I have always wondered this, should guitarists be able to look at a note and say "That is F" or "That one is G#" because right now when I want to know a note I have to count starting from the open string down lol. I know that there are many ways such as using octaves to memorize all the notes and would be willing to do this, I was just wondering if learning all the notes would help me in playing and improvising.
Edit: Oh, and one more question. When playing your left hand and wrist is supposed to be parellel to the neck and your thumb is supposed to be about halfway up the neck right?
Hey Shellshock!
Quick answer - yes absolutely!
Longer answer - yes, not necessarily something I would recommend as the "step 1" for a beginner. However it makes learning so much easier - it's a little like learning the alphabet, it helps writing and spelling a lot!
A great way to learn the fretboard, is to start with each open string and then pick each note to the 12th fret. Do this from open note to the 12th fret and back. Consentrate on 1 string at a time until you have it down and then go to the next. At the 12th fret the open note repeats itself so from the 12th to the 24th are exactly the same as open to the 12th. IF Andrews theory lessons have taught me , they are the same notes just an octave higher (higher pitch). Good luck
Here's what I do (I think I've detailed this elsewhere, but it really works well so I'll put it here).
The first step, of course, is learning the open strings and the 12 fret. Most people already have this, but for those who don't, from biggest to littlest its EADGBE.
The second step is to have an understanding of the musical alphabet, and intervals. You should know that the alphabet goes ABCDEFG, (excluding the sharps and flats, which are critically important) and that there is a full tone (two frets) between each note except B-C, and E-F, where there is a semitone (one fret).
When you have this, you should be able to go from the open strings to the 12th fret easily and count what they are.
The next step is to be able to do it faster. Learn each of the dotted notes, just like you learned what the open strings/12th fret are. For example, the 5th fret you should already know:
ADGCEA.
When you know all the dotted notes, you can figure out any note faster, because now all you need to do is sharp or flat any one of the dotted notes/open strings to figure out what the non dotted ones are.
Use that with something like fretboard warrior to time and improve yourself.
Also helpful is to learn where each particular note is. Learn where all of the A's are, where all the F#'s are, etc. In my mind the above is a much more orderly and faster way to learn the fretboard than simply staring at it and memorizing it.
Follow the sight reading course I added in theory board.In several days you will be able to say any note in fret board.Not only that but you will be also able to play while you read.
Knowing the fret board well is very helpful to improvise .
Hehe!
Maybe it's about time I learned the notes too...
Ive been usesing a Fretboard trainer programme which i purschased a few months ago. Have put in half an hour with it daily for months! Its very important to me to have total fretboard knowledge as it will give me the edge in the long run. I know my heros like Paul Gilbert and Buckethead know the fretboard well and so i want to also
You can play well well just bye ear, or bye scale shape - and that is great! but its not enough for me, i like the whole picture. I like to read musical notation, make my own chords, have a deep knowledge of my craft!
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