20
votes
Accepted
Left/right hand coordination on guitar, fretting wrong strings, while playing melodies
You can absolutely look at the strings and frets until you build up the muscle memory and then learn to play without looking. I can't imagine trying to learn guitar without looking ever.
Professional ...
- 56.1k
17
votes
Accepted
Are these indentations on the frets of my Acoustic for intonation? Can I apply this to the frets of my Electric?
That's fret wear. The strings have slowly eroded away some of the fret material, leaving those dents. Over a long enough time, they become deep enough to cause problems.
When the fret wear is bad ...
- 56.1k
16
votes
Accepted
What is the purpose of a zero fret on a guitar?
On a guitar with the usual bone or plastic nut, an open string can sound different than a fretted string. This is due to the difference in how the string reacts to metal vs. bone or plastic. A zero ...
- 1,460
16
votes
G string out of tune but only when played open
Check the intonation. The bridge/saddles may need moving, so that the 12th fret harmonic is exactly the same note as the fretted 12th. As an extra check, capo on 1st fret, and hear the 13th fret ...
- 190k
14
votes
What does the numbers mean in this guitar tab if they already gave the chords to play?
But I don’t understand the numbers. Is it for the fret.
This kind of notation is called tablature, and essentially, yes - the number tells you which fret to play.
it doesn’t make sense to me, if I’m ...
- 45.9k
13
votes
Is it possible to change the position of the frets of an electric guitar?
Yes, this is absolutely possible. I think Tolgahan Çoğulu is probably the outstanding practitioner of this (although Steve Vai has done some work in this area)
Tolgahan uses variable fret positions ...
- 36.8k
13
votes
On instruments that use frets, where's the best spot to press a string on, in order to minimize hand fatigue and potential for injuries?
Producing a sharp angle for the string over the fretwire makes for a clear, clean sound. So just behind the fretwire will be a good place. It also means not having to press down on the fingerboard so ...
- 190k
12
votes
Accepted
Is a slight amount of fret buzz acceptable when lowering the action on a guitar
The lower the fret action, the more buzz you will get. Your ideal height will be based on what you need. Unamplified, many of the really fast guitarists have fret buzz all over the neck.
Personally, ...
- 36.8k
11
votes
Whats are some ways of visualizing notes on guitar's fret-board if you come from piano background?
Welcome to the wonderful world of guitar. The guitar is a very versatile and portable instrument that you can enjoy anywhere you like.
As you have discovered, fretted (or non fretted) stringed ...
- 27.2k
11
votes
Why is a zero fret so uncommon on guitars in spite of all the advantages?
To make it safe against buzz, the string has to run across the zero fret with a bit of pressure. This makes the strings move across the fret with some stickiness so they follow the tuning machine ...
- 111
11
votes
Do you barre a chord directly on the fret itself or in between the frets?
The link in comments provides a very good answer regarding fretting notes but when dealing with chords other issues start to emerge. Take an open A chord played with 3 fingers or an open Em with 2 ...
- 25k
10
votes
Accepted
What method for learning the guitar fretboard is most effective?
In a sentence, mix it up and steer away from where you're comfortable.
Mix it up
To start with find some methods and exercises to work with. Some examples:
Always say (or sing if possible) the ...
- 4,103
10
votes
Accepted
Guitar beginner - What does this card show?
The lower card shows the chords that go with the tones in each key. The chords built on tones of a scale are often referred to by roman numerals, for example, the root tone is the I, the next tone in ...
- 2,510
9
votes
Accepted
Which diagram is correct?
Firstly, your assumption of 7 notes refers to E scale, not E chord. In the chord, there are 3 notes, E G# and B. They're shared between the 6 strings. Each string will play one of those notes, and it ...
- 190k
9
votes
Are these indentations on the frets of my Acoustic for intonation? Can I apply this to the frets of my Electric?
Those fret indentations are wear caused by playing. No manufactures would put them in on purpose.
My first move would be to consider that the neck is actually too close to the bridge. Maybe it could ...
- 190k
8
votes
Bass guitar: how to avoid sound when string hits fret
Bradd has mentioned the two places where the string is most likely to be auidibly hitting the strings. Another couple of suggestions I have for reducing the direct 'left hand' noise made by the string ...
- 45.9k
8
votes
How risky is it to have a maple fretboard refretted?
When removing frets damage to the fretboard is always a consideration, some kind of chipping as the old frets come out is something to be anticipated, rather than disregarded. There are various ways ...
- 1,679
8
votes
Accepted
Can I change the location of my guitar frets so that I play korons?
Yes!
You could always have a custom guitar built, or modify an existing guitar: Have the fretboard replaced and have the frets set to match the spacing on a Setar. But then the guitar would not be ...
- 2,716
7
votes
Bass guitar: how to avoid sound when string hits fret
There are two likely causes for this, depending on where the strings are clicking. If they click directly under your fingers, from the force of your fingertips striking the frets, then work on ...
- 6,668
7
votes
Accepted
Play a scale across the whole neck of the guitar
This is why I highly recommend learning the scale by scale degrees rather than simple box positions that don't show any of that data. Knowing your note names is also important to know where your tonic ...
- 1,853
7
votes
Accepted
Why do these chords not have these repeated notes?
There are some parts of your question that I don’t understand, such as the bit about “from the CDEFGABC order I saw.” However, if I’m understanding the gist, the simple answer is: no, there’s no ...
- 18.2k
7
votes
Accepted
Learning notes on the fretboard
You are correct. The notes on the diagram are wrong - should be as you stated.
First fret on the G string is also wrong: It's G#, not C#. @DavidBowling mentioned another error too - I didn't look ...
- 6,823
7
votes
How to ensure the fretboard hand and the plucking hand are working on same string?
Practice without looking at the fretboard or strings too much. I don't mean to never look, but make it a habit to often practice without looking, or looking very little. This will develop your ...
- 1,460
6
votes
Using coconut oil for electric guitar fretboard?
I'd shy away from anything not prescribed. One can use olive or linen oil to great effect on untreated wooden tables or breakfast plates: it gets sucked up in unbelievable amounts and then partly ...
- 61
6
votes
Is a slight amount of fret buzz acceptable when lowering the action on a guitar
Fret buzz isn't necessarily a sign of a poor setup, because some players want low action and can accept some fret buzz. A guitar tech should discuss this with a player before doing a setup.
Having ...
- 81
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