Unconventional way of visualising the Fretboard

[Jamie89]

Just wondering how people visualise and map out the fretboard when playing. I always struggled with it but then was taught a nice way of mapping out my board by my teacher. Instead of thinking of single notes I visualise the board through triads, such as the much loved D major shape on the G, B and E string. I use this shape all the way up to the 12th fret and use pictures and themes to map it out.

As shown in the following pic my first theme is 'Star Wars' 

Around the D major and E Major triad I imagine the shown pics on the fretboard, the middle note (Root) always being the note which the picture represents, such as E for Ewok.




Carrying on from there I use a 'Things in the living room' theme up to the 12th fret.

I also do this for the next three strings up. Think of the A chord triad shape for these strings. I have a 'Things in the Garden' theme followed by a 'Lord of the Rings theme for these strings. See below.



Once I was au fait with the major triads up to the 12th obviously I could then apply it higher up by repeating.
I then worked on visualising the intervals around the pictures, and then worked on linking the relevent pictures eg, Droids, Dog, Daisy (From super Mario, another theme of mine).

Anyway my point is that its sometimes easier to visualise pictures rather than letters. It might seem stupid but it has really helped me.

[JDC]

I have no idea what the notes I'm playing on a guitar but I know what intervals they are in a scale

For me I found playing the note and saying what it is helped me the most but I'd stick to pentatonics since you only need to add 2 notes to get a 7 note scale

[Jamie89]

I have no idea what the notes I'm playing on a guitar but I know what intervals they are in a scale

For me I found playing the note and saying what it is helped me the most but I'd stick to pentatonics since you only need to add 2 notes to get a 7 note scale

I used to rely on the pentatonic shapes. I always sounded 'rigid', too scale like when improvising over a backing and I couldn't get out of it. I always struggled to target notes which accompany the chord changes as well. The thing I like about the method I am using now is that if a G minor chord is played I instantly know where all my G triads are so I know where all the root, third and fifth notes are. I can then flavour my phrasing with the surrounding interval notes if need be.

[Archlute]

Wtf, man, that sounds like too much work for too little payoff. 

I started out learning the fretboard through Charles Duncan's "Guitar At Sight", which forces you to visualize notes, finger positions, etc without even touching a fretboard half the time.  When I look at the fretboard, I see the actual notes, as would be notated, in my head.  Granted, I've been sightreading since my classical studies over a decade ago, but I'd ditch the pictures and try to memorize actual notes.  It will help you in other areas in the long run.  Get Duncan's book,  it's really good.

[Jamie89]

Wtf, man, that sounds like too much work for too little payoff. 

I started out learning the fretboard through Charles Duncan's "Guitar At Sight", which forces you to visualize notes, finger positions, etc without even touching a fretboard half the time.  When I look at the fretboard, I see the actual notes, as would be notated, in my head.  Granted, I've been sightreading since my classical studies over a decade ago, but I'd ditch the pictures and try to memorize actual notes.  It will help you in other areas in the long run.  Get Duncan's book,  it's really good.

Seeing the frets as notation is a great method, and is practically the same method as mine except a lot more relevent. It might have been a good idea to do it that way but I have no intention of going back to reading notation, so wouldn't really have benefited me as much as my current method. I would have to be 100% comfortable with visualising notes and staves which may have taken some time, where as picturing things that interested me was viable from the start.

Cheers for the recommendation of the book, shall have a look around.

[bucketshred]

I just hit the damn thing and hope for the best.

[CommonCourtesy]

Intervals are a good way to see scales and chords on the fretboard, arpeggios are also good, but I've just learnt to know the notes on every string on the fretboard. That way when I solo I don't stick to one area.

[JimmyMoorby]

As a guitar teacher in terms of this sort of thing I teach people where the notes are and the absolute bare bones of theory.  It's just not the way i've ever worked but each to their own if ever a student really wants to go more in depth I do as much as I can but I make it clear I how I use it or dont.  I don't encourage ignorance by any means though

Admittedly i'd be awful at improvising but it's just not some thing i'd ever really want do either.  I basicially just sit down, work things out and listen to what sounds good to me.

I've made serious attempts at learning theory and applying it and i've just hated it.  Maybe if i'd have learnt it from the start it would be different I dunno......I dont care  though and I don't feel as if i've missed out.

Maybe this is just playing by ear?  Any way probably not very helpful but I always think it's better to just go for it.