Tips for learning the guitar fretboard (apps and practice routines)

**BoogieKnight** · 09-01-2021, 05:19 AM

Hello,

Already posted something about this in the Ear training, Transcibing and Reading part of the forum * but I thought it might benefit other newbies to summarize my tips here.

I’m finally getting around to learning the notes on my fretboard so I can at least find the root when using bar- and other movable chords. I could always find them, but it took (too much) time, once I practiced a song it was more muscle memory than music theory for me

I’m now well on my way to knowing the way around my fretboard and found these resources/tools to be helpful in that:

How to Memorize the Notes on the Fretboard (Two Methods) - Guitar Gear Finder
Excercises and practice plan at the end.

I added my own excercises to this plan, use this Random Note Picker | Bret Pimentel, woodwinds on my iPad to generate a random note I have to play on all strings, 6 notes (one for each string) and everything inbetween.

Then I use this free chromatic tuner app on my iPhone Free Chromatic Tuner: Pano Tuner in de App Store for a visual reference.

Altenatively you could also use the JustinGuitar Note finder App Guitar Fretboard Note Trainer in de App Store but I prefer using a real guitar and fretboard for practice.

Hope this helps some fellow newbies on their way.

* original post can be found here: Note names vs. Intervallic functions (sølo app)

**princeplanet** · 09-01-2021, 08:04 AM

Wait, there's a shortcut to this stuff no one told me about when I was learning it? What a shame, I coulda saved a whole month!

**BoogieKnight** · 09-01-2021, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by princeplanet

Wait, there's a shortcut to this stuff no one told me about when I was learning it? What a shame, I coulda saved a whole month!

What do you mean? Still takes time, I only listed some methods I found to learn it, no magic there

How did you learn?

**Dana** · 09-01-2021, 09:22 AM

I used flash cards.

**Strbender** · 10-02-2021, 04:42 PM

Learn to play arpegios on a single string in all 12 keys. That's what Charlie Banacos had me doing. Try playing A#-7+5 real fast on one string starting with the first available note, and not the root. Not easy, but you learn the notes real fast.

**emanresu** · 10-02-2021, 04:52 PM

I wrote web-apps for myself to learn various stuff that wasnt free on google-play.

**wolflen** · 10-02-2021, 05:53 PM

determination and reinforcement..

the major scale (and modes) in ALL positions in ALL keys

triads..major minor dim aug and inversions (open and close) in all keys on all string sets

transposing well known tunes in as many keys as possible use inversions of chords when possible..play the melody in different positions

writing out exercises in every key .. playing them in various intervals Maj/min 3rds, circle of 5ths, melodic patterns on every degree of the maj/min-(har/mel) dim aug scale in all keys

i thank myself for the "do one more key" push..(thanks Ted Greene)

**BoogieKnight** · 10-03-2021, 02:12 AM

Originally Posted by emanresu

I wrote web-apps for myself to learn various stuff that wasnt free on google-play.

Great stuff! Looks about anything you could want in flashcards and more! Thank you!!!

**oceanslider** · 11-29-2021, 12:30 AM

Originally Posted by Strbender

Learn to play arpegios on a single string in all 12 keys. That's what Charlie Banacos had me doing. Try playing A#-7+5 real fast on one string starting with the first available note, and not the root. Not easy, but you learn the notes real fast.

How long did this take you? Sounds like a great study.

**Oldjock** · 11-29-2021, 09:02 AM

This is a subject which, for me, has been on the back burner for years. Too long, too hard, takes too much time, rather play songs, yada yada. The author breaks down the system of learning into small tasks which combined will give a satisfactory result.
Thank you Boogie Knight, I will give this a serious go. I have finally realized that I must learn this before I can begin to improvise.

**Strbender** · 11-29-2021, 04:08 PM

Originally Posted by oceanslider

How long did this take you? Sounds like a great study.

Every week I would be given another chord to learn in all keys. You could start with the Maj7, then -7, Dom7, -7b5, etc.
What I did was write all 17 keys (flats & sharps) on the back of business cards. Then I would shuffle them and pull out a card and spend 10-15 minutes working it out on all 6 strings. I had to make sure I could play it in whatever key C.B. would call out. Trust me, It wasn't pretty. But I learned the neck.

Remember to start from the lowest available note, so for a Cmaj7 you would start from the open E, B, G, strings. That's when you develop major brain cramps.

**mr. beaumont** · 11-29-2021, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by Dana

I used flash cards.

Yep, pull a note, set a timer for 30 seconds, find every spot you can play that note.

I found it incredibly helpful to say the note name and sing the pitch...or sing the note name, which sounds ridiculous on flats and sharps, but...it works.

**mjo** · 11-29-2021, 05:29 PM

Some good advice here. I hesitate to post, as this is an ongoing process for me ...but...

Reading helped me get to know notes on the fretboard, (I'm still a rotten reader). But, as I realized I needed to know what notes I needed, just as much as where they were, I started breaking down songs into chord tones and I play through them that way -as mini arpeggios, I guess. It's a real eye opener for me too see these things moving, through tension and resolution, I'll say ...as well as some the "oddball extras" that seem too work.
...I could just be hopeless hack...

-best,
Mike

**Peterson** · 12-02-2021, 04:50 PM

Play random notes six times each, one on each string using this: Know The Board

**rpjazzguitar** · 12-02-2021, 05:30 PM

My suggestion is to learn to read. All over the neck.

Reading is a very useful skill to have and you learn the notes in the process.

I agree with the suggestion to know the notes in the chords you use, instantly. The arp-on-one-string exercise is a good one. It will quickly separate what you think you know from what you actually know. Might be worthwhile starting from the nut and going up, starting from the 12th and going down and starting from the middle and going both ways. Or maybe skipping every other note. The idea is that you want to know them irrespective of order.

Same thing works for scales too.

There are threads on here about how to learn to read. Most people recommend Leavitt. I did it before he wrote those books. Basic Belwin beginner's book, Mel Bay II and then Colin/Bower Rhythms Complete. As written and up an octave. After that it was clarinet books, because clarinet and guitar have similar range.