Am I just to dumb for this?

[Michael-K73]

HIyas Gord 🙂 Have you been printing out or at least looking at the TAB sheets too as Tony explains things? That’s a huge help.

🙂

-M

[Loraine]

You’re definitely not too dumb for this @Gord001 . It’s a process and nothing comes naturally to me either. It takes effort and lots of practice. I still have to think about the strings, fingers and frets after 8+ months, but I can say it has gotten better over time. I believe it’s a process. The frets have finally sunk in, because I rely on the markers on the side of the neck of the guitar for frets 3, 5, 7, 9, 12. The strings are getting easier – I only have to really think about then G and B now. Fingers and numbering still confuse me, because ai always want to count the thumb. Bottom line, just hang in there and keep trying.

[Carol-3M-Stillhand]

Hi @Gord001, and welcome to the TAC community!! It’s great that you are working through your carpal tunnel recovery and keeping at your guitar lessons faithfully!!

All I can offer is an assurance that NO you are NOT just too dumb for this… Everybody learns things in their own way and in their own time. I’ve been playing for almost 7 years and I STILL count the names of the strings when someone is trying to teach me something. And I use the same Eddy Ate Dynamite Good Bye Eddy, hahaha. You see, I don’t play “notes” in my mind, I play shapes and positions. So if someone tells me to play a note I have to stop and figure it out. Or play a b string… I need to say the Eddy thing… But if you show me a TAB/music, my brain can say, Oh, I need my finger to fret the 3rd fret on the 2nd string… who cares what note it is….

So I am agreeing with Michael, that you may need to write things out in a way that your brain and your fingers can more easily decipher it, so that you are able to move past the frustration and get to the fun part of playing some music 🙂

[jumpinjeff]

Hi @Gord001 , True confessions: I have been at this solidly and faithfully for coming up on six years and I still get lost on the E A D strings. I have the GBE strings nailed down, so much so that I am playing intuitively on them 70% of the time but I still get lost and crash and burn. The good news, the recovery is so much faster now and I have been told by loved ones they can’t tell. I have very little musical aptitude (naturally) so for me it has been repetition, repetition, repetition. I like @Michael-K73 ‘s idea of using the tab sheets but I never figured that out either so I got stuck with the only thing that worked for me, repetition over time. I initially balked at the idea and became frustrated by the time element but I learned to let go of that and focus on the joy of the sound and the touch of the strings and that has led me to becoming the player I have always wanted to be. Don’t give up, find the joy in the ride.

[dr_dave]

“Don’t give up, find the joy in the ride.”

As usual, @jumpin’jeff nailed it. That’s what what he does. Keep on loving the guitar. In time, the guitar will give it back many times over.

[Alfred]

I opposite @jumpinjeff on this one. I am good on the DAEe Strings and slow on the G and B strings. But if you are one like me that works better when I understand what is going on more than just memorization, I would suggest taking the Fretboard Wizard course. The basic theory it covers is laid out in a really understandable way. It could be worth looking at even if you feel really new. In my opinion Day 1 would be a good time to start learning that stuff.

[Bill_Brown]

Hi @Gord001 , I just wanted to say that I agree with everything being said by everyone! I also still have to do the “Eddie thing” in my mind when trying to follow verbal instructions about positioning on the fretboard. I like to do the “picture-in-picture” thing while looking at the TAB so I can see how Tony does things while at the same time I can see the music. No, I can’t read music but I can read a guitar tab! Also, I second @Alfred ‘s suggestion about the Fretboard Wizard course, if you haven’t taken it yet, I strongly suggest that you seriously consider doing so. It was a game changer for me and I’m confident that it would benefit you. It may be the “secret” that you feel you’re missing! 🤩

[Gord001]

I registered for the 30 day challenge and the Fret board course. I have been going through both and just this week went and restarted the Fret Board Course. I have little notes and pictures all over. It helps but still not there. Thanks for all the encouragement. Glad to know it is a process and I have to keep at it. I have been a singer all my life and thought this would come more naturally.

[Michael_D]

I, like @jumpinjeff, have been at this for six years. I still get lost, but the lost sound better than when I first started. Time, patience, and enjoying the ride. My playing is drastically better than when I started. Just keep working systematically through Tony’s material, enjoy the ride, and celebrate all of the small wins. Always remember, you are taking wood and wire and making it sing. String three good notes together and celebrate. Every small win counts.

[Christina]

Ditto to everything everyone has said above. And I absolutely love your avatar!

👍

[Gord001]

That’s my plane my second love.

[bobpatt01]

Say the string names (E,A,etc) as you tune each one. Also you could add a little straight picking and alternate picking of the strings to your TAC lessons and say the string names as you pluck each one. This will help you internalize the string names so you can directly go to them when you hear them. The marks on the side can help you find the fret numbers quicker.

[Gord001]

Thanks for the encouragement.

[punder]

Gord001, if you are a pilot, you’ve had to learn, remember, and act on a lot of difficult things, many of which depend on simple boring memorization. I suggest approaching the guitar with the same mindset you used to get and maintain your ppl.

Seriously, if you learned to decode an old-school metar, you most definitely can learn the fretboard. 😆

Take the Fretboard Wizard course. Other than the daily drill, it is the flagship product of this site, imho. Also, look at Ricky Comiskey on YouTube. He has some excellent shortcuts for learning the notes.

[Gord001]

Yes but been flying for over 30 years it is second nature now. I learned that when I was younger. O will keep at it.

[punder]

Here is another good one, ignore the clickbaity title. Simple and straightforward, I’m going to try it. (But I have a feeling it will take multiple methods to finally nail the notes.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppM7UaSJ_JQ&list=PL9woy2mDmsBl0Vmnrg8F0pZFDVwi44ZcZ&index=8

If the link doesn’t work, YouTube samjamguitar, <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; -webkit-text-size-adjust: 100%;”><yt-formatted-string force-default-style=”” enable-empty-style-class=””>Memorize The Guitar Fretboard In 5 Minutes</yt-formatted-string>

Also, for the open strings, I just remember “eed gah-bee” (EADGBE), it’s shorter!

[Gord001]

That’s great information. Thanks

[AttyTJ]

@Gord001 , since you asked a great question, please know, deep down inside your mind, you are starting to get this.

@Tony talks about strings as 1 (the high E) to 6 (the low E), or by open string low tone (E,A,D,G,B,E). This is standard tuning, and he talks about both as some people can’t get the notes in their minds, and some cannot get the numbers in their minds. (Or learned one way or the other in previous guitar learning.) Pick one. Either, if it is the way you think about it consistently, will lead to more comprehension.

Frets and numbers are the routine way to teach it. The 2nd fret of a string (pick one) is always the same sound. If you are learning to read standard music notation, there will be a note attached to each of the 72 fret positions on a 12 fret to the body guitar. I did that once as a youth with a cello (no frets), but have never even tried with the guitar. Do you need to know those notes to learn? No. Does it help? Some people, but it is a lot to keep in my mind, so I don’t have them memorized, and rarely try to read standard notation.

However, as @Carol-3M-Stillhand mentioned, a lot of people work with Chord Shapes. So, an “E” chord is 1st Fret on the 3(G) string [a G#), 2nd fret on the 4(D) string [an E] and 2nd fret on the 5(A) string [a B]. That shape is always the same, and with a Barre Chord or Capo, becomes a new sound up the Fretboard, but it is still the “E” Shape. (@Tony has a Barre Chords lesson group in the “Skills” to get practice with that.)

Again, if you are inclined to want the notes instead of fret numbers to help you learn, pick a method. But you need not know the notes to play the chords, and the idea of different positions of your fretting hand creating the sounds is helpful as a mental image to many of us (me included).

So, a bright question, with too long answers, as you can see, we all have a slightly different and slightly same take. But if you continue to work at it, it will come to you, and become, eventually, 2nd nature. (And as for the 5 months, thing, well, in July, with breaks for life, I will be starting my 61st year since I got the first guitar, and only in the last 2 or so has it taken.) I ask questions, like you just did, and listened to some of the advice here, and it is working.

Welcome to TAC. It is great to have you along for the Journey.

[Gord001]

Thanks Atty I actually had my first guitar 45 years ago. Only jamed with a neighbor back then and never picked it up of a few years. I will keep at it during covid in Canada not much else to do.

[AttyTJ]

I miss flying too, but just not too many reasons between my home and Denver, so an expired medical, and a dream for when I get good enough at guitar to justify telling my wife I want to get current. As I said, it is great to have you here.

[punder]

I learned to fly at KAPA! And to keep this on track… I feel flying and guitar require similar sorts of commitment! Although the penalty for failure is a lot smaller for guitar. 😃

[Gord001]

I have flown to Chicago, Green Bay, and South Carolina Those were my only cross boarder trips. I flew on Saturday and did my best landing ever. LOL

[Gord001]

• This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by  Gord001.

[Cadgirl]

HI @Gord001, I read in numerous posts about the fretboard wizard. I swear, once you start the last section called “Lets Write a Song” (something like that). You’ll have a light bulb moment. You might have to go back to a section here and there but it will happen. All the comments Tony makes in his videos will all start making sense. Just remember If playing the guitar was easy, everyone would do it. Well, we ain’t everyone. We are GUITAR GEEKS! You got this.

[Gord001]

Thanks I never went that far on the course yet. I will keep at it.

[Michelle-PSL]

Hi @Gord001 . First, never call yourself dumb. You are not. If you’re playing a guitar, then you ARE a guitar player. And you are in good company with many people who have struggled to learn the guitar. I’m sure I will continue to struggle for years.

I recited the “cheat” for the string notes for a looooooong time before I started to remember them. You will begin to remember them after you begin to relate them to something more than just 6 steel strings on the guitar. Once the note values start to make sense to you (actually to your ear), you will begin to “know” them.

Other TACers gave you really good advice. Be patient. I know it’s hard. Patience is one of my life’s challenges. But patience is truly a necessary element to learning guitar. Continue your consistent practice. One day things will just fall into place.

[Gord001]

Thanks just was getting a little frustrated. Took a few days off ready to go again.