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Scales are...

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  • 26-03-2009 10:55pm
    #1
    NoQuarter
    Registered Users Posts: 4,632 ✭✭✭


    why some guitarists have no markings on their fretboard!

    After 7 years ive only just figured this out... I always wondered how the hell they were doing it but now the fret dots are making learning the patterns more difficult because im remembering the patterns around the marks and not the intervals between the notes! grrrrr....

    Discuss...


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    #2
    OK-Cancel-Apply
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,528 ✭✭✭OK-Cancel-Apply


    But there are still dots on the side, aren't there?


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    #3
    NoQuarter
    Registered Users Posts: 4,632 ✭✭✭NoQuarter


    Quite possibly!

    But the point still stands as i for one dont look at them when playing so they may be just there for positioning!


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    #4
    -=al=-
    Registered Users Posts: 4,287 ✭✭✭-=al=-


    i dont think ive ever looked at the fret markings on the fretboard, i only ever used the side dots


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    #5
    OK-Cancel-Apply
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,528 ✭✭✭OK-Cancel-Apply


    Well I think I'd make quite a few mistakes without the side ones!


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    #6
    Malice
    Registered Users Posts: 15,065 ✭✭✭✭Malice


    The last guitar I bought had no fret dots on the neck. I thought it would make things much harder to play but it didn't and now I much prefer the look of a plain neck. Decorations at the 12th fret are still acceptable though :).


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    #7
    Zangetsu
    Registered Users Posts: 1,218 ✭✭✭Zangetsu


    I'd always go for a plain neck myself, dots on the board itself don't seem relevant unless your showing someone else how to play a track...


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    #8
    NoQuarter
    Registered Users Posts: 4,632 ✭✭✭NoQuarter


    yeah im really starting to think a neck with no markings would help learning scales ten fold as i look at the marks on the frets and if ive been playing a scale in one key too long it makes it slightly confusing to change key, especially between the 9th to 15th frets as the interval of the markings change to 3 frets in distance so there is a different patter to the usual pattern of one fret between dots etc!

    Side dots would probably still be necessary as a kind of key indicator as such!

    Im actually amazed some of you dont look at the markings on the fretboard!:eek: They are how i learn any song, i dont think of them as numbers of tabs or whatever anymore but rather i sort of see the route i have to take with my fingers and its like walking down a windey road!!:D


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    #9
    Malice
    Registered Users Posts: 15,065 ✭✭✭✭Malice


    king-stew wrote: »
    Im actually amazed some of you dont look at the markings on the fretboard!:eek:
    Why? I know that when I'm playing I will use the dots on the side of the neck for reference whenever I need to see where I am and I imagine most other players would be the same.


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    #10
    NoQuarter
    Registered Users Posts: 4,632 ✭✭✭NoQuarter


    malice_ wrote: »
    Why? I know that when I'm playing I will use the dots on the side of the neck for reference whenever I need to see where I am and I imagine most other players would be the same.

    Dunno! Maybe i play looking in the mirror too much! :pac:


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    #11
    Malice
    Registered Users Posts: 15,065 ✭✭✭✭Malice


    king-stew wrote: »
    Dunno! Maybe i play looking in the mirror too much! :pac:
    Does that not completed confuse you though? You move your hand left and your reflection moves their hand right! Unless of course you're working on your posing and facial expressions? ;)


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    #12
    OK-Cancel-Apply
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,528 ✭✭✭OK-Cancel-Apply


    Even without any dots I suppose you sort of memorise the fret distances both visually and with muscle memory. Just stick with the scale length you know! I'm used to 25.5 inches, and once I tried an unmarked 24.75 inch neck (except for logo on 12th) and made lots of mistakes.


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