Viewing the Fingerboard: Patterns vs Notes

[phillipkregg]

There are ways of looking at the fretboard in terms of patterns and positions - like tetrachords.

But when I'm playing in an "easy" key like C Major or G Major, I've noticed that I don't think about positions or patterns - I think about actual notes. And I kind of like that - it feels like I'm not constrained by patterns.

I'm just curious, does any one else here have that same experience, or do you find patterns to be more liberating?

 

[Raynier]

I do this When I'm playing in a strange Key like F#m that's not really used that often I regress to playing Patterns. But when Im playing in C, G, or D I find myself thinking more notes then Patterns

 

[jmbjandfam]

I always think of notes

 

[MalcolmAmos]

I think in scale degrees.

Because I play from fake chord - see a chord name, say Cm7 - relate that to scale degrees (R-b3-5-b7) and then look to the pattern to find those intervals and play as many of them as I think are needed.

Not advocating that, just what I do.

 

[Russell L]

I do both for different reasons, depending on the context. But, I think patterns are a great tool. But also, you have to know what the notes are anyway to know what the root is.

 

[mtb777]

Mostly patterns for me and a lot of those relate the the Key, depending on the complexity of the song and the chords involved. I almost always work off of song sheets with chord names called and no real charts. We usually add our road map to modified Ultimate-Guitar.com type charts that I add slash chord notes to for the keys and guitars to know where I might be.

 

[JimmyM]

There are ways of looking at the fretboard in terms of patterns and positions - like tetrachords.

But when I'm playing in an "easy" key like C Major or G Major, I've noticed that I don't think about positions or patterns - I think about actual notes. And I kind of like that - it feels like I'm not constrained by patterns.

That's exactly how you should feel!

I'm just curious, does any one else here have that same experience, or do you find patterns to be more liberating?

Patterns will end up tripping you up. You'll be playing something, and you'll get taken out of your pattern and won't know how to get back into it. The sooner you can internalize the notes, the better off you'll be.

 

[mambo4]

I think in intervals, scale degrees and relative chord tones. Not "C E G Bb" but "1 3 5 b7."
That said, If you ask I can pretty quickly identify the note by name.

If I'm thinking at all, that is.
I Know the material my band plays well enough that I've moved on to listening and feeling.

 

[teleharmonium]

I think most players start off thinking in patterns, and then move to note names, and then move to intervals/sounds, and then to the whole part they are playing as a sound (rather than thinking of the individual elements), and then they no longer consciously think about it at all, as general tendencies. This makes perfect sense considering how we build up powerful neural pathways in our brains over time.

Sometimes we revert back to an earlier stage temporarily in response to a problem or if we're having an off day or moment.

 

[stratovani]

I think most players start off thinking in patterns, and then move to note names, and then move to intervals/sounds, and then to the whole part they are playing as a sound (rather than thinking of the individual elements), and then they no longer consciously think about it at all, as general tendencies. This makes perfect sense considering how we build up powerful neural pathways in our brains over time.

Sometimes we revert back to an earlier stage temporarily in response to a problem or if we're having an off day or moment.

This is true in my case. I've only been playing bass since 2007, and I find it easier to think in terms of patterns on the fretboard. I've developed an "arsenal" of patterns that work well for what I play, and I'm adding to it all the time. But I can see the day when I'll have to come up with original patterns, then I'll probably have to move to the note name and interval/sound stage of my development. Don't know when that day will come though!

 

[stingraysvt]

In church I play on the 80/20 rule, I'll know what note/key I'm working with but I really need to know the pattern for most songs we play because we have three singers and depending on which one is singing song XYZ that day we could easily have 5 different keys we'll play it in.

We'll even show up playing something in B forever and the singer will want us to perform it in C on the spot. This is when I'll think more about my patterns than what note is next, although I'll find myself thinking notes here and there so I can quickly hit an open "fundamental note" or work my way up the neck

I really try to think notes since I've exhausted the patterns, I've hit that musical plateau and wish that note names were as second nature to me as patterns.

What's really good IMO is to play those patterns and associate them with a number 1,3,5 and a note G,B,D

With Patterns you can be a great player, with Notes you'll be a phenomenal player.

 

[JimmyM]

What's really good IMO is to play those patterns and associate them with a number 1,3,5 and a note G,C,D

G, B, D

Well it takes practice and application to internalize the notes. You've done alright with patterns so maybe there's not as much impetus for you to internalize the notes. But you are absolutely correct that internalizing is the way to go.

 

[stingraysvt]

G, B, D

Well it takes practice and application to internalize the notes. You've done alright with patterns so maybe there's not as much impetus for you to internalize the notes. But you are absolutely correct that internalizing is the way to go.

Lol! Smokin crack I guess, anyways I think there are certain applications where knowing each direction will serve you best, and thankfully, I don't have to rely on any of them whole-heartedly otherwise I'd be playing a C instead of a B.

But all the best players I've seen KNOW all the notes up and down the fretboard and they play them effortlessly