Fretboard Wizard question

[SoCal_Ian]

For what it’s worth I started with FBW and only after that joined TAC. So no, I don’t think there’s a particular order. Rather that one will help with the other in a complimentary but not compulsory way.

[Maydog]

I would recommend to any beginner to learn the chromatic scale inside and out. The sooner the better. All you have to remember are 12 notes: A, A#, B, C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#. Also realize that A# and Bb are the same note, as are C# and Db, D# and Eb, F# and Gb, G# and Ab.To me, it’s easier to see and learn it on a piano keyboard, then apply that knowledge to the guitar fretboard. Spend an hour or less studying it, writing it out, etc. and you’ll remember it the rest of your life. It’s hard to read if you don’t know the alphabet. In music, the chromatic scale is the alphabet. YouTube is your friend here. Search for “musical alphabet” or “chromatic scale”.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by  Maydog.

[Bill_Brown]

Hi Mark ( @mkjohnsons ), my 2 cents – GO FOR IT! When I joined TAC, I purchased the FBW course as part of a package. I considered my self a RE-beginner or a re-learner, because it had been so long since I started playing. Anyways, I did the 30 Days and then a few skills courses. At that point, I was in the same boat as you are now – not knowing if I was ready or had what I thought it would take to learn something at that level. I decided to try it and I’m really glad I did. It helped me to understand all the things that you mentioned above, and then some.🤩🤩🤩

[N-lightMike]

Hey Mark, (@mkjohnsons)

I wanted to add my vote. It’s the same as the other three comments. Do the Fretboard Wizard Course as soon as possible. It is not beyond you. It will open so many doors for you right from the start. You will start understanding what you are trying to do. You will understand the guitar better. You will understand music better. You will appreciate the music you like better. You will learn your guitar faster. It is the most important thing you could do for your guitar journey after 1) buying a guitar, and 2) joining TAC. Now, add 3) Fretboard Wizard, and have a much better understanding of how to utilize 1 and 2.

MG 😀

[NorCal_Nolan]

Mark,

Without trying to sound like a broken record, go for it! It can take a while for the music theory stuff to sink in sometimes. Other times it will make sense right away. In either case you can jump in and go at your own pace. If something seems way over your head (it probably won’t by the way), then get what you can and move on. Then later come back and go over it again. At some point you will be getting all sorts of lightbulbs going on. I learned most of the material from FB Wizard when taking a guitar class at the local community college repeated times. The first time through most of it went over my head. The next time more stuff started to make sense. Eventually it all made sense and really helped my understanding of music. You can take the course any time, you don’t need to wait for the group to do it together. Might be good to take it the first time when everyone else is also taking it though. It can help if you have questions that others are asking and answering at the same time. Later you can revisit the course to refresh any time. Ok, I’ll say it again, Go for it!

[Michelle-PSL]

@mkjohnsons I agree with the GO FOR ITs. The Fretboard Wizard is a lifetime program, so you are not losing out anything by signing up now vs. later. You can go back to it over and over again. And it will help your understanding of the fretboard and provide invaluable guitar-related music theory.

This recommendation is from someone with no music background who started playing guitar about 11 months ago. I think I was only playing guitar for 2 or 3 months when I took it. There were a lot of aha moments for me.

[Kim-Fitz]

There is nowhere to sign up for this course. No info on how to access or when it will be available 🙁. I’m so primed to take it!

[Bill_Brown]

Hi @Kim-Fitz , You should contact TAC Support – there is a little green box at the bottom right of the Support page that you can type a question/request and someone at TAC HQ will respond – how long??? 🤔 – but they will respond.😎

[Kim-Fitz]

Thanks Bill. I did contact TAC support but waiting for reply. I have a question mark at the bottom left corner. It says support when you click on it; that’s what I used to ask. I assume it’s the same. I’m hoping a class or access comes up soon.

[the-old-coach]

When will it be offered next, anybody know?

I thought I read once that it was only in Fall and Winter(?)

If so, that’ll give me more time to “get ready”

Thanks for all the great advice and reasoning. It makes all the difference.

Looks like that boulder I’m pushin’ up the hill might get a little bigger!

Mark J

[Kim-Fitz]

Yes, I have been wanting to take this course also. I e-mailed support but haven’t heard anything. I wish there was some info on it.

[polarpeak75]

I’m interested in Fretboard Wizard as well. Is there a course description? Or a sample video?

In the meantime, is the The Foundations of Fretboard Navigation, 7 lessons in the Skills section, a good primer for Fretboard Wizard?

[the-old-coach]

Great question(s)! I think there’ll be some info showing up.

A course description and/ or sample video is a GREAT idea!

Mark J

[Bill_Brown]

Hi @polarpeak75 & @mkjohnsons , In the “Skills” section, if you click ‘start course’ on “The Foundations of Fretboard Navigation” and it opens – then by all means take that course – it’ll give you a taste of some very basic things you will learn in FBW. When I started TAC, I believe that the Foundations course was a prerequisite to FBW.

[the-old-coach]

Bill–

I actually just “found” the Foundations course yesterday! I’m almost done on the Fingerpicking Jumpstart course— the Foundation Course is where I’m headed next!

[BethL]

The Foundations course is a good one while you’re waiting!! Definitely on to something there!!

[TX_DonH]

One nice thing about Fret Board Wizard, is you always have it. You can go through it multiple times. I’ve been through four complete times and a couple of partial times. I pick up a little something new each time. Even if you only really grok the Foundational Five, that is an important building block for everything else.

And ask questions! There is a great community of knowledgeable people here that is more that happy to help.

[Cherie]

Hi, Mark, and everyone who answered his question,

Thank you very much! I was also looking for information about the Fretboard Wizard course, and was also wondering if it would be too advanced for me. New to music, I’ve been playing for about 8 months. I am happy to be a TAC member since early April. Tony’s lessons are excellent! I love TAC! I’m patiently making steady progress now, every note is pure joy!

Happy playing, Cherie

[the-old-coach]

Cherie- thank you!

Sounds like the FW course is very involved- and maybe difficult at least at the start- especially to those of us who have little-to-no real music knowledge, and no music experience outside of putzing around for years- or- (for some- like me- for decades).

But I think once we get our feet wet in it- it’ll be fun indeed!

I always remember- Tony, TAC, and our whole community here, are all pullin’ for us!….. they want us to succeed !

I can’t wait to be able to sign up and get into it!— (but wish there was more info forthcoming about when it’ll become available to join again).

As I mentioned- I’m gonna start the Foundational course probably the first part of next week.

Thanks again for being another person wonderin’ about the FW course being “too tough”.

Mark J

[ZADavid]

Hi folks, I can’t get into the Fretboard wizard, just get a page saying I don’t have access, but no explanation of how to sign up/pay if its an additional cost.

But a google of “fret board wizzard” (actually a duckduckgo search) found a 2018 version here:

https://tonypolecastro.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Fretboard-Wizard-Resources-1.1.pdf

this proved to be downloadable. First look is its way out of my skill zone, but I’ll get to it one day.

May help some?

Happy strumming!

David

[BethL]

DO IT!!!! it will in your own words allow you to understand:

“But I am LOST when it comes to anything music theory, circle of fifths, matrixes, 1-4-5’s, etc. I know sort-of what they are, but know nothing about <b style=”font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit;”>really WHAT they are- let alone what they do….”

As soon as you said the above, I knew you were in the right direction. FW are the keys to the kingdom so to speak. It will unlock all the magic that is happening on your guitar journey. Tony cuts through the chase and teaches in an easy-to-learn format with shortcuts anyone can understand. You can work at your own pace and you own the course for life. So you can come back and learn new things each time you go through. Ive been through three times and now with your post am inspired for round four!!!

Guitar Geeks unite! Keep strumming! and soon you as well will be declaring….”I’m a Fretboard Wizard!!” Cheers mate.

[Alisa]

Hi all, I reached out to ask about the course and this is the reply I got:

“Fretboard Wizard is open for enrollment twice per year. The next enrollment opportunity is coming very soon, so please stay tuned for all of the details.

We are ironing out some wrinkles from our recent website migration and then we will proceed with this. Once we have more details on the exact date, it will be announced in our Newsletters and on the TAC site.”

Thank you everyone for your input, I wasn’t considering the fretboard wizard course, but after reading this thread I do. That’s the danger of procrastinating by browsing forums…