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Fretboard Wizard
For those that have gone through or are using Fretboard wizard, should I be doing it along with the Daily challenges? I have NEVER picked up a guitar before (62 session total) or should I have a better understanding of the TAC course before subscribing to Fretboard Wizard?
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14 Replies
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Personally I would wait until I had developed some guitar technique an could smoothly complete chord changes and had some fundamental skills in Barre chords. I would purchase the “No Bull” guitar fretboard 1st of 3 books and get a fundamental knowledge of the fret board so I wouldn’t feel lost if i decided to take the course.
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Thanks for your input on this. I have held off buying FW feeling I wanted to be a mechanically more sound player and like you say, not be struggling to transition between chords. I also thought it might be a distraction at this point in my journey, like I would have to divide my available guitar time between Challenges and FW. I didn’t see the point in doing this, even though it’s a one time purchase and good forever. I have been getting better mechanically speaking, might pull the lever for FW the next time it goes on special if at that time I believe I am technically a sound enough player. I have been getting some pointers from my son in law, who has a masters degree in music and leads the music team at our church. Hoping to turn that into a regular occurrence, i.e.: private guitar lessons.
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Jorge and Pete–
My simple opinion (and what I remember of it– it’s probably been a year or so since I went thru it last)- is that Fretboard Wizard isn’t so much about PLAYING- (guitar-“exercises”, etc)….. it’s more about LEARNING different/various “other-things-guitar”. It’s not so much a one-or-the-other thing…… the two-things are separate, but of course, related). Thing is- (my opinion again)- is that you can certainly do BOTH the regular TAC exercises AND Fretboard Wizard……… at the same time……….
Just do not get in ANY kind of “rush” about hurrying thru FBW if you’re not fully “getting-it”. Better to be slow and have a clear understanding AS YOU GO.
Out of the blue, you’ll start to “see things” and how they go together, and it will be lightbulb moments all over the place.
Go for it.
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“No Bull Music Theory for Guitarists, check it out 1st.
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Absolutely agree! There is a “series” of these “No Bull” books. I have three of them…… All good.
Like FBW….. they aren’t so much about “guitar-exercises”, etc,…… more about thinking guitar.
BOTH are great stuff.
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This reply was modified 5 months ago by the-old-coach.
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The books are great – and the context is easy to understand. Even including a little test at the end of each chapter. And instructions to play some chords or other bits in order to better understand what is taught in the chapters.
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This reply was modified 5 months ago by
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@the-old-coach @Kristin1 @jorgemac
About the “No Bull Music Theory for Guitarists”. Do you think a Kindle version would be helpful? I have a nice reader (Kindle Scribe). I know real printed books are always preferable as resources, but $26.99 vs $48 for paperback or $58 for spiral-bound.
On second thought, I don’t even know which volume to get, I think this is pricing for the full series (3 volumes), might be overload for me.
Ugh…on third thought there are a lot more books than I thought, I just ordered 2 of them, hope they’re helpful:
No Bull Music Theory for Guitarists: Master the Essential Knowledge all Guitarists Need to Know (with downloadable audio lessons)
Music Theory for Guitarists, Volume 3: Guitar Theory and Fretboard Concepts to Help Intermediate to Advanced Players Master Scales, Modes and Chord Progressions
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Hello @petelanger,I would only buy the first part/book (Paperback or kindle reader). In case you don´t know much theory allready, it is definitly enough for the beginning. A lot of topics are covered. The context needs time to sink in. Several Chapters might need to be read several times in order to understand everything completely and to transfer from shorttime memory to longtime memory. And you need time to lookout for the concepts and try those concepts in “reel musican life”.
If you decide sometime next year to continue further it might be a good idea NOT to skip the second part/book. I guess that the knowledge will be needed to fully understand the third part/book.
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Thanks Kristin! Switching topics, what are your thoughts about German drummer Anika Nilles joining Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson on tour to play Rush’s catalog? It’s a pretty amazing turn of events. Rush fans are ecstatic.
I wouldn’t go to the show myself, concert tickets are too crazy expensive and for me the guys are already so old. Same reason I wouldn’t attend the Rolling Stones or another band from that era. Although my daughter recently went to see Paul McCartney and said it was a terrific show. But she also ponied up for Taylor Swift. Kids nowadays have no experience attending a show for around $10 back in the day.
Some artists have long past their prime, particularly vocally, and shouldn’t be performing anymore. David Lee Roth, you might be one of them.
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Pete–
Being “old-school”, I find the written versions to be the best. I have three- Vol 1, Vol 2, and the Circle of Fifths. All separate paperback books. They’re ~$15 each via Amazon- (free shipping w/Prime).
Not knowing “where you are” in your guitar-journey, I might suggest just getting Volume 1 for now (~$15), just to see where you “land”. Note– the little “self-quizzes” at the end of each chapter are very helpful…. James Shipway has a very “light” manner in his teaching-style. He keeps it fun, while still pushing you a bit.
Lastly, I REALLY like to have the printed version. It allows me to scribble-down notes, comments, and/or questions at the top and bottom of the page, let’s me book-mark to where I left off, and probably most importantly, it lets me easily highlight any sticky points or issue that I need to go back to— (and there WILL be some). I also put the little earmark-tab things on whatever pages to instantly find and go to things I want to go BACK to.
(Side-note(s)—- Vol 2 is “tougher”- (but maybe more rewarding— because of that). In many cases, the Chapters “build upon the previous one”.
The Circle of Fifths book is quite informative for about the first half of it or so, then maybe a little repetitive(?). But…. the first half alone is waaay worth the $15 or so. Even if you don’t buy this particular book—- LEARN the Circle of Fifths if you don’t already know what it is and what it can REALLY do for you.
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This reply was modified 5 months ago by the-old-coach.
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This reply was modified 5 months ago by the-old-coach.
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Thanks for your response, Coach! Insightful as always!
I ordered a couple of the books in Kindle form and have started reading the first one. My Kindle allows me to add notes, I have the Scribe version. But I agree, real paper is better.I have studied the circle of fifths, but it’s such a huge topic, it’s something I’ll be revisiting for years to come. At the time of reading I was able to absorb about 10%, because even grasping the concepts doesn’t mean you have internalized it. I know that it has significance on multiple levels, but it’s not that helpful if you don’t have a good command of intervals yet.
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Petelanger says– “I have studied the circle of fifths, but it’s such a huge topic, it’s something I’ll be revisiting for years to come. At the time of reading I was able to absorb about 10%, because even grasping the concepts doesn’t mean you have internalized it. I know that it has significance on multiple levels, but it’s not that helpful if you don’t have a good command of intervals yet“.
Well, I think your response here- is by far the more-insightful one! Some say, however to be careful not to overthink it. It’s just a tool that allows you to easily see “what goes with what”- and the order (and/or “number”) the notes and/chords are in, in their respective families/groups/uses, and relative to each other….
I have a hand-drawn, “dual-circle”- (shows major and minor), taped to the top of my desk, and rely on it heavily when I’m writing songs or tinkering with chord progressions.
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This reply was modified 5 months ago by the-old-coach.
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This reply was modified 5 months ago by
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Thank you all for the thoughtful responses!!!
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I took fretboard wizard right after starting the guitar. I had never picked up a guitar in my life. I’m going to sound like I’m a walking contradiction here. I was overwhelmed in some areas, but I enjoyed it and I learned a lot. I didn’t know how to apply it necessarily at the beginning, but what was kind of cool was over the next year all of a sudden things just started clicking in my head and things began to make sense. I call those, aha moments, or moments of clarity. It will happen with anything you go to learn. If you’re not familiar with something, learning something new may not make a lot of sense initially, but you will understand it as you move forward.
I don’t see an issue with taking it early, necessarily, because of my experience with it and I think if you’re like me, you will have the knowledge in the back of your head and then all of a sudden you’ll run across something or have a lesson for like the fifth time and then all of a sudden, you’re like oh my gosh, I get it. So that’s my two cents.
Oh, you own it for life so if you purchase it now and go through it, it’s OK. You can go through it again and again and again each time you can pick up something new from it even if you leave TAC, you own the program, you can come back here anytime and simply click on it, even if you’re not a paying member
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