How to get student to learn the fretboard

[DougD]

Hey Doug,

what I do sometimes to get my students to stop thinking of "Rootville" is first break the tune down into arpeggios, then I tell the student for an exercise is to know where the roots are in time, but you cannot play the root, you must play only thirds and fifths and sevenths first, then you can add the root as a passing tone. so base some patterns built off of the root without trying to always start on the root--see the patterns around the root. this system is what a lot of good melody players do because always starting on the root can sound trite and amateurish especially in a solo. once he is comfortable with the arpeggios, then you can fill in with scales and pentatonics based off the root and the fifth of the chord is really cool too.

Good idea.Thanks for that

 

[DougD]

Back in my guitar days my instructor told me he did not care if I hit a bad note - if I corrected it.

It was when I did not correct it - that was when he corrected me. Yep a good note is one fret away from a bad one.

When gigging, if I hit a bad note I'll sometimes do it on purpose again (depending on how bad it was) and make a statement out of it like Yea, I meant to do that and I'll do it again see If you do that, the audience will think it's part of the song As long as your band mates don't give you the evil eye and give it away, it ok