DECHIFFRAGE
Understanding the guitar neck
Why understand and learn the guitar fretboard
Although I always recommend that my students learn the basics of music theory applied to the guitar, in reality, many guitarists never learn music theory.
Indeed, when it comes to guitar, you don't need to know how to read music to become good or even excellent in any style. The number of professional guitarists who don't know music theory is proof of this.
However, even without knowing music theory, I have always thought that all guitarists should at least know the basics of the organization of their instrument and in particular the guitar neck.
In fact, one way or another, all good guitar players understand how the guitar neck is organized. This is essential for learning to improvise, compose, or even transcribe the music you hear.
I have therefore developed various techniques to transmit to my students who do not know music theory the basics necessary for the musical understanding of the guitar fretboard.
Understanding the guitar neck in 4 basic principles:
Here are 4 basic principles you should know about the organization of the guitar neck:
- Only one box separates B from C and E from F, while two boxes separate the other natural notes: A to B, C to D, D to E and G to A.
- All the notes of the open strings are repeated at the 12th fret. You must memorize the names of the open strings on the guitar (E, A, D, G, B, E or E, A, D, G, B, E).
- Any note can be played on the next string, 5 frets higher on the neck, except for strings 2 and 3 where only 4 frets are needed.
Example: if you play an A on the 1st string of E, you can also play that same A, on the 2nd string of B at the 10th fret.
Between strings 2 and 3, for an E on the 2nd string, 5th fret, you can play the same note E on the 3rd string, 9th fret.
4. All the notes pressed on the 5th fret are identical to the note on the preceding open string, except for the 3rd string. On this string, the note pressed on the 4th fret is the same as the open 2nd string (B). It is therefore easy to memorize the notes on the 5th fret, which is a good reference point to keep in mind.
Using these 4 principles, you can find any note on the fretboard as long as youdo you know the names of the empty stringsYou can also find the same note in many different places. Let's look at some practical examples.
Illustrations to better understand the guitar neck:
Here are some illustrations to help you with this.Understanding the guitar fretboard using the 5-fret rule
Example 1:
Example 2:
One of the golden rules is to learn thename of the strings in strings to vibecause we can find them on the 5th and 12th squares.
Understanding the guitar neck beyond the 12th fret
Notice that all the notes on the open strings repeat at the 12th fret. It's important to visualize the layout of the guitar neck when you practice. As you might expect, the layout of the guitar neck is very logical and orderly, and easy to understand.
Beyond the 12th fret, the fretboard simply repeats itself. Focus on learning and understanding the first 12 frets, and you'll soon know the whole thing. Just visualize the 13th fret as being the same as the 1st fret.
For example, the 1st fret of the 3rd string is a G#. At the 13th fret, it's also a G# but an octave higher; that's the only difference.
This also works in reverse. If you play high up the neck (towards the treble, beyond the 12th fret), you can find the note name by subtracting 12 from the fret number.
For example, you're playing on the 16th fret of the 4th string and you want to find the name of that note. You simply do: 16-12 = 4, the note on the 4th fret of the 4th string is an F#, so the note on the 16th fret of the 4th string is also an F#, an octave higher.
The guitar, a very versatile instrument
One of the unique characteristics of the guitar, which makes this instrument much more complicated than many others, but also more versatile, is the fact that a single note can be played in 2, 3, 4, or sometimes 5 different places on the guitar neck.
While it may seem trivial, it has huge implications for everything you play or want to play on the guitar. The only notes that are played in only one place are the five lowest notes on the guitar: G#, G, F#, F, and E (the first four frets of the low E string, the 6th string, and the open string).
Exercises to learn the notes on the guitar fretboard
If you are unable to instantly locate any note on the guitar fretboard, then you need to work on this a little.
For example, if I say "play the F# on each string, from the 1st to the 6th", you should be able to do it.
It may seem difficult at first. However, if you do small exercises regularly to remember the names of the notes and locate yourself on the guitar fretboard, you will gradually become more and more comfortable and the fretboard will no longer be a mystery to you.
It can take weeks, even months, for it to start feeling natural, and that's normal. Don't try to learn the fretboard in two days and expect it to become easy right away. Understanding is one thing, knowing how to do it is another.
Start with 5 minutes a day and you'll see that you'll quickly make great progress. Plus, you don't need a guitar to do this exercise and you can do it on public transport, in a queue, or anywhere.
Vidéo - Comprendre le manche de la guitare et astuces ...
