how do you view the fretboard?

[Roscoe East]

I see dead people.












Actually,

Originally Posted by ics1974

Do you see box shapes, note names, intervals, scales etc.?

All of the above. I primarily tend to think about intervals when "looking/thinking ahead", but it's almost impossible for me not to know the note name of anything I play.

[Nev375]

Colors.

A is white
B is yellow
C is orange
D is red
E is blue
F is green
G is brown

I have no idea why.

[alfoders]

I've only been playing since Thanksgiving and ain't the callouses cool? But seriously, I'm starting to see less of a maze and more of the patterns on the fretboard.

The patterns definitely get clearer the more I practice the same scales at different locations on the neck.

I sometimes get bored practicing scales, but when I see how my teacher does perfect scales, anywhere on the neck, seemingly on "autopilot", I realize that I just have to keep at it!

Practice makes perfect (so I've heard)! Keep it up, dude, the patterns WILL come to you!

Al in Orlando

Originally Posted by KarlK

Well, this thread pushed me to register just so I could reply.

I see the fretboard as a maze. Of course, I've only been trying to navigate it since Christmas! I'm hoping that over time that perspective on the fretboard will change. It's been a blast so far, and I'm finding myself smiling when I notice the callouses that have already formed on the fingers of my left hand. Think I may be getting hooked.

[Boot Soul]

I think of shapes/patterns. I find the root (even if I don't play that note) and then just reach for the shape (of the interval) I want. Doesn't matter where on the fingerboard, or the key, the shapes are always the same, of course. (Easier than piano, where those shapes change with key.) I can tell you any note I play, but I never think of the note first, unless it's the root.

Pretty easy to see I'm self taught! Ha. But I must give great thanks to my childhood piano teacher, and to my wonderful Mom who pushed me to learn some classical music, between the Canned Heat, Credence, Who, Kinks, and Rolling records that blared from my bedroom. I also had some music on those modern, new-fangled cassette tapes too!

[73maverick]

Originally Posted by Nev375

Colors.

A is white
B is yellow
C is orange
D is red
E is blue
F is green
G is brown

I have no idea why.

Synesthesia ... cool.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia

[chadgrimes]

ics1974 YOUR POST IS EXACTLY CORRECT. That is how you are suppose to read and play music. AROUND THE CHORD PROGRESSION. What you stated is exactly how the greats see it. Scales are UNimportant because it doesnt tell u the interval relationship to the CHORD above each measure and that is EVERYTHING! A C note over a C chord is the ROOT but over an F chord its the 5th. This is why one should see the CHORDAL TONES and the non chords around the chord outlines. Even Carol Kaye states it in this video. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9idtdWAAEA

[redwookie]

Roots, chord shapes, and boxes when I'm feeling bored. I like to play counterpoint when the song allows and will experiment with intervals by ear so I'm currently GASing for an unlined fretless : )

Like the OP mentioned, certain coloring chord notes are good to focus on. For instance, in my case, I've really been into punching a flattened third on certain country songs so I try to visualize their locations in a geometrically plotted context (think x and y-axis) as opposed to a scale or boxed location. Always an interesting topic really. And taking upright lessons has really pushed this to my foreground lately.

[BullHorn]

Originally Posted by Nev375

Colors.

A is white
B is yellow
C is orange
D is red
E is blue
F is green
G is brown

I have no idea why.

That's awesome.

I see the fretboard as a huge maze, I have no idea what I'm doing.

[Alard]

mighty fine music.