Fretlight
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stratjacket
Well-known member
I never used fretlight, but if you want to pm or email me, I can share a cool little method to learn the fretboard that really helped me.
stratjacket
Well-known member
OK. This is a document that I put together on my own. I'm not a professional and not a teacher or anything. I think it's a pretty cool little method that DOES take some practice. But it does work. I did add some words to it tonight to try to better explain some things, but let me know if something does not make sense.
There are many ways to learn the fretboard, this is just one, please be gentle. They are hand made graphics I did in Preview on my Mac and copied into a Word doc. I'm not a good graphics guy... I offer it up freely to hopefully help someone.
It does NOT cover every possible scale or any mixoInversePolyTriangle scale out there. I think of it it terms of the minor scale and the example is G minor. But you can take this and apply modes afterwords, the easiest being Ionian (major scale). I almost universally play in 6 note shapes and I noticed this pattern so I wrote it down once.
Basic principle: There are only 7 Shapes needed to be able to cover the entire fretboard in any key. Each Shape is a 6 note sequence.
G Minor scale for demo purposes. Once the Shapes are learned, you can use the same movements in ANY key.
Steps
• Learn each Shape on the bottom 2 strings all the way up and down the fretboard.
• Remember the Shapes and the numbers I’ve associated with each Shape. (Shape 1 through Shape 7).
• Visualize each 6 note Shape (pattern) as you move up and down the fretboard. Learn each Shape and remember the Shape number associated with it.
Import points to remember:
1. The Shapes repeat 1, 2, 3…7, 1, 2, 3, 4…
2. The Shapes count UP (shape 1, shape 2, shape 3, etc…) as you move up the fretboard toward the bridge.
3. The Shapes count DOWN (Shape 1, Shape 7, Shape 6) as you move across the fretboard from the bigger gauge strings (low E and A) to the lighter strings
After you learn the shapes, no matter where you are on the fretboard, you can move positions up, down or across strings by knowing what Shape you are currently in and knowing the Shapes around you (remember they are sequential, and either count up or down depending on the direction you move). There is an example at the bottom
The Shapes:
Shape 1
Shape 2
Shape 3
Shape 4
Shape 5
Shape 6
Shape 7
Notice the Shapes start to repeat themselves once you get the 15th fret G note.
Shape 1 Again
To move ACROSS the fretboard.
Starting at the low E string 3rd fret (Shape 1)
Shape 1
The next shape would be Shape 7 on the D and G strings
Shape 7
The next shape would be Shape 6 on the high B and E strings.
Shape 6
An example, if you are in Shape 3 on the 8th fret of the D string:
To stay on the same 2 strings and move up or down the fretboard (towards the bridge or towards the nut
• Shape 2 would be down 1 position on the same 2 strings.
• Shape 4 would be up 1 position on the same 2 strings
To move across different strings on the fretboard:
• Shape 2 would also be on the high B and E strings.
• Shape 4 would also be on the low E and A strings
Shape 3 are the notes in the thin Black box starting on the 8th fret D string
Shape 2 are the notes in the Orange boxes
Shape 4 are the notes in the Blue boxes
Across the fretboard:
Shape 2 starting on the 10th fret high B and E strings
Shape 3 starting on the 8th fret middle D and G strings
Shape 4 starting on the 8th fret low E and A strings
Up/Down the fretboard on the D and G strings:
Shape 2 starting on the 7th fret
Shape 3 starting on the 8th fret
Shape 4 starting on the 10th fret
The root note of each shape would the starting point for a "mode" within the major scale.
In the example I used the Gminor scale which is the Aeolian Mode (minor scale) of the A# major scale.
So Shape 1 would be the G Aeolian mode of the A# major scale.
Shape 2 would be the A Locrian mode of the A# major scale.
Shape 3 would be the A# Ionian (major A# scale) mode.
Shape 4 would be the C Dorian mode of the A# major scale.
Shape 5 would be the D Phrygian mode of the A# major scale.
Shape 6 would be the D# Lydian mode of the A# major scale.
Shape 7 would be the F Mixolydian mode of the A# major scale.
Some practice ideas:
Play each shape until you commit it to muscle memory. Always say out loud or repeat in your head the Shape number as you are playing the Shape.
After you have a good handle on the individual shapes, below are some practices to put it all together across the entire fretboard.
It is important to KNOW all 7 individual Shapes before trying some the practices below. If not, it may get confusing and start to fall apart.
Practice moving across strings and then up the fretboard. Then down the fretboard and back across the strings.
Using the sequential order of the Shapes, start on the low E string 3rd fret and go ACROSS the strings to the high E string. Then UP 1 position and travel back ACROSS the strings to the Low E string. Then move up 1 position and go ACROSS the strings to the high E again. Keep repeating until you travel the entire fretboard to the 24th fret (or however many you have).
Jump to any random note, pick a Shape and play it. Move around from there.
There are many ways to learn the fretboard, this is just one, please be gentle. They are hand made graphics I did in Preview on my Mac and copied into a Word doc. I'm not a good graphics guy... I offer it up freely to hopefully help someone.
It does NOT cover every possible scale or any mixoInversePolyTriangle scale out there. I think of it it terms of the minor scale and the example is G minor. But you can take this and apply modes afterwords, the easiest being Ionian (major scale). I almost universally play in 6 note shapes and I noticed this pattern so I wrote it down once.
Basic principle: There are only 7 Shapes needed to be able to cover the entire fretboard in any key. Each Shape is a 6 note sequence.
G Minor scale for demo purposes. Once the Shapes are learned, you can use the same movements in ANY key.
Steps
• Learn each Shape on the bottom 2 strings all the way up and down the fretboard.
• Remember the Shapes and the numbers I’ve associated with each Shape. (Shape 1 through Shape 7).
• Visualize each 6 note Shape (pattern) as you move up and down the fretboard. Learn each Shape and remember the Shape number associated with it.
Import points to remember:
1. The Shapes repeat 1, 2, 3…7, 1, 2, 3, 4…
2. The Shapes count UP (shape 1, shape 2, shape 3, etc…) as you move up the fretboard toward the bridge.
3. The Shapes count DOWN (Shape 1, Shape 7, Shape 6) as you move across the fretboard from the bigger gauge strings (low E and A) to the lighter strings
After you learn the shapes, no matter where you are on the fretboard, you can move positions up, down or across strings by knowing what Shape you are currently in and knowing the Shapes around you (remember they are sequential, and either count up or down depending on the direction you move). There is an example at the bottom
The Shapes:
Shape 1
Shape 2
Shape 3
Shape 4
Shape 5
Shape 6
Shape 7
Notice the Shapes start to repeat themselves once you get the 15th fret G note.
Shape 1 Again
To move ACROSS the fretboard.
Starting at the low E string 3rd fret (Shape 1)
Shape 1
The next shape would be Shape 7 on the D and G strings
Shape 7
The next shape would be Shape 6 on the high B and E strings.
Shape 6
An example, if you are in Shape 3 on the 8th fret of the D string:
To stay on the same 2 strings and move up or down the fretboard (towards the bridge or towards the nut
• Shape 2 would be down 1 position on the same 2 strings.
• Shape 4 would be up 1 position on the same 2 strings
To move across different strings on the fretboard:
• Shape 2 would also be on the high B and E strings.
• Shape 4 would also be on the low E and A strings
Shape 3 are the notes in the thin Black box starting on the 8th fret D string
Shape 2 are the notes in the Orange boxes
Shape 4 are the notes in the Blue boxes
Across the fretboard:
Shape 2 starting on the 10th fret high B and E strings
Shape 3 starting on the 8th fret middle D and G strings
Shape 4 starting on the 8th fret low E and A strings
Up/Down the fretboard on the D and G strings:
Shape 2 starting on the 7th fret
Shape 3 starting on the 8th fret
Shape 4 starting on the 10th fret
The root note of each shape would the starting point for a "mode" within the major scale.
In the example I used the Gminor scale which is the Aeolian Mode (minor scale) of the A# major scale.
So Shape 1 would be the G Aeolian mode of the A# major scale.
Shape 2 would be the A Locrian mode of the A# major scale.
Shape 3 would be the A# Ionian (major A# scale) mode.
Shape 4 would be the C Dorian mode of the A# major scale.
Shape 5 would be the D Phrygian mode of the A# major scale.
Shape 6 would be the D# Lydian mode of the A# major scale.
Shape 7 would be the F Mixolydian mode of the A# major scale.
Some practice ideas:
Play each shape until you commit it to muscle memory. Always say out loud or repeat in your head the Shape number as you are playing the Shape.
After you have a good handle on the individual shapes, below are some practices to put it all together across the entire fretboard.
It is important to KNOW all 7 individual Shapes before trying some the practices below. If not, it may get confusing and start to fall apart.
Practice moving across strings and then up the fretboard. Then down the fretboard and back across the strings.
Using the sequential order of the Shapes, start on the low E string 3rd fret and go ACROSS the strings to the high E string. Then UP 1 position and travel back ACROSS the strings to the Low E string. Then move up 1 position and go ACROSS the strings to the high E again. Keep repeating until you travel the entire fretboard to the 24th fret (or however many you have).
Jump to any random note, pick a Shape and play it. Move around from there.
Monkey Man
Super Moderator
Thank you for your efforts, stratjacket. 
It's gobbledygook to me, but I figure that given enough time I could eventually get my head around that. Don't get me wrong - there's nothing wrong with your thinking or presentation; it's just that I've had a music-theory block since I was a kid.
Awesome effort, man, and thank you again!
It's gobbledygook to me, but I figure that given enough time I could eventually get my head around that. Don't get me wrong - there's nothing wrong with your thinking or presentation; it's just that I've had a music-theory block since I was a kid.
Awesome effort, man, and thank you again!
SpiderWars
Well-known member
That's really cool stratjacket. Once I looked at the second example of moving across the fretboard it clicked. It will take a bit to get used to 'counting backwards' but really cool approach.
stratjacket
Well-known member
Remembering the Shape numbers and counting up/down/across is only to start off as a learning method. Once you practice it enough, the Shapes will become 2nd nature and you'll start to know what the next Shape would be almost instinctively and thinking about the Shape Numbers will fade away.
SpiderWars
Well-known member
I'm used to the shapes moving up/down the fretboard just from doing drills/etc. But I never realized that the shapes were in reverse order when moving across fretboard. It was kind of an epiphany when you started describing moving across fretboard.
misterspockyall
Member
marking for later, thanks!
A
Anonymous
Guest
Learn the modes of the major scale in one key starting at the third fret on up and you won't need the Fretlight...animal":2owslv0g said:
Steve
7 Stringer
Well-known member
Thanks for putting all this together Mr Jacket, appreciate this and i will be using this.
Chris
stratjacket
Well-known member
No problem, glad it seems it may help some people. Just remember me you're a famous rock and roll guitar player
-I love out of the "box" thinking, learning musical theory is painful, anytime you find a new approach its like getting a new piece of gear that inspires you to play!... I don't matter if your a gear flipping slut, as long as your have that excitement, like you have a new guitar, only good things will come from it.
-I think my favorite "trick" was the one where A through G was replaced with numbers, and you just did math ...
-I think my favorite "trick" was the one where A through G was replaced with numbers, and you just did math ...
Tone Monster
Well-known member
Really.....this many posts and no fleshlight joke? What the hell?
Monkey Man
Super Moderator
OK, I'll bite:
If I practice those 7 patterns on my Fleshlight™, will it help chicks with their improvising when they play my flute, stratjacket?
If I practice those 7 patterns on my Fleshlight™, will it help chicks with their improvising when they play my flute, stratjacket?