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