Theory and fretboard knowledge

trumbology

Hi all,

I stumbled onto Roger Blumberg's "cipher" system when Rod ("Cuimean") posted a link to the site in the accordion forum. It looks interesting; I'd like to know if anyone's used it to further their study.

Briefly, Blumberg has you think about scale degrees in terms of the numbers 1-12, rather than in terms of 1-8 with accidentals helping to name the non-diatonic notes. Go here to see it: http://www.thecipher.com/3_minute_intro.html

I'm pretty comfortable thinking about scale tones using the normal, diatonic nomenclature ("flat seventh" "fourth" "major third interval" "minor second interval" etc.). I'm not inclined to start thinking in a foreign schema about this stuff, which I understand intellectually just fine.

But I don't know instantaneously the name (or names) of every note on the fretboard--I still have to grind some mental gears, though I'm improving (and then sometimes regressing)

Anyway, even though there is a lot of guitar-specific music theory on the web, I thought I'd initiate a discussion here. There are some other very good tips for fretboard memorization and understanding out there, including of course the CAGED system.

The simple diagram below from Blumberg's site seems useful to me. It's an example of something I've only partly internalized, that is, learning to link up my "boxes" of positions (CAGED system). Starting with unisons/octaves only seems like it might help.

Jack

To some degree I think what system works best for any one person is dependent on what they're looking to do with it, but Dennis went over a good concept at his workshop. Broadly, the idea is that you should figure out every way to play one basic chord (we were just using triads) all over the neck. The big difference was that we were only using the top four strings. Eliminating the two bass strings really forces you out of relying on the more traditional voicings, and makes it easier to see how things link up. Hopefully Dennis will elucidate...

Best,
Jack.

trumbology

Jack wrote:

To some degree I think what system works best for any one person is dependent on what they're looking to do with it

That's certainly true.

Those simple major and minor triads on the top four strings sure do crop up a lot in all kinds of guitar playing. As a beginner I was so worried about understanding other stuff that I overlooked triads -- for years. Triads didn't seem very useful.

Certainly lots of beginners focus on big, strummable chords, and then maybe on pentatonic licks as they venture beyond. (Unless they are following Heavy Metal's siren song, in which case I guess they start with lots of crunchy riffs and power chords.)

I think it was while figuring out some surf-y guitar licks that the triads lightbulb went off with me.

Adding other little three-note voicings found on the top strings (like the "D7" shape where the root is omitted, etc.) helps complete the picture.



Writing stuff out on paper also helps; I've just been doing it now.

Attached is a blank fretboard diagram with the frets more or less to scale. I find the not-to-scale (meaning all boxes equal size, like in the image I posted above) fretboard diagram a little annoying, but I'm probably just anal-retentive.

It's deliberately placed off-center in the .gif so that when printed (use a program MS Photo Editor with a "fit to page" option if you want it full sized), the images on front and back of the paper don't overlap (if ink bleeds through, you don't have spots on your reverse side image).