learning notes of fretboard

After about 10 years of playing, I think it's about time I actually learned the notes of the fretboard. I know how to figure out where a note is and all that, but I still have to "count" up to that note from a known note. If I make out a blank template of the fretboard, I can fill out all the notes, but I was just wandering if any of you have any tricks/tips as to how to get the note's positions engraved in my brain? :confused:

There was a program you could down load (PC) called fretboard warrior or something. It was kind of a game that would teach you the notes on the fret board.

try running a search of the posts here or a google search and Im sure you will find it !

Can't say there is any trick, or at least no one told me about it. After 10 years you should be able to have it down by now. It's really about doing over and over, I just know what note is where now and it only took 13 years!!! Here's a tip, you only have to learn from the 1st fret to the 11th. The 12th is the same as the guitar open. But I think you already knew that.

check this old thread out:
http://www.guitartricks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5647&highlight=fretboard+warrior

There is a pattern that makes it easier to learn....2 frets up, 2 strings down...this will get you started.

Here's an example: 6th (low E) string, third fret is a G. Move up to the 5th fret (2 frets up) and move 2 strings down, which would be the 5th fret on the 4th (D) string, this is a G an octave higher....the pattern continues except when your moving from the 4th (D) string to the 2nd (B), then you move 3 frets up....

This doesn't cover everything (like finding the G on the 5th (A) string from the G on the 6th (Low E) string), but it can get you started on finding the patterns.

Just remember, everything in music is mathmatical (sp?) and involves patterns. That's how I learn is by figuring out the patterns. Make a copy of the fretboard and highlight where each G note is. Do the same thing for the remaining 6 whole notes with 6 other copies of the fretboard. Now compare and find the patterns.

I typed that kind of fast, so if anyone finds an error in my listings of notes, please correct me.

I just used the crap out of fretboard warrior and it helped alot. I had the E strings down after a couple of months of playing guitar cuz of how the chords/roots of scales work out. The rest are just kind of a pain but certainly worth learning.

Thanks alot guy's. Yeah, I'm kind of ashamed I don't know more than I do after 10 years :o .

I have heard of Fretboard warrior, but I haven't used it yet. Guess I'll d/l it and give it a shot.

So far, I've made a layout of the fretboard on my computer and printed out a bunch of copies. I'm probably going to try different way's of filling in the blanks, like, finding all of one note at a time.

I actually made myself feel good at band practice last night. We were playing a new song I wrote, and then, out of nowhere, I break off into some lead :eek: . It was nothing fancy or fast, but it fit fairly well. Only thing I don't like, is that I'm the only guitarist, so I'm not all that comfortable with breaking off into some lead work with just the bass and drums. But, I'm defanately improving. So, who knows, I might turn out to be a lead player after all :cool:

Well one way that helps me is by saying the chromatic scale outloud.

u know e f f# g G# etc... all th eway down to the 12th and back up so i say em as flats then. G Gb F E Eb etc..

then i memorise the notes where those white dots fall, and then the notes in between just come easier to remember instantly.

thats the best i can do.

I typically play by ear, but can find the right notes if necessary (or bend the crap out of the string until it sounds like I want it). But I'm not really sure why you'd really need to know the notes on the fretboard unless you were writing a song, even then you'd have time to sit down and think it out. But, seeing as how I'm still learning all of this, I'm going to ask what the point of it is. Right now. Why should I learn the notes of the fretboard and how exactly will it help me?

Well i learn them cus i dont learn patterns.. i remember the scale pattern but would like to know what im doing cus of the notes im playing..

They'd be handy to know if you ever planned on reading music (without the tabs, just the notes).