As guitarists we face a unique struggle in learning our instrument. Unlike a piano where there is one and only way to play each pitch, the guitar allows us to play the same pitch in as many as 5 locations. This uniqueness gives us versatility and nuance that few other instruments can match, yet at the same time it has turned us into horrible sight readers and “fret-counters.”
It’s keeping us from being best guitarist we can possibly be. If you make the time investment to truly understanding your instrument, you will write better songs, play better solos, and get better gigs. The good news is that this is not an impossible task. Think about it: there are only 12 unique frets, two of the strings are identical (1st and 6th), and there’s a pattern. I’m going to show you how to demystify the guitar fretboard so you see it the same way a pianist very simply sees the notes on a piano. Here’s the secret:
B E A D G C F
Let me explain:
The letters above represent of course perfect 4ths. The guitar is tuned in perfect 4ths with the exception of strings 3 to 2 (G to B) which is a major 3rd. When you begin applying the perfect 4ths to the fretboard it quickly becomes a simple pattern of B E A D G C F – Bb Eb Ab Db Gb (F#) and then the pattern repeats. You can see that they do not lay evenly across a single fret, but instead are shifted up one fret on the 1st and 2nd strings. Once you understand this, learning the notes across a single fret becomes much more manageable. And remember, there are only 12 to learn.
There are 4 simple steps you need to implement into you practice routine that will dramatically make you a better guitarist. Here’s the free eBook will show you exactly what to do and includes worksheets to get you started immediately. Do 10-15 minutes/day for 2 weeks and see for yourself.
Thanks for Reading,
Gary