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Thoroughly in 16 Days
August 2, 2010 by Klaus Crow http://www.guitarhabits.com/
Part I
If I have to name two things that took my guitar playing to the next level I
would say music theory and memorizing the fingerboard.
Guitar playing becomes more fun when you know what, when en where to
play it on the fingerboard.
Part II
When you want to know where to play any type of chord shape instantly
its pretty helpful if know the notes. For example: An F major Barre chord
shape (133211) can be played on any fret. Every time the chord shape goes
up a half step (1 fret) the name of the chord changes.
To know the name of the chord you need to know all the notes on the low
E-string. For Example: The note on the 7th fret low E-string is a B note, so
your chord shape becomes a B major. The only way to see this right away is
to memorize the notes.
A Bb major chord shape (x13331) can also be played on any fret. This time
you need to know the notes on the A-string to find out what chord you are
playing. For example: The note on the 5th fret A-string is a D note, so your
chord will be a D major.
To know the name of this Esus2 chord shape: (xx2452) on any fret you need
to know the notes on the D-string. Example: The note on the 3rd fret D-
string is a F note, so your chord becomes aFsus2.
Commit yourself to learn the fingerboard in 16 days and you will reap the
benefits in many ways!
When you raise a natural note, for example: A by a half step (1 fret) it
becomes a sharp note: A#
When you lower a natural note, for example B by a half step (1 fret) it
becomes a flat note: Bb
This applies to all of the natural notes except for B & C and E & F.
There are no sharps or flats between B & C and E & F.
In other words if you raise a B by a half step it becomes C (and not B#). If
you lower a C by a half step it becomes a B (and not Cb). The same applies
to E & F.
Example 1: A A# B C C# D D# E F F# G G# A
Example 2: A Bb B C Db D Eb E F Gb G Ab A
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
e:|-F--|-F#-|-G--|-G#-|-A--|-A#-|-B--|-C--|-C#-|-D--|-D#-|-E--|-F--|
B:|-C--|-C#-|-D--|-D#-|-E--|-F--|-F#-|-G--|-G#-|-A--|-A#-|-B--|-C--|
G:|-G#-|-A--|-A#-|-B--|-C--|-C#-|-D--|-D#-|-E--|-F--|-F#-|-G--|-G#-|
D:|-D#-|-E--|-F--|-F#-|-G--|-G#-|-A--|-A#-|-B--|-C--|-C#-|-D--|-D#-|
A:|-A#-|-B--|-C--|-C#-|-D--|-D#-|-E--|-F--|-F#-|-G--|-G#-|-A--|-A#-|
E:|-F--|-F#-|-G--|-G#-|-A--|-A#-|-B--|-C--|-C#-|-D--|-D#-|-E--|-F--|
Note:
Assuming you already know the names of the open strings, you only need to
learn frets 1 to 11. From the 12th fret upwards the notes simply repeat.
The notes on the 12th fret are the same notes as those of the open strings
(except for being an octave higher). Example: The note on the 12th fret low
E-string is an E note, the same as the open string note. The note on the
being an octave higher). Example: Note on the 1st fret low E-string is
an F note. Note on the 13th fret low E-string is also an F note. 2nd fret
Day 1
heart.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
B:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| B-string
G:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| G-string
D:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| D-string
A:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| A-string
Memorize the natural notes on the A-string. Repeat day 1 by recalling the
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
B:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| B-string
G:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| G-string
D:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| D-string
A:|---|-B-|-C-|---|-D-|---|-E-|-F-|---|-G-|---| A-string
Day 3
Memorize the natural notes on the D-string. Repeat day 1 and 2 by recalling
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
B:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| B-string
G:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| G-string
D:|---|-E-|-F-|---|-G-|---|-A-|---|-B-|-C-|---| D-string
A:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| A-string
Day 4
Memorize the natural notes on the G-string. Repeat the previous days by
B:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| B-string
G:|---|-A-|---|-B-|-C-|---|-D-|---|-E-|-F-|---| G-string
D:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| D-string
A:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| A-string
Day 5
Memorize the natural notes on the B-string. Repeat the previous days by
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
B:|-C-|---|-D-|---|-E-|-F-|---|-G-|---|-A-|---| B-string
G:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| G-string
D:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| D-string
A:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| A-string
Day 6
The notes on the high E-string are the same as those on the Low E-string so
you dont need to memorize them, just recall. Repeat the previous days.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
B:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| B-string
G:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| G-string
D:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| D-string
A:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| A-string
Day 7
Play a random note on the low E or A-string, then move up 2 half steps (2
frets), move up 2 strings and youll find an octave. (See example #1 note
frets), move up 2 strings and youll find an octave. (See example #1 note
Play a random note on the high E or B-string, then move up 2 half steps
(2 frets), move down 3 strings and youll find an octave. (See example #2
Play a random note on the G-string, then move up 3 half steps (3 frets),
move down 3 strings and youll find an octave. (See example #2 note D
blue)
After practicing and memorizing the octaves also repeat the previous days 1
to 6.
Example #1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
B:|---|---|---|---|-E-|---|---|---|---|---|---| B-string
G:|---|-A-|---|-B-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| G-string
D:|---|-E-|-F-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| D-string
A:|---|-B-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| A-string
Example #2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
e:|-F-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|high E-string
B:|---|---|---|---|-E-|---|---|---|---|---|---| B-string
G:|---|---|---|---|---|---|-D-|---|---|---|---| G-string
D:|---|---|-F-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| D-string
A:|---|---|---|---|---|---|-E-|---|---|---|---| A-string
Day 8
All the notes on the 5th fret are natural notes. Memorize these. Repeat the
previous days 1 to 7.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
B:|---|---|---|---|-E-|---|---|---|---|---|---| B-string
G:|---|---|---|---|-C-|---|---|---|---|---|---| G-string
D:|---|---|---|---|-G-|---|---|---|---|---|---| D-string
A:|---|---|---|---|-D-|---|---|---|---|---|---| A-string
Day 9
All the notes on the 10th fret are natural notes. Memorize these. Repeat
B:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-A-|---| B-string
G:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-F-|---| G-string
D:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-C-|---| D-string
A:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-G-|---| A-string
Day 10
Memorize all the A notes on the fingerboard. Play the A note on every
string (from low E-string to high E-string) and speak the note and fret out
previous days 1 to 9.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
B:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-A-|---| B-string
G:|---|-A-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| G-string
D:|---|---|---|---|---|---|-A-|---|---|---|---| D-string
A:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| A-string
Day 11
Memorize all the B notes on the fingerboard. Play the B note on every
string (from low E-string to high E-string) and speak the note and fret out
B:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| B-string
G:|---|---|---|-B-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| G-string
D:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-B-|---|---| D-string
A:|---|-B-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| A-string
Day 12
Memorize all the C notes on the fingerboard. Play the C note on every
string (from low E-string to high E-string) and speak the note and fret out
1 to 11.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
B:|-C-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| B-string
G:|---|---|---|---|-C-|---|---|---|---|---|---| G-string
D:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-C-|---| D-string
A:|---|---|-C-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| A-string
Day 13
Memorize all the D notes on the fingerboard. Play the D note on every
string (from low E-string to high E-string) and speak the note and fret out
B:|---|---|-D-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| B-string
G:|---|---|---|---|---|---|-D-|---|---|---|---| G-string
D:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| D-string
A:|---|---|---|---|-D-|---|---|---|---|---|---| A-string
Day 14
Memorize all the E notes on the fingerboard. Play the E note on every
string (from low E-string to high E-string) and speak the note and fret out
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
B:|---|---|---|---|-E-|---|---|---|---|---|---| B-string
G:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-E-|---|---| G-string
D:|---|-E-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| D-string
A:|---|---|---|---|---|---|-E-|---|---|---|---| A-string
Day 15
Memorize all the F notes on the fingerboard. Play the F note on every
string (from low E-string to high E-string) and speak the note and fret out
1 to 14.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
B:|---|---|---|---|---|-F-|---|---|---|---|---| B-string
G:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-F-|---| G-string
D:|---|---|-F-|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| D-string
A:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-F-|---|---|---| A-string
Day 16
Memorize all the G notes on the fingerboard. Play the G note on every
string (from low E-string to high E-string) and speak the note and fret out
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
B:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-G-|---|---|---| B-string
G:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---| G-string
D:|---|---|---|---|-G-|---|---|---|---|---|---| D-string
A:|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|-G-|---| A-string
Tips:
Now you know the notes, apply it to your playing as much as you can to
maintain your memory. See and speak out the note names of chords (as I
and licks.