exercises for building fretboard knowledge?

Andy Henriksen · From: Michigan, USA

Hi all,

I'm a couple months into my PSG journey, and enjoying it immensely. I just wish I had more time and energy to devote to it...but that lack of time makes me pine for the moments when I do have an hour to sit at the guitar. It never feels like a chore, that's for sure!

Anyway, with the weekend nearly upon us, and me seemingly having a bit of free time available, I'm looking forward to getting some guitar time in. I've been working through the Winnie W. book, and I'm slowly getting the hang of reading the tab, and working the pedals, etc.

One thing, though, that I think could really use a boost is simply understanding the instrument. Sitting at my computer right now, I'm not sure I could even rattle off the open string notes. Nor could I tell you exactly what each change does. (If I was sitting at my guitar, I could suss it all out, of course).

So...my question - any good tips to expedite that aspect of playing? Any memory exercises or the like?

I am a total self-taught hack with regards to theory, but I generally get the basics and I really enjoy that aspect of playing music - the "why does this work and this doesn't?" And all of that starts with knowing the fretboard, intervals, etc. So, I want to get over that hump ASAP. Thoughts?

Thanks!

Sonny Jenkins · From: Texas Masonic Retirement Center,,,Arlington Tx

Well Andy, this is a very lucky time for you in the PSG Journey,,,,,,Paul Franklin has happened along at just the right time for you!!!! Highly recommended!

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=326114

Andy Henriksen · From: Michigan, USA

After all the rave reviews, I'm definitely interested in the Franklin course, but it's not in the budget at the moment and may not be for some time...

Michael Meader · From: Michigan, USA

I been working from the winnie book too. It does get more into chord structure the further u get. I got the franklin method on the 3 payment plan. So that helps money wise. For me alot of it is just making a conscious effort to sus out what every thing does. Baby steps though. Definitely baby steps

Bill Moore · From: Manchester, Michigan

Andy, The approach that Jeff Newman used was to show the positions, and how to move between them. His method worked. I think there are lots of steel players that can't name all the notes at any particular fret, or sometimes even the chords they play, but they are able to play all kinds of music with the knowledge they have. It takes time to put it all together. The most important thing is to play some every day, even if only a few minutes. Don't get discouraged. Make sure the guitar is tuned properly every time you play. Work on playing in tune. Go slowly, and stick with it.

Andy Henriksen · From: Michigan, USA

Jim Robbins · From: Ontario, Canada

Jim Robbins · From: Ontario, Canada

Chuck Hamilton · From: Flower Mound, Texas, USA

Hi Andy -- I'm only a year ahead of you so take this for what it's worth. I'm assuming you are working on the E9 neck and that you already know how to play the basic major and minor chords. That's the first place to start. It is helpful to first know how to play a particular chord, say G major, in the 4 basic spots (fret 3, fret 6, and fret 8, fret 10).

You asked about memory tricks. If you can learn your way around 1 particular key, those same patterns work in every other key. So sometimes it helps to focus on 1 key for a while.

I suggest the first thing to do is to learn every string by name and the changes for each string available on your guitar. It would be a good idea to figure out what the copedent is on your guitar, and write it on a piece of paper to keep near your guitar as a reference, that's a good learning process.

Then consider picking a key and learning to play every major scale you can in that key, both with and without pedals and levers. Say you pick G as your key to work on. Start with the G scale at fret 3 (G root position), then the G major scale at fret 10 (pedals down G position). Then find the G major scale at frets 5 and 6 (root plus 2 and 3 frets); at fret 8 (root plus 5 frets); and at frets 12 and 13 (root plus 9 and 10). It's a pain in the neck to do this but it has helped me a ton with both fretboard geography, right hand picking and bar movement.

Then, once you find the scales, start naming each note as you play it (or do it on paper first)-- but name the notes by their tone in the key rather than by their letter name. For example, G would be tone 1 in the major scale, A tone 2, B tone 3, and so on (instead of referring to them as "G", "A" or "B" etc). Since there are only 7 in the major scale, it's manageable. This makes it much easier when you change keys, what Jeff Newman called "patternizing."

Since you will have already learned the string names on your guitar, you should also play the E major scale at the open fret, and name each string and each change on each string with its tone in the key of E (E =1, F#=2, G#=3, etc), since that is the open key, and do the same with A, since that is the pedals down key at the open fret. That has helped me a lot with fret geography and patternizing.

I'd be happy to send you a chart showing you where these scales are in any particular key, but the process of finding them yourself is invaluable. Let me know if you'd like me to send you a chart to help you get started.

But -- don't forget to just turn on some backing tracks and pick around and have some fun as well.
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Too much crap to list and who really cares anyway??

Todd Blair · From: Richmond Virginia, USA

If you have some music theory knowledge, the fretboard can make sense pretty quickly. I am less than a year into PSG, and have been using simple theory to lead my learning. That and a ton of technique drills and practice.
Try this:

G chord inversions on strings 8, 6, & 5: 3rd fret (open) is G, B, & D (root triad); 6th fret (F lever and A pedal) is B, D, & G (1st inversion); 10th fret (A &B pedals) is D, G, & B (2nd inversion).
These inversions are the same as going up the grips: 8/6/5, 6/5/4, and 5/4/3.

Iâ€™m still figuring out pedal/ lever combinations and movements, when deciding which voicing/ inversion to use, and destination chord, or diatonic run. Anyhow, I hope it helps. Iâ€™m taking bites at all of the options and variables with PSG.
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Sho~Bud Pro III Custom,Rickenbacker 330, G&L ASAT Special.

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