Tips on learning notes

[Monkeychild]

So, how did all of you learn to memorise the notes on a guitar?

I've finally decided to start learning and memorising scales after years of avoiding them.

Thing is when you look at it, although quite straight forward with the shapes, to use them I'm going to have to know how to find specific notes quickly, surely?

I'm learning all the Cmajor shapes and seeing the relationship to each other mode, which is fine when I'm doing first position of D dorian and first position of E Phrygian etc.

But if I wanted to or had to use A Dorian for example, i'd need to know where the shapes would sit and where to play each position. You might say 'it's just x frets behind or infront' but learning, i'm learning more from the fret numbers and I get easily confused when I'm playing 5-7-8 to then know I have to play the same pattern so many frets back, and do it for 6 strings.

 

Also knowing the notes will naturally help me know what chords to use rather than having to sit there ensuring I'm using the correct shape first, and then going through each new note that's outside of the safety of Cmajor.

 

So any tips?

[Russell_A]

So any tips?

 

Get a fret map. A tuner will help identify what note a fretted note is.

 

Also.

 

Is a new thread necessary when there's a "quick questions thread"?

[james90]

So, how did all of you learn to memorise the notes on a guitar?

 

Lots of practice.

 

But I think I had a good idea of where the notes were even before I started learning scales, modes, etc.

 

Still, that was from a good few years of playing.

 

 

I've finally decided to start learning and memorising scales after years of avoiding them.

Thing is when you look at it, although quite straight forward with the shapes, to use them I'm going to have to know how to find specific notes quickly, surely?

 

I suppose so.

 

 

I'm learning all the Cmajor shapes and seeing the relationship to each other mode, which is fine when I'm doing first position of D dorian and first position of E Phrygian etc.

 

So are you able to play all seven modes in C major? or are you just having trouble knowing where the notes are on the neck OUTSIDE of where you play the modes?

 

 

But if I wanted to or had to use A Dorian for example, i'd need to know where the shapes would sit and where to play each position.

 

Learn the modes in G major then.

 

I know them in both G major and C major, but after learning them properly, I never found it much of an issue to play in a different key or anything.

 

You might say 'it's just x frets behind or infront' but learning, i'm learning more from the fret numbers and I get easily confused when I'm playing 5-7-8 to then know I have to play the same pattern so many frets back, and do it for 6 strings.

 

It's more confusing than that....I think...If I said play D dorian, you'd probably play it starting on the 5th string on the 5th fret.

 

But if I said play A dorian, and you played the EXACT same shape starting on the 6th string 5th fret....something wouldn't sound right....

 

 

Also knowing the notes will naturally help me know what chords to use rather than having to sit there ensuring I'm using the correct shape first, and then going through each new note that's outside of the safety of Cmajor.

 

So any tips?

 

Practice.

[matthijs]

learning scales in every position and knowing what's in those scales helped a lot for me

[Monkeychild]

Lots of practice.

1.So are you able to play all seven modes in C major? or are you just having trouble knowing where the notes are on the neck OUTSIDE of where you play the modes?

 

2.It's more confusing than that....I think...If I said play D dorian, you'd probably play it starting on the 5th string on the 5th fret.

But if I said play A dorian, and you played the EXACT same shape starting on the 6th string 5th fret....something wouldn't sound right....

 

Ok,

Yeah I can play all 7 modes.. but my problem is I've learnt the shape, so i know it'll be 578 on one string, then maybe 578 on the next etc. but I've not really learnt the notes I'm playing, so without doing that I will never really know why i'm playing THAT shape in THAT position, and then how to play it elsewhere to relate to a different scale.

I also feel just knowing the shape wont help me improvise outside of them that easily..I roughly know where and what the notes are on the neck but most of the time it involves a bit of thinking and working out.

I'm using the shapes from books that involve every note on all strings.. so if i play D Dorian, running a scale I'd start from the low E.

Where I get confused is some of them don't have the root note anywhere until string 3 or 4.. this is where again, knowing what notes I'm to play would be more helpful than just knowing the shapes.

1st position of all scales are easy because they all seem to start with the root note. So it's pretty simple to work out with the whole WWHWWWH thing.

But like i said, when you get to 3rd positon and find the root note isn't being played until you get to the D string it becomes a lot harder to work out because you might start on A on the low E and think 'so is it a half or whole step now?'

 

This is a bit long and might not come across right. I'm hoping I've explained it in an ok way

[Russell_A]

Chromatic tuner with display and a whole lot of patience?

[Jyrgen]

Take a piece of paper, draw a fretboard, write out the notes

[Larry.]

Pick the scale, see the notes.

 

http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/guitar_scales.php

[OneWhoGoes]

http://www.youtube.com/user/creativeguitarstudio

 

That guy has all the info you need.

[cheddatom]

I've forgotten all my theory. My only advice is to try and improvise along to anything. I used to play along to the TV while my brothers watched. It's challenging as you have no idea where to start from, and obviously with adverts etc you have key changes for 5 seconds etc. I really think this helped me know where everything is.

 

It's not as though if someone said "play the D Dorian mode" i'd be able to play it, but if they started playing in that mode, i'd be able to play along.