Understanding the guitar fretboard and playing by ear.

[mcmurray]

The following tutorial shows how to understand the guitar fretboard by applying the technique of 'tonic-solfa' or 'movable do solfege'. Once familiar with this technique, playing by ear and sightreading/sightsinging will become trivial tasks. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, please read this page;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solfege

As someone on here said,
"the guitar is a relative instrument"
So lets treat it like one.

The following diagram shows the guitar fretboard with the notes on it. Sharps and flats are not shown but pretend they're there. For example between F and G is F#/Gb. This diagram should be printed and kept for reference until you can memorise it completely. The red C is middle C on a piano keyboard.



The next diagram is the most import and diagram you'll see as a guitarist, if you choose to use this system. It represents the notes in any key as their 'solfege' or 'tonic - solfa' syllables. It is a looping diagram with no end (i.e. the far right hand side and the far left hand side join together), two sections have been shown for clarity, . It may seem corny at first but it lets you distinguish between notes in terms of their function - AND it will train your ear. This diagram should be thoroughly memorised (you probably already have memorised it in terms of dots, not syllables). The do's (pronounced dough) are coloured blue in order to show the pattern that exists between the octaves up the fretboard. This pattern occurs with all notes, not just the do's. There are 5 patterns and then they repeat.



Now, to play in any major key, simply take this diagram and superimpose it on the first diagram to line the do's up with the key you want. For example - to play in E major, line up all the do's with the E's on the fretboard. The following is the result;



To play in C major, line up all the do's from the second diagram with the C's on the first diagram. Here is the result;



Likewise with the key of G# Major;



There are 12 keys in total, I've only showed you 3. I'll let you find the notes for the others.

Now, to play in a minor key the same thing applies, however, instead of lining up the do's on the key required, line up the la's instead. Here is the diagram for A minor;



Note that this diagram is the same for C major. That is because A minor is the relative minor of C major.

Mode required; Syllable to line up on key; Pronunciation;

Major/Ionian...................Do....................... .........dough
Dorian.........................Re................. ................ray
Phrygian.......................Mi................. .................me
Lydian.........................Fa................. ................fah
Mixolydian.....................So................. ................so
Minor/Aeolian..................La....................... ..........lah
Locrian........................Ti................. ..................tee

So if you want to play the Eb locrian mode, line up the ti's on Eb and play. ( to the experts: I know a mode isn't a mode unless the right chord is played but hey this is a beginners guide).

Major Scale ( ionian mode);
do > re > mi > fa > so > la > ti > do

Dorian Mode (eg for F# Dorian, the re's fall on F#);
re > mi > fa > so > la > ti > do > re

Phrygian Mode;
mi > fa > so > la > ti > do > re > mi

Lydian Mode;
fa > so > la > ti > do > re > mi > fa

Mixolydian Mode;
so > la > ti > do > re > me > fa > so

Natural Minor Scale ( Aeolian mode );
la > ti > do > re > mi > fa > so > la

Locrian Mode;
ti > do > re > mi > fa > so > la > ti


Examples;
Here's some examples of tunes to get you going using this system;

> means going higher in pitch, < means going lower in pitch

Jingle bells: mi mi mi mi mi mi mi > so < do > re > mi > fa fa fa etc.

Sweet child o mine ( starts in key of F# Major - note slash tunes down a half step);
do > do < so < fa > fa < so > mi < so ...

Happy birthday (choose a key and play);
so so > la < so > do < ti
< so so > la < so > re < do
< so > do > so < mi < do do < ti < la ...

One (metallica) (played in key of A minor i.e. la's fall on A);
la > mi < la > do
< fa > mi < fa > do ...

Stairway to heaven (played in key of A minor);
la > do > mi > la > ti < mi < do > ti > do < mi < do > do < fi < re < la > fi (out of key see below) < mi < do < la > do ...


In many songs, some notes played fall out of the key such as stairway to heaven. The 7 notes that fall in key are do re mi fa so la ti (the diatonic notes). There are 12 notes in total chromatic scale, so there is another 5 notes that are out of key and they are: di ri fi si and li.

The complete solfege system for the chromatic scale is;
do di re ri mi fa fi so si la li ti

Diatonic notes ( within a key);
do re mi fa so la ti
Out of key notes ( out of key);
di ri fi si li

The out of key notes are not shown on my diagram but once again, pretend they're there.

Another song that has out of key notes is the familiar 'Simpsons' theme song;
do > mi > fi > la < so < mi < do < la < fi fi fi > so < fi fi fi > so > li > do do do do.

The harmonised major scale (chords);

The diatonic triads;
so la ti do re mi fa
mi fa so la ti do re
do re mi fa so la ti
I ii iii IV V vi viidim

The diatonic 7th chords;
ti do re mi fa so la
so la ti do re mi fa
mi fa so la ti do re
do re mi fa so la ti

While practicing songs and excercises, say the syllables in your head, or better yet sing them, while playing each note. You will gradually internalise it.

Then what happens is as you listen to music, the music starts to whisper the solfege syllables to you. With more practice you can't help but hear the syllables.

All of a sudden you know which one is do and you can apply the melody directly to the guitar.

It may take a little bit of practise, but you'll be cultivating your (relative) ear every time you practice it.

This technique has been used in piano teaching for years and years. But in my opinion it suits the guitar even better because it establishes a direct connection between the ear and the guitar because of the 'relative' nature of the instrument.

OK thats enough for now. I think I got through everything I intended to. Later I'll add some info here describing how to use this system to sightread the treble clef with ease.

I may put this info up on a website soon for easier reading. Feedback would be appreciated. And if there are any questions please ask.

[Muymal]

wow bookmarked! did u write that? nice

[reeced]

Talk about joining with a bang ! - what a great article.
I've always considered the various fretboard learning methods as theoretical exercises, when what you really want to do is to hear the note before you play it. "Do-Re-Mi" is the link , and you've nailed it nicely in this article.

[mcmurray]

Cheers guys.
If anyone wants me to, I could transcribe a section of their favorite tune/solo into solfege form so you can have a play with it. That would probably be the best way to learn, by applying it to music that you like.

Later I'll put up some scale diagrams up so you can see how position playing relates to the big picture - the second diagram of the article.

Oh and I forgot the pentatonic and blues scales (all are written ascending).
Minor Pentatonic scale;
la do re mi so la

Major Pentatonic scale;
do re mi so la do

Blues scale;
la do re ri mi so la

And for good measure, the Harmonic minor scale;
la ti do re mi fa si la

And the melodic minor scale;
la ti do re mi fi si la

[phretter]

Good stuff - good job! Thanks

[albertbert]

How about the crazy train intro riff. This seems like it help me alot, my ears are dumb.

[mcmurray]

Originally Posted by albertbert

How about the crazy train intro riff. This seems like it help me alot, my ears are dumb.

Certainly.
Crazy train intro is in the key of F# or Gb minor (put the la's on all the F#'s)

Bass guitar;
la la > do do < so so > la la > fa fa < so so > la la > etc...

Electric guitar;
la la > mi < la > fa < la > mi < la > re < do < ti > do > re < do < ti < so ...

Start playing on string 6 (the lowest sounding string), 2nd fret, which is F#.

[Crashtard]

Wow. Not sure if I should welcome you, or ask you for tutorage

[mcmurray]

Thanks for the compliments guys. Is anyone having any luck using this system yet? Maybe I'm being impatient. Let me know how you go.

[albertbert]

ive tried a bit, but i dont think i know my music theory well enough yet. Ive only just started learning about modes and how to use em.

[mcmurray]

albertbert: just forget about modes and theory until you can play simple melodies in all positions such as 'happy birthday', 'jingle bells' and 'row your boat' etc. Major and minor keys occur far more than the other modes. Playing the major scale over and over in different keys until the tones and syllables are burnt into your ear/brain will help to get you going.

Modes have complex and funny names, but they're easy to deal with once you know the major scale inside out. That's why it's called the Major scale - it's the most Major thing you'll have to learn as a musician.

[dptlibertine]

SUCCESS!!!:::in my best Borat voice::::, anyhow, that was brilliant.i've been studying theory for some time and it's mindnumbing.however,i do have a question for you if you don't mind answering. I've been studying some book on scales and fretboard workouts..it's a pain. but anyhow, they break it into the 5 caged methods. is this the same? cause to be honest with you I hate memorizing all these patterns. what would you suggest?

[mcmurray]

I'm not totally familiar with the caged methods, although I know that any patterns it generates will be the same as mine (there is only 1 diatonic pattern for standard tuning). I don't know if it distinguishes notes by function though (usually the patterns are given as dots, treating every note like another), that's where the do re mi method is useful.

[kernix]

Originally Posted by albertbert

ive tried a bit, but i dont think i know my music theory well enough yet. Ive only just started learning about modes and how to use em.

You don't know theory, but are studying modes - dude, modes are advanced theory - you should really concentraate on basic theory.

[kernix]

Originally Posted by mcmurray

I'm not totally familiar with the caged methods, although I know that any patterns it generates will be the same as mine (there is only 1 diatonic pattern for standard tuning). I don't know if it distinguishes notes by function though (usually the patterns are given as dots, treating every note like another), that's where the do re mi method is useful.

dots - so what - do-re-mi - also so what.

CAGED method:
the obvious thing to do is learn the E position - but if you don't learn the other positions how are you ever going to play on a different part of the fretboard - and there are only 5 positions - that's not too much.