How to Use Inversions to Map the Fretboard

I’m often asked to teach on the idea of “mapping the fretboard” or “getting comfortable moving up and down the neck.”

When I was a young guitar grasshopper I struggled to learn and retain information from traditional guitar method and theory books. The guitar is a uniquely visual instrument, and I found that by drawing chord and scale shapes (often in the margins of my school work), not only was I decoding the fretboard, but I had also discovered a way to input the information into my brain that worked for me.

One simple and powerful way to get started with this process is to learn about chord inversions. Learning inversions up and down the neck gives you some anchor points, or “islands” if you will…shapes you can begin to play out of as you write and improvise. They give you more options for playing any particular chord, and they act as great jumping off points for melodic ideas.

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[bernardgehret]

Ok, I'm starting to get the concept of the islands and linking them together!

[VJLasorsa]

Dan I'm a big fan of these intuitive approaches to the guitar...

[ImpliedMusic]

great relaxed presentation of a fundamental idea. super teaching style, thanks.

[cyberprimate]

(Out of topic) Your playing on the Nocaster was great. Surprising warm tone also from a Tele.

[arlotaylor]

Do you have a lesson on your right hand technique. I feel drawn to playing without a pick, but have not run across lessons about it from an electric guitarist perspective.