| It seems like many guitarists have a hard time | | | | On the fourth string you will find E on the second |
| reading sheet music. Let's start by learning to | | | | fret. This E will be one octave lower. On the fifth |
| know the fretboard! | | | | string you will find this E on the seventh fret. |
| I think the most important part in learning to | | | | On the sixth string you have the open E one |
| know the fretboard is to make a concentrated | | | | octave lower. Let's make an exercice: |
| effort. | | | | Try to play the note E on all the strings going |
| To be a poor sight reader is not part of your | | | | from the first string, nearest your feet, up to the |
| personality. Maybe it has become a habit to not | | | | sixth string. What frets do you have to press |
| doing something about it. Let's start with step one! | | | | down? |
| In this guitar lesson you will learn to find your way | | | | Using numbers indicating what frets you will have |
| around the guitar fretboard and learning the notes | | | | to press down we will get the following row of |
| on the six strings. | | | | numbers: |
| I call this a string safari as it might be a thilling | | | | 0 5 9 2 7 0 |
| experience to at last understand what you can | | | | 0 means that you play the open first string. 5 |
| find on the guitar fretboard. | | | | means that you play the fifth fret on the second |
| Let's start by taking a look at the note E. Where | | | | string and so on. Let's make the sequence a little |
| can you find it on the fretboard? | | | | bit longer. |
| With the conventional tuning of your guitar you | | | | We will play the strings from the sixth string |
| will have the note E on the first open string. I | | | | down to the first and then back again. Remember |
| guess you are aware of the fact that you can | | | | to start with the sixth string! |
| find the same note on the second string too. | | | | Here you have the sequence written out: |
| This is the strength but also the difficulty with | | | | 0 7 2 9 5 0 5 9 2 7 0 |
| fretted instruments. You have a choice as to | | | | You might want to invent other small exercises |
| which string to choose. | | | | on you guitar fretboard, like playing all A's on all |
| On the second string you'll find the note E on the | | | | six strings until you can play them with ease. |
| fifth fret. When you play E on the first and | | | | Playing all A's on the fingerboard starting with the |
| second string you'll find that they will have the | | | | sixth string down to the first and back again will |
| same pitch but they sound a bit different. | | | | look as follows: |
| On the third string you will find E on the ninth fret. | | | | 5 0 7 2 10 5 10 2 7 0 5 |
| Now you can practice playing the E notes on | | | | Knowing the notes on the guitar fingerboard will |
| these three strings just to get used to the | | | | be a great help for you when you sight read |
| positions. It will help you immensely to know the | | | | guitar sheet music as you don't have to guess or |
| positions for these notes as you play guitar sheet | | | | search for the note on the fretboard anymore. It |
| music. | | | | will also help you when you try to play a melody |
| You can proceed learning more of the guitar | | | | by ear or when improvising a solo. |
| fretboard in a similar way. Let's continue! | | | | |