a good way to memorize the fretboard

brian_ok · Post by **brian_ok** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 11:52 am

I just remembered that I was going to post this a while ago. A few months ago, I completed an on-computer course in memorizing the fretboard. It's called "Absolute Fretboard Trainer", here's the homepage http://www.absolutefretboard.com Essentially, the program serves as a set of glorified flashcards, with some other good exercises.

Memorizing the fretboard, along with learning how to sight read and going through the Guitar Fretboard Workbook, has made me a much better player. PM me and I'll send you the link where you can buy it legally. *ahem*

Just wanted to share this good resource with other guitar players who are interested in legally obtaining a sound knowledge of the fretboard.

mlb1399 · Post by **mlb1399** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 12:23 pm

There is also a game that someone posted on this site called fretboard warrior. You can download the game for free and then it helps with memorization of the guitar fretboard.

http://www.francoisbrisson.com/fretboar ... rrior.html

sfmartins · Post by **sfmartins** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 12:28 pm

This looks a great think to learn! Thanks

brian_ok · Post by **brian_ok** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 6:10 pm

just a reminder, I YSIed, oh I'm sorry found, the legal link, so if anyone else wants it, PM me. for what it's worth, this program does anything that fretboard warrior can do and more, IMO.

Hydro120 · Post by **Hydro120** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 6:27 pm

so wait. this just helps you memorize, for example, if you play 3rd fret on the a string, what note that would be? i never saw the point in that.

Nuladion · Post by **Nuladion** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 7:16 pm

Hydro120 wrote:so wait. this just helps you memorize, for example, if you play 3rd fret on the a string, what note that would be? i never saw the point in that.

Do you ever jam with other muscians? I guese you can't realize what you're missing until you learn it, but I know that this is what is holding me back from being a better guitarist.

brian_ok · Post by **brian_ok** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 7:31 pm

Hydro120 wrote:so wait. this just helps you memorize, for example, if you play 3rd fret on the a string, what note that would be? i never saw the point in that.

It has helped me a shitload. I play with a ton of other guitarists, most better than me (and 30 years older), and the two things that have enabled me to keep up with them, are: recognizing what they are playing (whether I can pick out scale or chord shapes, or individual notes), and relating that to what I can do to either lead over them, or support behind them...(theoretical knowledge, or just plain aural badassitude.)

Granted, knowing all the notes on the guitar is not going to make you a better player automatically, but it basically lets you out of the dark. I'd say that scale, root, and chord shapes (aka, the C-A-G-E-D system) are just as important to know, but I'll be damned if it isn't VERY nice to know what notes you're playing.

Hydro120 · Post by **Hydro120** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 8:32 pm

No I write my own solo material. I don't see the immediate need to learn exactly what notes I'm playing. I play mostly by ear.

I guess I'm just not in the "I want to improve technically" stage of my playing career. Soloing is something I always wanted to be good at, and for the most part, I can play somewhat by ear, but it's just not something I need right now.

matonfan101 · Post by **matonfan101** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:12 am

learn it through experience and playing and you'll be ten times better than if you cram it using some shit computer program.

eventually you'll just know where every note of a certain scale is located on the guitar. The notes that are not appropriate tend to be little "blackspots" on the fretboard that you just avoid i suppose.

mlb1399 · Post by **mlb1399** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 7:47 am

There are two ways to be able to play:
1) know the note you are going to or need to play
2) know the spacing between strings and frets that work

I have seen people do both and work.

Obviously, just memorizing the note without being able to quickly play it doesn't have a whole lot of merit. As Brian said, if you are going to jam with other guitar players and be good at it then it defintely helps to know what they are playing, what you need to play and where to play it.

brian_ok · Post by **brian_ok** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 7:49 am

matonfan101 wrote:learn it through experience and playing and you'll be ten times better than if you cram it using some shit computer program.

eventually you'll just know where every note of a certain scale is located on the guitar. The notes that are not appropriate tend to be little "blackspots" on the fretboard that you just avoid i suppose.

I 100% agree. THe mistake I made with this program last August was doing just that; only relying on a "shit computer program" to memorize the notes. However, a few months later, I did the shit program in conjuction with A Modern Method for Guitar and the Guitar Fretboard Workbook.

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Wed Jul 12, 2006 9:35 am

how much does it cost?

brian_ok · Post by **brian_ok** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 8:40 pm

Jack_M.D. wrote:how much does it cost?

I'll get you a severely discounted price if you PM me

(just a bump if anyone hasn't seen this....if you want to improve, I'd recommend trying it out.)

ds80mx · Post by **ds80mx** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 11:40 pm

thanks man the program is great..hopefully now this can help me jam better..

Wife Soup · Post by **Wife Soup** » Sat Jul 15, 2006 1:03 pm

thanks for this

i was playing fretboard warrior and they had a note on the g string at the 5th fret and i thought the answer was a b note. but they said it was C or something, can anybody explain? thanks