A Better Way To Learn Notes On The Guitar Fretboard

One problem with trying to memorize the note names all over the guitar fretboard is that it takes a long time to learn it all. But there’s a far bigger problem ... even once you eventually learn all the note names everyone on the guitar neck, you’re still not done understanding what those notes actually mean, what they will sound like and (most importantly) how each note will FEEL in any given key, over any given chord or musical context.

Think about this: if you know how to find an F note on the fingerboard, that’s nice, but what will it sound and feel like? What emotion does it produce? You cannot know simply by identifying its name. You need to know what key the note is currently in, what scale or mode is being used, what chord is currently being played, etc.

But it gets worse ... because once we change keys, modes or chords, the same F note will produce a completely different emotion. That means you have to start all over again in understanding what the F note “means” (emotionally) and how its functioning over the chord, mode and key.

That means you’ve got a LOT more to memorize.

Fortunately, there is a MUCH better way to learn the notes all over the guitar fingerboard so that you can reduce the amount of time needed to learn and master this by more than 90%!

In this video, I’ll show you a better way to learn notes all over the guitar!

So, grab your guitar, and let’s have some fun!

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What To Watch Next:

The Best Way To Learn The Notes On The Guitar Fretboard

How To MEMORIZE Your Guitar FRETBOARD: The No-Nonsense Exercise That Actually Works

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[lawrencetaylor]

I am not a musician, but took up the piano after 65 yoa. And I've been geeking out on music theory, and my piano teacher is encouraging me to continue. I've been learning the fretboard, and decided to just stick in the G scale until it's solid. And yes, I use numbers (but there are letters associated) and have been seeing the patterns in relation to the root note. Just for fun, I've been taking it around. Yes, you have discovered the secret to music. Merci.

[timnotbrianmay]

Absolutely! Interval relationships are absolutely key and

[TXY]

Could you please show us what do the A, G, C, F keys and other mean? Thank you. What men's A, C, F and other pentatonics. Please show it on the Guitar Frett. Thank you

[EvaluateAssimilate]

Great stuff, man. I think this is why most find it difficult to improvise. They may know where notes are and how to easily navigate the fretboard, but the lack of relationship between them leaves them lost when riding the wave, so to speak.

Thanks as always. My very best to you 🤘

[russ]

I loved the information you provided recently with Simon Candy.I did not realize you had a YT channel but will be subscribing and checking out your videos. Thank you for sharing!

[TheGearPeddler]

Thank you Tom this is a terrific lesson.

[mlambrechts]

In my mind I'm always playing in C (major, minor or variations); so it does not matter if the actual key is different; I'm just shifting my hand to a different position, let my muscle memory do the patterns, and (in my head) sing the melody that I want to play 🙂

[BrianVallotton]

I really enjoyed your presentation Tom. Beautifully put together and it makes sense.

[jacebastian]

This is GREAT stuff! Thanks for sharing!

[Reach]

I can see this is powerful, but it is hard for me to follow without diagrams or charts.

[travisark]

I am making the chart right now, and im just a little confused. When I use A Major as the framework I notice when I get to C Sharp, or the 3rd in a major scale, the 2nd isnt the same 2nd in a c sharp minor scale. I understand that its not the minor scale im working with, and you made a little note in the vidio mentioning that these arent the intervals of distance but of sound, is that the answer to my question? Thanks for the information and video!

[edzachery]

Hey Tom, I’m just starting to learn where all the notes are on the fretboard so I am very new to the guitar

Shouldn’t I learn some structure of the relationship between notes and chords, etc. before I jump into this advanced technique ?

You’re saying, I should be searching for emotions all over the fretboard instead of notes and chords ?

[Sitiben]

Hi Tom, great video as usual. Do you have resources on YouTube or anywhere else where I can learn more about the functions as you describe it so I can learn more about the function/feeling relationship? Thank you, Tom

[-Dominique]

That's it we humans have the capacity to hear music even thou not taught, God has done that, musicians name the things we call 🎵

[TmanWdaPlan]

Hi Tom. Probably a dumb question, but what do you mean write the scale out? Do you draw the pattern on a guitar sheet (something that looks like the strings of the guitar), then draw it over and over again circling the Root, 9th, m3, M3, 4th, T, 5th, m6, M6, m7, M7 (But only the 7 applicable one for the key), with respect to the 1 chord? Then you do this again for all 7 chords? Therefore, you write out 7x7 scales in one position for one key (49 scales). Then you do the same thing for the other 7 modes. (49x7=342 scales). Then you do this for all modes at all 7 finger positions (343x7 = 2, 401 scales). Then you will need to do this multiple times to ingrain it. I'm not complaining, I'll do it. But, I want to make sure I don't accidentally head down a huge workload path if I don't fully understand the instructions.

[tgstk]

First!! i just tried/ retried to learn all of them again. first i know them on the low E... but tuned a half step down is making it such a shitshow.

[jayconnors]

That's a great lesson...I'm gonna be listening to that over and ova!

[jamesfetcho]

I never understood why its so hard to know where the notes are????🤷‍♂️

[maJastoL]

Don't I still need to know the notes to know where all the roots are?

[BriggSimeon]

Wonderful, thanks for sharing. ❤ That