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Tips for memorizing the Fretboard!

William B.

Hot Topic Tourer
  • Nov 11, 2019
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    I haven't done it a much yet, but I guess saying each note out loud as you play it helps.
    Starting on an open string and going up to 12 and than the next string.
    I saw the names changed when you go back from 12 to 0, so probably practice them separately.
    Got a little confused doing both at the same time.
    Another way to further that would probably be to take sections of 4 frets and name those,
    playing it down or up the strings and not up and down the fret board. Good Luck!
    I'm going to practice naming a bit again right now, after reading this :D
     

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    Leo The Gym Rat

    Free Bird Player
    Nov 11, 2019
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    I haven't done it a much yet, but I guess saying each note out loud as you play it helps.
    Starting on an open string and going up to 12 and than the next string.
    I saw the names changed when you go back from 12 to 0, so probably practice them separately.
    Got a little confused doing both at the same time.
    Another way to further that would probably be to take sections of 4 frets and name those,
    playing it down or up the strings and not up and down the fret board. Good Luck!
    I'm going to practice naming a bit again right now, after reading this :D
    I'll try this out too, i once memorized a whole order of a deck of cards!, so the fretboard can't be that hard, Thanks!
     
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    Chris Johnston

    Music Theory Bragger
  • Nov 11, 2019
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    So, I guess you can memorize it either with sharps or flats, right?, Doesn't make that much of a difference, right?.
    You just need to realize which note is corresponding to one another I guess, correct?

    I'd memorize it thinking of both - but starting with Sharps was easier for me if I was Ascending, & Flats if I was descending. The reason you want to know both is so that you can visualize/think of your Major Scales/Keys the easiest way. For example, your first fret on the A string - I call it A# on the video, which is correct, but I usually think of that fret as Bb, because the Bb Major Scale/Key is a lot easier to keep in your mind than the A# one: A# B# C## etc - you can see why :ROFLMAO: Bb would be : Bb, C D Eb, F G A - 2 flats versus LOADS of sharps.

    To be honest, It really doesn't make a massive difference - unless you try to exclusively choose to think of everything in the Sharp side - that will end up confusing you as soon as you try and play in any 'Flat keys' as you'll get what keys like A# give you.

    I tend to be like: A, A# or Bb, B, C, C# or Db etc - just to remind myself that the fret can be both.

    Hope that makes sense!
     

    Leo The Gym Rat

    Free Bird Player
    Nov 11, 2019
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    I'd memorize it thinking of both - but starting with Sharps was easier for me if I was Ascending, & Flats if I was descending. The reason you want to know both is so that you can visualize/think of your Major Scales/Keys the easiest way. For example, your first fret on the A string - I call it A# on the video, which is correct, but I usually think of that fret as Bb, because the Bb Major Scale/Key is a lot easier to keep in your mind than the A# one: A# B# C## etc - you can see why :ROFLMAO: Bb would be : Bb, C D Eb, F G A - 2 flats versus LOADS of sharps.

    To be honest, It really doesn't make a massive difference - unless you try to exclusively choose to think of everything in the Sharp side - that will end up confusing you as soon as you try and play in any 'Flat keys' as you'll get what keys like A# give you.

    I tend to be like: A, A# or Bb, B, C, C# or Db etc - just to remind myself that the fret can be both.

    Hope that makes sense!
    Gotcha man, thanks!
     
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    Christian Schulze

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    Nov 11, 2019
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    From my experience, don't be cute with it. Go note from note on every string with a metronome.

    Start slow.
    One note on every string and keep adding notes. Once you got all natural notes, fill in the gaps (# and b). After kinda knowing where all notes are, take a metronome and cycle through them, even at 40 Bpm and over time increase your BPMs.

    It takes a while but, it worked for me. Bonus if you use the Circle of 5ths.
     
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