What are fretboard dots (markers) for? Eric Blackmon's answer

[ColinO]

If you want to know what the dots are for, try playing a guitar without them.

[Marinero]

If you want to know what the dots are for, try playing a guitar without them.

Hi, C,
There are none on Classical guitars. I wonder how musicians can play them?
Marinero

[ColinO]

I played classical guitar for years. My teacher told me to put a dot on the neck on top of the 7th fret with nail polish as a reference. I've seen dozens do that sort of thing. Works like a charm.
Also - I didn't mean to say it's not possible to play. Just that it's easy to see why it is so useful and has stuck around when you play without them. Hint - it's easier with - especially when you're use to them.

[wolflen]

I am thankful I learned to play in all 12 keys..in all positions chords and inversions

part of my daily practice was to play in the dark..

now the trick there is..find that first reference note

dot markers to me are like heated car seats...before I had them I thought they were useless..try taking them away from me now!

[jameslovestal]

I never thought this would be a question, it is for navigation at least for me.

I don't really care "why" they are where they are, since like you, I only use them for navigation; I.e. as a visual aid.

Now when playing guitars I have used for decades (E.g. Gibson L-7, 125 with no cutaway), I don't need them since I can play these guitars without looking at the fretboard since I'm so use to them (especially the spacing between frets); My wrist just knows where to go without the need for a visual aid.

BUT I have found them helpful the few times a year I play a hardbody electric guitar that has a very long neck and less spacing between frets. E.g. the same distance from the top of the guitar to the 10 fret (D) on the L7, is closer to Db on my electric guitar.

[Marinero]

I played classical guitar for years. My teacher told me to put a dot on the neck on top of the 7th fret with nail polish as a reference. I've seen dozens do that sort of thing. Works like a charm.
Also - I didn't mean to say it's not possible to play. Just that it's easy to see why it is so useful and has stuck around when you play without them. Hint - it's easier with - especially when you're use to them.

Hi, C,
If you learned to play on a Classical guitar, there is no need for fret dots once you've spent some time on the instrument. You develop an instinctive knowledge of the fretboard. Most CG teachers working with beginning students often respond, as in your above remarks, with the idea in mind that a reference point will be helpful in the early stages of study. None of my CG teachers, who were all performing artists, used fret dots. Personally, I began playing electric guitar at 12(CG much later) and developed the habit. I have no problem with fret dots since I, also, use them on my CG's. However, they are not necessary for CG as in your previous remarks.
Marinero

P.S. If it really mattered, I could easily switch to playing without them but . . . what's the point?
M

[ColinO]

Hi, C,
If you learned to play on a Classical guitar, there is no need for fret dots once you've spent some time on the instrument. You develop an instinctive knowledge of the fretboard. Most CG teachers working with beginning students often respond, as in your above remarks, with the idea in mind that a reference point will be helpful in the early stages of study. None of my CG teachers, who were all performing artists, used fret dots. Personally, I began playing electric guitar at 12(CG much later) and developed the habit. I have no problem with fret dots since I, also, use them on my CG's. However, they are not necessary for CG as in your previous remarks.
Marinero

P.S. If it really mattered, I could easily switch to playing without them but . . . what's the point?
M

Hi M.

Different people are different.

I find them helpful. I found them helpful at an early stage of study as you say, and after years of playing. To be clear, i never said they were "necessary" as you suggest. I just said they were helpful. I suppose you could say that looking at the fretboard isn't necessary either - but most "performing artists" still do it.

[rlrhett]

My daughter’s guitar has no dots… just a dragon inlay. Still easier than no marks. The point is that I don’t think it matters where the marks are or what they look like. It’s just useful to have that near instant visual confirmation of where you are on the fretboard.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[rlrhett]

I

part of my daily practice was to play in the dark..

What?!!! Sounds like a Kung fu movie.

“You will truly be the Dragon Warrior when you can play this guitar blindfolded and with both hands tied behind your back.”


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[604bourne123]

when your lying-in bed you know where you are====== on the fretboard==== or laying on the beach

[stylo]

nice thing about tuning down to Eb (for those that do it) is the dots end up representing horn keys. at least some of them

[604bourne123]

about the Motown tunes thank you---Heard it through the grape vine is a favorite

[604bourne123]

what I meant was the marks on the side of the fretboard

[604bourne123]

tuning down your guitar to e flat is another perspective also tunings for the horn section which sax is b flat and e flat and trumpet in c is another way.

[va3ux]

Open - Root
3rd fret - m3rd
5th fret - 4th
7th fret - 5th
10th fret - b7

minor pentatonic all laid out for you.

Handy if you're going to solo on just one string.

[Lionelsax]

tuning down your guitar to e flat is another perspective also tunings for the horn section which sax is b flat and e flat and trumpet in c is another way.

It could be interesting if the guitar were a diatonic instrument.
You won't see a lot of C trumpets.

[AaronMColeman]

Handy if you're going to solo on just one string.

That's kinda what I thought. If you are playing something that alternates between E and B and you are really into the pentatonic scale on one string, this is the ideal markings for a guitar!

I think some marking is best, too much is a mess. I don't like the way most Gibsons and other higher end archtops mark 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 12 and so on. For me 5 or 7 and 12 and 17 would be ideal. Not messy but enough to let me know where I am.

[DawgBone]

tuning down your guitar to e flat is another perspective also tunings for the horn section which sax is b flat and e flat and trumpet in c is another way.

I always gig in Eb as a rule. All my guitars are tuned down a half step. It makes working with horns easier, makes string bending easier, makes singing easier and keeps the rookie harmonica players and invite-myself-on-your-stage guitar players away. It sounds better to me as well.

[Lionelsax]

I always gig in Eb as a rule. All my guitars are tuned down a half step. It makes working with horns easier, makes string bending easier, makes singing easier and keeps the rookie harmonica players and invite-myself-on-your-stage guitar players away. It sounds better to me as well.

That is in your imagination. You need more a capo if you want to be more comfortable with "horn keys" than detune your guitar.
Except if you regularly jam with Eb, Ab, Db, Gb & B (not Bb) bugle players of course (difficult to find).
We, horn players know how it works, we don't need you to detune your guitar, don't make knots in your mind.
Nevertheless I can understand that a low tuned guitar sound can be pleasant.

[DawgBone]

That is in your imagination. You need more a capo if you want to be more comfortable with "horn keys" than detune your guitar.
Except if you regularly jam with Eb, Ab, Db, Gb & B (not Bb) bugle players of course (difficult to find).
We, horn players know how it works, we don't need you to detune your guitar, don't make knots in your mind.
Nevertheless I can understand that a low tuned guitar sound can be pleasant.

There is no decreased tension for string bending using a capo. Singing in concert Eb is easier than concert E for me and the band is there to support the singer, not the other way around and I do many songs in concert Eb, so tuning down makes use of open strings. I play in B position (concert Bb) very often and F# position (concert F) frequently. If a low tuned guitar can sound pleasant as you say, is it in your imagination also?

[Lionelsax]

There is no decreased tension for string bending using a capo. Singing in concert Eb is easier than concert E for me and the band is there to support the singer, not the other way around and I do many songs in concert Eb, so tuning down makes use of open strings. I play in B position (concert Bb) very often and F# position (concert F) frequently. If a low tuned guitar can sound pleasant as you say, is it in your imagination also?

So, you should tune it in C F Bb Eb G C !
If you only play in Eb, F & Bb and you like open strings and low tuning.
Maybe you tried one day and didn't like it.

[jzucker]

Hi, C,
There are none on Classical guitars. I wonder how musicians can play them?
Marinero

Poor dumb jaco pastorious, gary willis and richard bona who not only have dots on the fingerboards of their instruments but also lines representing where the frets would be. It's amazing they are able to make music at all with so many crutches....

[Lionelsax]

Poor dumb jaco pastorious, gary willis and richard bona who not only have dots on the fingerboards of their instruments but also lines representing where the frets would be. It's amazing they are able to make music at all with so many crutches....

Frets on a classical guitar are not invisible.
My first guitar hasn't got dots at all, nothing, when you know where are the nut and the body you don't really need dots although they could be useful, but I learnt like this so... It doesn't matter.
They are useful when the body is at the 14th fret instead of the 12th one.
It's worst when there is no body at all, I mean when you can't touch it.
I tried several times fretless basses and double basses.
Double basses were "easier" because of their bodies.
On fretless basses, I couldn't play my eyes closed.

[jzucker]

Frets on a classical guitar are not invisible.
My first guitar hasn't got dots at all, nothing, when you know where is the nut and the body you don't really need dots although they could be useful, but I learnt like this so... It doesn't matter.
They are useful when the body is at the 14th fret instead of the 12th one.
It's worst when there is no body at all, I mean when you can't touch it.
I tried several times fretless basses and double basses.
Double basses were "easier" because of their bodies.
On fretless basses, I couldn't play my eyes closed.

that's not the point. The point is the *ONLY* thing that matters is the music that comes out. I have seen classical guitarists with stick-on face dots and many use side dots. But none of that matters. Let people use dots if it helps them. I think benson, martino, jaco and metheny all manage to create great music with dots on their fingerboard.

[Lionelsax]

that's not the point. The point is the *ONLY* thing that matters is the music that comes out. I have seen classical guitarists with stick-on face dots and many use side dots. But none of that matters. Let people use dots if it helps them. I think benson, martino, jaco and metheny all manage to create great music with dots on their fingerboard.

With dots, they do exactly the same than anyone.
If there were in another place it would be exactly the same.
Do you play better on a black guitar or on a pink one ?