I only see 36. 5 qualitys x 12 keys = SIXTY CHORDS...period. All else are extensions, alterations and their inversions.

What about the other 2 qualities? And the inversions. Just because you don't play them doesn't mean they don't exist. A system is comprised of the whole.

I suppose the 60 Chord system is similar to this one.

If it was, you should be able to play this in all 12 keys 120bpm

medium gypsy(bossa nova "type" feel)

Intro(no tempo) 1 bar per chord /= 1/2 bar (2)bars
Intro IV III IV bVIM V
8bars VI IV II IIIx/+5 II/bVIo IIIx/+5-9 VI IIIx/-5
8bars VI IV II IIIx/+5 II/bVIo IIIx/+5-9 VI IIIx/-5
bridge IV(2) III(2) IV(2) bVIM V
8bars VI IV II IIIx/+5 II/bVIo IIIx/+5-9 VI IIIx/-5 (II/V to new key)
Option...continue with 2nd verse or modulate via new key "II/V"
continue new Key(bVII) as 2nd verse..to end.
8bars VI IV II IIIx/+5 II/bVIo IIIx/+5-9 VI IIIx/-5
bridge IV(2) III(2) IV(2) bVIM V
8bars VI IV II IIIx/+5 II/bVIo IIIx/+5-9 VI IIIx/-5
bridge\end IV(2) III(2) IV(2) III(2) IV (retard)... IIIx/-5/(+5-9)....
(creshendo)VI/sus(min11)

Note, normal modulation "II/V" is different in context of this tune.
IIIx appears as a "V" or resolution. In this case, "V" leads to a VI which now appears as a Im.
Improvisation on David Grisman's "Gypsy Nights"
fitZ

 

[XLR]

OK, Yes.

Since this long lost thread just popped up again when somebody voted in the poll, made me think of something...

Ever notice how much easier it is to name the notes of a scale in ascending order.... A, B, C, D, E, F, G. Or D, E, F#, G, A, B, C# D. Easy to say without thinking. But even just with 7 letters try to say it backward without thinking about what comes next. Guess none of us learned the alphabet song backwards. Maybe European musicians who use solfege syllables to name the pitches have an advantage.

Tim

 

[IronFlippy]

I blame rock n roll and tablature for my lack of knowledge of the guitar's fretboard. I play classical saxophone, and the occasional jazz. All the theory that I know is based off what I know from playing sax. When I picked up guitar, I just wanted to play some cool stuff, but nooooooooo, I had to get hooked. And here I am, a competent musician, but know nothing about the guitar (music-wise). This is something I should work on. However, I lack determination. Oh well, I'll stick to recording.

 

[Bahrain_Phill]

I didnt read all the posts above due to time. But has anyone mentioned the CAGED method? I personally didnt use it, I learned the fretboard using scales. However, i read an article about the CAGED method and it seems to work well for alot of people. Run a search on Fretboard Navigation and CAGED. You will not be dissapointed.

 

[XLR]

IronFlippy said:

I blame rock n roll and tablature for my lack of knowledge of the guitar's fretboard. I play classical saxophone, and the occasional jazz. All the theory that I know is based off what I know from playing sax.

Well Iron, when you learned sax you probably got a better education in music fundamentals than most guitarists do who learn to read at the start! IME band and orchestral instruments have stronger traditions of effective teaching methods - as far as reading and understanding music. Guitar is often hit or miss that way, as fewer teachers really know how to teach those kind of fundamentals without making it really boring.

Tim

 

[DingoPepper11]

Fretboard

I was about 14 when I had this epiphany about the fretboard. It was such a great discovery that I tried to share it with my guitarist friends, but they didn't see the beauty and simplicity in it.

It's mostly just a repeating pattern, which is really the important thing. It's less about the name of the note than it is knowing the pattern so you can find the note you want.

I would encourage any guitarist to spend a little time and figure this out. It's not rocket science, and I don't often find myself needing to know the name of a note, but knowing that pattern certainly gets me around the board easily (and makes transposing to a different key effortless).

Learn it, you won't be sorry!

 

[RICK FITZPATRICK]

(and makes transposing to a different key effortless).

If you don't know the name of the notes, or where they are at on the fretboard, how do you know what key you are in

 

[VTgreen81]

My good friend is a pretty good guitarist, could probably hang with Jerry, (egos and attitude dissallow us from playing together anymore) and he says he doesn't know the whole fretboard, but does know what boxes each scale is in on various places on the fretboard. For example if I start here and play this pattern it's a B minor scale, or here it's a F Major or here is a Q Captain or whatever.

 

[zrockisaddictin]

idk about me on memorizing frets, i just play alot and know where each fret is its kind of in my instinct

 

[Monkey Allen]

I'd love to be able to say what a note was hearing it blindfolded. That would be pretty good.

 

[travelin travis]

......an easy way to memorize the frets/notes on the neck that I learned from wholenote.com.

Just make some flash cards, each card containing the notes of one fret. You will have twelve flash cards (open strings - 11th fret). Memorize the notes of the open strings on the first day. Then the first fret the next day, then the second........ Several times throughout the day, name the notes of the fret you are working on that day, and the ones that you memorized previously. It only takes a few seconds, several times a day. Do it when you're sitting on the pot, walking to your car, etc. It won't take any time out of your day. Refer back to your flash cards if you forget some notes. You add a card every day or two. It takes between a couple of weeks to a month to be able to name any note on the neck within a couple of seconds. If you keep practiceing, you'll get quicker.

After you think you can name any note on the neck, within a couple of seconds, check out www.fretboardwarrior.com. It's a free game with a graphic of a fretboard. Notes are fretted at random and you have to name the notes. See how many notes you can name within the time limit.

Do the flash card thing first for a couple of weeks to a month. Then use fretboard warrior to reinforce what you have learned with the flash cards.

One more thing. It's easier if you know the notes of the chromatic scale first. If you don't know, google it.

 

[travelin travis]

I'd love to be able to say what a note was hearing it blindfolded. That would be pretty good.

Anyone tried Perfect Pitch? Everyone's seen that ad with the really over enthusiastic feminine looking guy playing the piano or guitar. I actually tried it when I was a kid but got my money back before the trial period was up. I just had it in the back of my mind the whole time that it was a scam. Some people say it works, who knows.......

I think we as guitarists kind of get the shaft when it comes to learning music fundamentals. I mean we do it to ourselves but crap like tablature and guitar magazines sure don't help the situation. I essentially learned to play guitar with a couple of guitar mags and a friend that told me how to read tab. I keep telling myself that I'm gonna find a good teacher and fill in all the holes about music theory but I never get around to it and work on technique.

If anyone is reading this and just starting out, WORK ON EAR TRAINING AND BASIC MUSIC THEORY! Technique is only a part of the picture.

 

[legionserial]

Just need to remember from the low E string it starts in E (assuming you are in standard tuning), and then count up from there, remembering there is no E#, Fb, B# or Cb.
Knowing where G and C are (3rd fret, E and A strings respectively), and where A and D are (5th fret, E and A blah blah blah) helps as an extra guideline. Once you get to the D string, you just need to remember that what ever fret you are on, the note is the same (but an octave higher) as on the E string 2 frets down, so just look at a power chord. This is the same until you get to the B string.
Then you just need to remember that from the 12 fret it all starts again cos its an octave up.

I guess I don't need to say that knowing what the strings are helps a hell of a lot.

The best way to learn is to practice and play a lot. I don't remember using any method to play the notes. I just played guitar a lot. Now its like second nature to me.

I can kind of shut my eyes and tell what note is being played, but not from perfect pitch, more from the texture of the sound telling me what fret is being played or if there are any open strings or whatever.

 

[junplugged]

wow, popular thread....

all you have to do is try to start reading. You'll know the first 3 frets in no time.

i like the easy classical stuff to learn the open postion stuff. the other stuff sounds like crap and i don't want to play random crap compositions even just to learn the notes, I don't have that much time to live to waste it on crap music.

Bach, Sor, Aguado, Giuliani, Carulli, Krieger, Mozart, and others are worthy of my time.

 

[Purge]

OK, Yes.

Since this long lost thread just popped up again when somebody voted in the poll, made me think of something...

Ever notice how much easier it is to name the notes of a scale in ascending order.... A, B, C, D, E, F, G. Or D, E, F#, G, A, B, C# D. Easy to say without thinking. But even just with 7 letters try to say it backward without thinking about what comes next. Guess none of us learned the alphabet song backwards. Maybe European musicians who use solfege syllables to name the pitches have an advantage.

Tim

HA!!! I'll take that challenge.

Ahem: G, F, E, D, C, B, A.

Okay, okay, I'm just being a smartass...

 

[Karmadog777]

huh notes?
I just found out the notes I tune to,I used to just dropD and down tune a whole step,now my cool new tuner tells me that I have been tuning
C#
G#
C#
F#
A#
D#
and all flat 20 cents
this is my tone,it growles,I guess its called drop C ?
I told a bass player I tune to dropC sharp flat and he just looks at me like I bet this guy dont even know the notes on the fretboard

 

[junplugged]

I learned the order of the sharps and flats quickly in music theory in high school, turns out they're in 5ths and 4ths so that's pretty handy to know fcgdaeb and the flats are beadgcf. then add the sharps and flats and the enharmonics to fill in the rest for the cirle of 5ths and you have all 12 tones.

 

[Purge]

huh notes?
I just found out the notes I tune to,I used to just dropD and down tune a whole step,now my cool new tuner tells me that I have been tuning
C#
G#
C#
F#
A#
D#
and all flat 20 cents
this is my tone,it growles,I guess its called drop C ?
I told a bass player I tune to dropC sharp flat and he just looks at me like I bet this guy dont even know the notes on the fretboard

And neither do you. Look more closely and post again.

 

[Karmadog777]

And neither do you. Look more closely and post again.

hmm are you that bass player? I mean he(the bass player) was thinking that this guy(me)dont know the notes on the fretboard.
And that is the point of my post,though Im not sure what yours is.
above is my standard tuning,I have tuned this way by ear for years,it took a electric tuner to tell me what it is....shees its not as fun when you have to explain it





if you cant laugh at youself,then you will never know what everyone else is laughing at

 

[Purge]

All I meant was that if you tell anybody that you tune to "dropC sharp flat" they will look at you like .

BTW, you're tuning is drop D and down a half a step, not a whole.