How did you learn all the note names on the fretboard?

[MarkRhodes]

To continue harping <g>

Rhythms Complete by Bower, Bugs, Colin, Charles | qPress

This links to a site which shows page one of the Rhythms book.

I got that book (and also Bower's "Bop" book of etudes) for Christmas. I was looking at it just yesterday. I'll add it to my practice schedule next week. (This one's already full.)

[mrcee]

I got that book (and also Bower's "Bop" book of etudes) for Christmas. I was looking at it just yesterday. I'll add it to my practice schedule next week. (This one's already full.)

Rhythms Complete helped me a lot. I first used it when I was studying the sax.

[ET Music]

I learned a cool technique from Joe Satriani's Guitar Secrets book which he wrote in the 90s. Each day, he would spend 5 or 10 minutes learning every E on the fretboard, then go up a cycle of 4ths and find every A, then every D, then G, then C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db etc. until you complete the cycle of 4ths and hit all 12 keys. If you do that for a month or two you will have memorized all notes on the fretboard. As you learn new lessons, you will reinforce that knowledge.

Definitely learn to sight read real music notation in both standard clefs too!

[ET Music]

PS: I have a great book for learning jazz chords and sight reading them, which is no longer in print. It is the George M. Smith guitar method which he wrote in the 40s or 50s. Smith was a leading guitarist for movies and later early TV. The book is so useful that I wore my copy out. I now only have pages 21-64 and I still refer to it often for practice. I will scan it in and post it online. Its no longer in print and most likely in the public domain.

[PaulD]

I learned a cool technique from Joe Satriani's Guitar Secrets book which he wrote in the 90s. Each day, he would spend 5 or 10 minutes learning every E on the fretboard, then go up a cycle of 4ths and find every A, then every D, then G, then C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db etc. until you complete the cycle of 4ths and hit all 12 keys. If you do that for a month or two you will have memorized all notes on the fretboard. As you learn new lessons, you will reinforce that knowledge.

Definitely learn to sight read real music notation in both standard clefs too!

I actually found that exercise extremely helpful, although I started doing it in the 70’s so I don’t attribute it to Satriani. I used to do it with a metronome, as slowly as required at first, and increasing the tempo over time. Another thing I used to do was in my mind go over the notes on each string fret by fret starting from open through 12, then back.

I used to really struggle with knowing the names of the notes on the neck as if the neck was rearranged every night.
One day I realized that the notes don’t move. And as obvious as this is, that realization many years ago got me to see that that F# on the 9^th fret was still going to be there tomorrow and the next day, and the day after that. I look at the neck like a street map; there is more than one way to get to the same location, there are landmarks, there are neighborhoods, and notes, just like Starbucks, are in several places. The better you know the city and its neighborhoods, the easier it is to find an address.

+1 for "Rhythms Complete". Do each exercise in multiple positions

[mr. beaumont]

The quote says "learn" the Cs.

Why would anyone want to learn without being able to play? What's the point?

[Jonzo]

What would be the point of learning to play Cs, if you already know how to plays Cs?

I know all of the open notes and 12th fret really well. There are more useful things for me to practice.

[MarkRhodes]

PS: I have a great book for learning jazz chords and sight reading them, which is no longer in print. It is the George M. Smith guitar method which he wrote in the 40s or 50s. Smith was a leading guitarist for movies and later early TV. The book is so useful that I wore my copy out. I now only have pages 21-64 and I still refer to it often for practice. I will scan it in and post it online. Its no longer in print and most likely in the public domain.

Well, it is possible for a book to be out of print but not in the public domain. In fact, most books go out of print long before they are eligible for entry into the public domain. The old Herb Ellis book "Blues Shapes" (--NOT "Swing Blues") has been out of print for a long time. I can't even find anyone in a music store who can rustle up a dusty copy from a box in the back of the store. But it's not in the public domain.

For books published after 1977 (and that's forty years ago now), copyright lasts for 70 years after the death of the author. For anonymous works, I think it is 95 years after publication or 120 years after creation, whichever expires first.

A book published in 1923 will enter the public domain in 2019. (This according to a page on copyright at Cornell University.)

[MarkRhodes]

I learned a cool technique from Joe Satriani's Guitar Secrets book which he wrote in the 90s. Each day, he would spend 5 or 10 minutes learning every E on the fretboard, then go up a cycle of 4ths and find every A, then every D, then G, then C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab, Db etc. until you complete the cycle of 4ths and hit all 12 keys. If you do that for a month or two you will have memorized all notes on the fretboard. As you learn new lessons, you will reinforce that knowledge.

Definitely learn to sight read real music notation in both standard clefs too!

I went through something like this with Carol Kaye. First, play through the cycle on the E and A strings starting on the 12th fret, working down toward the nut. That's easy. Then play 1-3-5 for each root. Then 1-2-3-5.

Another exercise is to do that across the strings, starting on the low E, 3rd fret, G. Then play the root of the next note in the cycle (C) on the A string, then the next note (F) on the D string, and the next note in the cycle (Bb) on the G string, and then the next note in the cycle (Eb) on the B string, then back up to the low E for the next note in the cycle (Ab), and down across the strings again. Then, again, do 1-3-5 for each root, then 1-2-3-5. Go up the neck as far as is comfortable.

This isn't primarily to learn the names of the notes---though if you don't already know them, you soon will---but also how chords tend to move in jazz standards. (Not all chord progressions follow the cycle, but many do, and many which don't---or seem not to--are using subs to get chromatic movement but are still following the cycle, so it's good to have that ingrained sense of how chords tend to move in jazz standards.) Also, moving this way forces you to finger "the same thing" in different way on different string sets. You get used to it. You don't have to think about it. That is a very good thing.

[R Neil]

This again? Look, there are 7 notes, and their attendant sharp/flats. On Monday, learn where every A is, that will give you Ab and A# as well. Do B on Tuesday. By Sunday, it's done.

Very good and direct answer. Reminds me of the saying:

"Baseball is a simple game. You hit the ball. You catch the ball. You throw the ball."

Now, it may be a simple game ... but doing it naturally without needing to slowdown and engage the brain ... that takes a LOT more time and determination. And most of us ain't ever getting "there" to play in "the Show", the US "major leagues".

An awful lot of music theory is like this ... it can be explained very simply and directly but mastering it seems damn difficult.

When I was in high school playing trombone I heard the strings of the orchestra talking about the difference between the pitch of a flat and its enharmonic sharp. Having come out of the well-tempered world of the pianoforte I was puzzled.

But in college I learned the difference in my ears ... Gb and F# are not the same in that world. The flat is just a bit lower than the sharp. Which is easier for a trombone with that slide. Some trumpeters didn't bother lipping most notes up or down unless it was a solo.

Some just did it ... period. I came to really appreciate the latter.

But a fretted instrument doesn't allow this, and as many hours as I've put in guitars over the years I still "hear" this constantly. Which is why I had to put the rosewood bridge that came with my archtop guitar for a TOM. That intonation problem drove my brain nuts.

My Tele ... I haven't brought myself to replacement of the "original" 2-string bridge setup mechanism. But ... even for blues ... that strains my ears some.

I do like that approach to learning the fretboard. I'm working with a friend to improve her playing and I think that will appeal to her brain ... thanks!

Stumbling fingers still need love ...

[R Neil]

I've never known a guitar player who perfectly knew his fretboard I mean playing something without thinking where he should start the tune, those who know it, play a lot of tunes or come from another instrument.
I think all guitar players should play the piano time to time.

My ... mentor? ... in jazz, all those years ago ... you hum a note and he'd match it on a guitar immediately without looking. Dead on every time. Really pissed off the rockers that came in the store and would challenge him from time to time.

Explaining it, Will said he'd mentally match the pitch to the fretboard and well, it was then obvious what the pitch was. Anybody could do it if they actually worked to learn the guitar.

But I've never been around another player, even pro classical guitarists of my acquaintance, who do anything but laugh at that last comment.

I'm certainly not "there"!

Stumbling fingers still need love ...

[ronjazz]

I'm curious. If I made a flash card program that taught note to location and location to note, would anyone try it? The program would track which ones are hard and easy for you, and schedule reviews accordingly, while gradually adding new notes.

I'm not generally a fan of music learning software, but this is just a simple tool to drill on an efficient schedule.

If you would like to try it, "like" this post.

Unfortunately, most of your ideas and suggestions are not efficient, and flash cards are ridiculous in this context. We're learning guitar, after all. In fact, your first comment on my original post is dead wrong. Knowing where A is gives you instantaneous knowledge of Ab and A#, if you haver to think about it, you shouldn't be pursuing jazz guitar in the first place.

[christianm77]

My ... mentor? ... in jazz, all those years ago ... you hum a note and he'd match it on a guitar immediately without looking. Dead on every time. Really pissed off the rockers that came in the store and would challenge him from time to time.

Explaining it, Will said he'd mentally match the pitch to the fretboard and well, it was then obvious what the pitch was. Anybody could do it if they actually worked to learn the guitar.

But I've never been around another player, even pro classical guitarists of my acquaintance, who do anything but laugh at that last comment.

I'm certainly not "there"!

Stumbling fingers still need love ...

Doesn't sound daft to me at all. Certainly my ability to pick out melodies when there is a guitar in my hands is linked to my ability to audiate what a note will sound like on the fret board. Writing down music by ear works a very different as yet less intuitive part of my brain.

Problem is the connection is not always there, clear in my head.

Here's an exercise that springs to mind for strengthening that connection. Fret a note. Concentrate in you mind on what the note will sound like, or sing it. Then play it. If correct, choose another note.

Repeat for 5 mins every day. Better still, repeat slowly for everything you EVER learn.

I should really do this!

[pauln]

Here's an exercise that springs to mind for strengthening that connection. Fret a note. Concentrate in you mind on what the note will sound like, or sing it. Then play it. If correct, choose another note.

Repeat for 5 mins every day. Better still, repeat slowly for everything you EVER learn.

For me, that is not an exercise; it is the living foundation for every sound I've played on the guitar since day one, over four decades ago. I can't imagine playing, practicing, or performing without audiating every pitch of every chord, solo phrase, etc.

How else would you know what it is you want to hear sounds like before you play it, and then confirm that what you played was what you wanted to hear? How would you confirm what the others were doing harmonically, melodically, and rhythmically except by continuous audiation?

[MarkRhodes]

My ... mentor? ... in jazz, all those years ago ... you hum a note and he'd match it on a guitar immediately without looking. Dead on every time. Really pissed off the rockers that came in the store and would challenge him from time to time.

Explaining it, Will said he'd mentally match the pitch to the fretboard and well, it was then obvious what the pitch was. Anybody could do it if they actually worked to learn the guitar.

My mom's like that on piano. If you ask her what note she just played (--"the next note" matching a song on the radio or television), she'll have to find middle C and work up or down to the note. I once asked her what key she was playing in and she said, after a few seconds, "It's F. In the black keys." That's how little theory she knows. And she never thinks of the notes by name at all. But she can play any tune she can carry, and that's a lot. (She's in her late 80s now, so her dexterity isn't what it used to be, but her ear is razor sharp.) I don't think she learned it---I think she just had it. I wish I did!

[christianm77]

For me, that is not an exercise; it is the living foundation for every sound I've played on the guitar since day one, over four decades ago. I can't imagine playing, practicing, or performing without audiating every pitch of every chord, solo phrase, etc.

How else would you know what it is you want to hear sounds like before you play it, and then confirm that what you played was what you wanted to hear? How would you confirm what the others were doing harmonically, melodically, and rhythmically except by continuous audiation?

Well yes of course.

Specifically with reference to the fretboard tho? That's not something I do enough of.

[emoshurchak]

Oh, dude. You can't just leave it there. Give us the mnemonics. :-)

Here are a few that I remember...

The open notes... Eddie Ate Dirt. Good Bye Eddie (E A D G B E)

Every single-syllable word is a natural note. Words with 2 syllables are flats or sharps.

At the 3rd fret, we have Gayle's Cool Friends Always Dress Great (G C F A# D G)

On the 5th fret, we have Aunt Dawn's Grey Cat Eats Ants (A D G C E A)

The 7th fret doesn't have a sentence but the 1st 4 strings spell BEAD. So, just remember BEAD F# B

The 8th fret says Carl Feels Awful Driving Green Cars (C F A# D# G C)

Finally, on the 10th fret, we learn that Dave Grew Crops For A Day (D G C F A D)

[geese_com]

This might sound silly but one thing that really helped me learn the notes on the fretboard was the Android app Music Tutor Fret Master. I bought the full version which is pretty reasonably priced at around $2.

I would "play" on the app when I was waiting in line at the grocery or when I was taking the bus to work. After a couple weeks I noticed a lot of improvement.

[Lionelsax]

A good exercise is to use another tuning, open tuning, and play something you already play, you will think about notes not about positions, frets, etc.

[destinytot]

I learned the seven fingerings that Reg shared (kindly and patiently - sorry, but it's true and it matters).

I hate the stretches, and I don't use them for playing - but now that I'm practising them on a Tele neck, it's clear that I've learned the names (and I'm comfortable using my second finger for reference to find my way around).

Thank you, forum. Thank you, all kind and cooperative forum members.

[emanresu]

Hm. I picked up sight reading again. Singing along the notes while reading seems to make to become more engaged. Seems like a good thing to do.. Just a notion. Didn't think of it before:P

[MarkRhodes]

Ran across this while looking for something else and thought of this thread.

EADGBE
ABCDEFG
B and E
That's about it....

[Lionelsax]

Ran across this while looking for something else and thought of this thread.

EADGBE
ABCDEFG
B and E
That's about it....

[destinytot]

Ran across this while looking for something else and thought of this thread.

EADGBE
ABCDEFG
B and E
That's about it....

Really good tip. (C & F for flats.)

I sat and watched in amazement yesterday while my friend (french horn) sketched out a complete arrangement for woodwind, brass and strings in a couple of minutes - in his head and onto paper.

My point is that his thinking is uncluttered, just like the thinking behind the tip in the video.

[emanresu]

It's a nice way to think but I doubt that it's enough to actually know them by heart like that. Good for reference but if still having to ponder even for a second, it's just not enough.