i Sct: Fr rledoand ir Faas SE Sy! | ‘SP a EDI frion Rs tay I & If Combined aS —= Nay 25 ‘ ry wes) icc) ° Oe vs ay ti a > sath es i q \\ the neste ting the | Guitar's Unique Tuning * hs + Chords eles arpeEsElon Complete + Fretboard Logic SE Special Edition - Vols. 1 & I Combined Bill Edwards Publishing 805 St. Augustine Ave. ‘Tampa FL 33617-7229 Dedication To my many teachers, for contributing to my understanding of the ingtrument and music. and especially my students. for malking me constantly reexamine what I thought | already knew. and For the people who read Fretboard Lagi¢ and cavouraged me fo continue on. Copyrisht 1983, 1987. 1989 by Bull Edwards AL Rights Reserved ‘This volume may not be reproduced in whole oF in part in any form without written permission from the publisher, Teachers who wish to use this method may purchase It at 2 spectal discount by fealing, writing, faxtig oF emuaiing (0 a4, addiesy os tiamnbcr Wyelow. We now mui {ain en International database for the purpose of referring students who eontact tus in search of teachers who use Fretboard Logie in their area. Fora frve Usting in our registry as a Fretboard Loge leacher please contact us att Bill Rewards 805 St. Augustine Ave “Tanpa. PL 39617-7229 813) 685-2689 Phone (S13) 985-0554 Fax [email protected] Exatl wun billecwards-com Website Printed In the United States of Amerien Contents PARTI Profnce: inkroduiclon ‘The Five Bante Chard Forms. Forasand Positions = Chords. The CAGED Sequence - Chords. Naming Chords by Formand Position. Scales-and Seale Forms. The Five Basic Seale Forms: “The CAGED Sequence - Seales, ‘The Answers Ta All Your Problems. The Twelve-Step Program. “Allernite Placement af the “sird” Interval. ‘PART I Prelace. Introduction, Tris, Seventit Chords. Dinionie Seales. CAGED Sequence - Diatonie Seales. Diaionle Lead Patterns... Namaing the Diatonic Lead Patterns. ‘The Camponents of Music. Intmeduction to Musi¢ Theor Introduction to Technique. Introduction to Rhythm Praying. Introduction to Lead Playing. Introduction to Styles. Finale Part Th Twenty Quesilons, Twenty Answers, Preface ‘The-téléa Tor this book originated im the 1970's when the author-was-a guitar Instctor ata musie store. During thav period. he stumbled upon something that demonstrated that despite years of lesgans ard countless: books.and gourses. his ttuching methods were stil pretty disorganived, While mapping outa students seale-farms for the lliionth <tme, he finally recognized that-although there were -even fiandamental tonal ortentationss (motes). there were actually on'y five rele- ‘ant gultar patterns, which, coresponsied (a certain recuciing chordforms 2s wel, When the scale forms were rearranged to be played leniithwise wlong.the neck. ‘everything finaliy-Nt together for the first time th years of playing-and teaching. He became aware that there was a guitar-speciile patiern onganization that was com: pletely sepatace from the various musical considerallons such-as:theery. technique Rintaiyle He eventuatly. came tothe conclusion that the tssuts of thie pattern ‘grganization should take first priarity over the tases of muste- or style, (Cw traly “Sinicthired learning experience was 10 eecur Fretboard Logic evolved from the discovery that us a result of the guitar's tuning, number of strings. andl string to’atring intervals (ath, th, 4th, ard, 4th), ‘exactly three separate and specific pattern types oceuron the fretboard: Chord Forms, Sele Forms and Les Patterns. For learning jyurposes. each of these three ratte types mill be-examined tn the same four contexts: First, a8 Baste Forms: ‘second, as Forms in Positions: third,.as,forme-in CAGED Sequence along the fret board; and fourth, Naming them musically, from their form and position. There are five basie Chord Forms. five bosle Seale Forme, and tro haste Lead Patterns, sand they are integral to one another as patterns, Avword abeut the format-of the book. Given what Is knows: about learning, ad the function of the two hemispheres of the braln, commonly known as-e and ‘ight brain, the pages of tke book have been divided into half text and al’ graph- {es whenever practical. The pattern nature of the fretboard also lends tisetf in (his approach. Important concepts and points of interest are captioned in shadow: boxes. Relevant terms are ttalletaed or boldfaced. When boidfaced. terms are defined in content and Inchude! ina glossary a the end ofthe tid and Ist vot ume cf the series. Introduction “The guitar has changed in many ways since tt evolved sway’ from ite ancea- tors but the fining system of six strings tuned EADGRE. whiel Is fardamertally diferent from-any other énstruments has reigned as the-stardard for: bnindreds of _resirs. The reason for this 4s that-no one bas yet beerv-able tg siprove on tt. nora You wil see. are they, ever Ikely. (0, Inufiaek, many. players. have taker this aspect of the instrument for granted without ever questioning. t. When, you eanstder that virtually everything that ts playec! onthe tnstroment gets-“tiered® though this {uininys systems, lets tronic thal-of tae ruiilions of peuple-who play, vey few fully nderstaind the reasoning behind the pitch selection of the strings. Yet. what could Ye more essential than. a Working, knowledue of the instrament itself? Most guitar insthod: tackle bite ane pleces of many subjects ard present them collectively in the equivalent of baby steps. Fretboard Logie SE: Purt L-will teach you a great deal about jus one thing: how the tuning works out on the fretboard tn terms of pat- leres. Firat Nidle hackground.ts in order; In this introduction, weil loolsat the dif {rent elasses of tunings forstringed: instruments. und then discuss menophonte ‘orstis polyphonte- capabilites. Next welll examine tnstruments that inesement In ne or two dimensions and some of the problems associated with Interpreting musste given the different desiges Finally we'll make some observations on “ergonomics and the human interface, and conclude with a comparison of methods and a discussion of objectives. ‘There are two primary lasses of tunings for stringed Instruments. They are ther symmetrical, mening equi string to string iniervats. or chordal, meaning: inned tor specific chord. For example, most of the string family. violin, vielox, eto. are tuned symmetzically in bths, ‘The electric bass 15 likewise tuned tp siraight 4tha. On the other hund, traditional fve-atring banjo tuning Is GDGBD. making an open stringed G Major chord. andl peelnl steel ts tuined to etther an 8th ora COL chord. The guitars tuning system fs aeliher symmetrirat no: ehorcial. 1 ts iterally in a uss by (sell. The notes EADGBE from baes to treble, Unisull tn the Intervals of 4th, 4th 4th, 3rd. and 4th. the tuning produces the finterals which create the pattern oggeatzatton on the fretboard, ‘A monophone {9 1n Instrument winch can only produce one tone at a tint Yan Instrument ls polyphonic, it |s designed ta produce multiple tones simul heously. making hermonic matertal such as chords and thelr voleings possible, Tnsiruments of the bres, woodwind and string fuuiles ave generally monophonic, Keyboard Instruments such as planos, organs, ele,, are polyphonic. Normally, ionephones are played! 1n groups such as brass bands, string quartets, and sym- phony orchestras, The members of the suri familly, Inchiding violins, violas, eet fos, olc., given multiple strings, ean produce more than ane oF two nates at time, Introduction but uhe-curyanure of the bridge makes playing more than-two simullaanenus notes impractical int continuous usage, Even with «relatively flat bridge-the guliar would buve a-sinilur problem given dhe linllation of four fretting flagers, (net for the difference in ining systems, The patterns onganteation produces: sa optimise: on of four fretitng fingers. ard Uterelorea practtea) polyphony. Another difference invovorall instrument design concerns whether the notes increment in only ane or twordimensions. On a keyboard. the notes yet higher oF ower in only on€ cimension (right 10 lel} On a violinethre notes-imerement tn two dimensions creating 4 matrie of the playing wres. fy a matrix. there can be several duplicates of the exact same pitch, whereas ona keyboardothere ts one ané.only fone of each. When reading for @ mstrix instrument. «desighatlon or a ebolee must bbe made 10 determine which of the available duplicates: fo be played. However, the symmetry of the Cuning means that the musical palterns, such as whole step. whole siep, half step, ele.. will continue to apply from position to position and sirinup to string. malkdng eortain note choices: more logical than others. Put another aw, the shape of, say, a minor scale will be the same on anystring and in any postiton. The odd interval on the guitar prevents'thfa, With plano, there are several ‘one-to-one correspondences which simplify Unings for the persen reading muste, ‘One finger plays one key. producing one piteh. represented by one dot om the statt in standard notation. On guitar a separate designation 1s\often necessary to spect- fy the string upon which @ note should be played. It would appear that eines the ultar increments in two dimensions. producing multiples of most notes, combined swith the irregular intervals which eliminate musical symmetry, that we are provid ed.siith the worst of all possible worids In terms of design: That would be trie only i yow aitempt to understand the guitar tn terms of the matrix of the violin. or the polyphony of the Keyboard, The suultar eannot be truly tnderstood! tn terms af either the yiolit er the plano exept by contrast and comparison (although tam ‘eorivineed that many teachers and gultar method authors have attempted both) A major premise af tls method Is hat the issties of the guttar should be understond separate (rom che issues of muate for learning purposes. They are always at work together whtle playing, but while learning. they are hes! kept-apart in one’s mind, The guitar ts imbued with w pattern organization which can be com sidered an ergonomic interface between the player and the musie he orshe plays. ‘On the instrument side, the pattems are the interface for the four fretting fingers as oustpitt devicwe. On the musle ide, the tore groups and rhythms combine te produce a vibratory interlace for our ears as input devices, which we percelve as mule of differing quallty and chareter, Those qualities ané characters in tar become perceived as styles and physiological messages to which we respond as human beings given our own background and develapmient, The frethoard, to repurpese tne ol! Use ad, fs where Lie rubber meets the road, If you're familar Introduction twith computers. thinks ef x plano keyboard as a hardware tnterface: By.contrast he guitar's: should be considered a software inkeriace, and 19} 90 ebvious, The concept of Interface can also be related to the typewriter keyboard {ran interest Ing. somewhat bizarre, sway. Most: people never question Why’ eaca Key 1s placed where iis ona typewriter or cemputer keybeard, Lf asked. they usually: Ubink. whet Is termed the" QWERTY’/organtzation. was developed for speed and ease af typing: In facts Une reverse'ts true, The mechanical linkages of tie old-style tye ‘erlters wore easily overrun and Jammed by anaverage typist.-The designers were anable-to come up with a speeciler: design. so some “Dilbertian- engineer hitupon the idea of slowing-people down: ‘The typewriter Interface was designed to actually slow down the user to prevent key jams: Fortunately, the sfaitie's Interface: was: designed to Improve output, tnltke the typewriter Keyboard. Fretboard Logie was developed to help guitarists achieve thelr musical goals ‘retardlesa of whacever style of music oF type of sultar ie preferred, By becoming Acquainted with Lie guitar's interface, you'll he able to apply other areas of study sha more organized meaner: A large percentage of gullarists are self taught and ‘ely on gathering random mugggets of information from here anid there without ‘auch tn the way of # game phan, Unfarturiately, 2 thorough rasp of the fretboard Inyout ts not really the kind of thing that you ean pfels up off a recording. or fearn irom friend it tents to get lost in the ssiuce. as the cook sald. Most guitar baoks fall Into three watexories: Popular arrangements, methods, land what can only be termed reference books. Many books that ure advertised as (eaching methods are actually only useful for occasional relerenes materral. sinec the material 's not presented with any semblance of organization or structure. The aitiiucls of the auchors seems to be, “You figure IL out." Fretboard Logic ts not just another mindlews “ehned paeysinpedis” arredhindant “acale and more hock How chords and seales work out on the guitar 1s actually explained in terms of the fret= bourd pattern organization. On the other hand, a Tot of guitar methods overwhelm ‘ever! dedicated studerits by trying to cover reading, theory, technique. repertoire, sive. et;, all at one time but cn a simplified level. Many teach songs that are of ‘no interest excep! perhaps. to small children. Rooks that are siyle arfented such As tock. heavy metal, blues, jazz, county. and classical meihods, often to much the same thing. limiiing the focus to certain kinds of music, guitars, techmiques linc /or artists. The pradlem With this ts they often try to co too much al one time without proper foundations, ard frequently students just drift away. pechaps laming themselves for lack of talent, And another thing Educational publishers Preter to use public domatt materia} since they don't have to pay out composer foyalties. Maybe you don't want to play songs that were a hit 75 years ayo. The Chissle one for this Is the kid who wen: Into fis frst guitar lesson creaming of ruption’ and came out playing °Co Tell Aunt Rhody.” Introduction With all that said 1 want to conclude with some observations. hat may sur prise you As a practicing guitarist. Iaaavuf the fim bellel that noone elve can make youa better player. Ibs up to each of us as Individuals to stand-out among the athers. There #8 no method, gimmick book or video which hos the-ablity to make you play better or worse, Being a quallly player means:continually practicing and playing with the intentof improving, never giving upand often sacrificing ‘much In the process. You can't substitute a few wecks or months-of intense effort foryears.of supiauied efforts That's:noveven the worst of it It Is ll too easy’ to lose the hard won ground slr by, sustained practice. to a few, weeks or even dayes off from: the grinc.-Ok, so you're thinking: “Well, what: abottt those self-taught guys sho never read a book ar took a lesson and play-bettie than tot of gaye whe have taken lessons for years?" As faras-T'm concerned. aay guitarist can reasyn~ ably claim that he or abe fs self-Unught even if they've (akon years of lessons and read countless Doky. The reason ts that only we as individtinis can make that all important leap from theory 10 practicc. and practice to perfection. Also, 1 comes asler for some than atiers. Lane Feothonrd Lagie-ws alent! of rosetta stone for guitar players. In ether worels, It fs merely a Iearnting tool. On the other hand, 11 won't make anvore-a bet ter player until they Mud # way to une it to produce ruste that other people want To Usten fo, Each of us hus 10 Und our own way to make thal’ happen. xt Although musically, obords até groups Of Uhtee oF more different notes. played at the “Sune time, on the guitar they are realleed through Five Basie Chord Forms, or shapes. No: Aliree as shown tm: the tsle chord com- Piters and cestataly not dozens, ao-sutgest fe! In the chord eneyclopedtas.1"There are acily five fundamentally different ways to phy chords a» fretisoard forma provided for 2y Ihe tuning. These forms.arethe C, A, Ge Band D Forms. They art prescated first 09 ‘open. or unbarred forms: using: the first Mhree fingers of the teit hand: They can be idcred the cornerstone of the fretboard's patlern oryantzation. In thy: circles represent which finger of JefLhand to fret with so that the Index: ,and:Pinky = 4. The ie AOiN Up and own represent the sts Fun. und the liner wolng across are the The dark bar at the top Is the nut, ‘ing open positinn. An "X” over a string nas dun't play tt with the dght band, ane! PO" mieans play I unfrétted or open. Opem mean untretied or unbarred, If you're a just starting out you ean gc how well vou knuw a chord form by eing able to do these three things: Play all the chord tones (fretted clearly with no buzang or mu Memorize the farm. Make uie changes from chord to chord Guisly and accurately. The Five Basie Chord Forms Roem ‘Oper Peston (This is the Fretboard ‘Deseription.) cit (Phils iw the Chord Name.) A Form Open Posittor (Gelter Description) AChord (Chord Name} E Form Open Position E Chord DB Form Open Position D Chord