Navigating the Fretboard – ML002

Navigating the Fretboard – Mini Lesson: 002

Helpful Tips

This mini etude teaches you how to play across the full span of the neck while maintaining a steady swing feel. For beginners, navigating the fretboard can be challenging, as most beginner pieces keep you confined to frets 0 to 3. In this etude, you’ll break out of that range and venture up to the 10th fret.

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Illustration showing fret markers

We’ll start by memorizing the dots on the fretboard. These dots, known as markers, are placed as follows:

1st Dot: 3rd Fret
2nd Dot: 5th Fret
3rd Dot: 7th Fret
4th Dot: 10th Fret
5th Dot: 12th Fret (double dot)

Memorizing which dot corresponds to which fret eliminates guesswork when navigating the fretboard.

P.S. Click HERE to learn a full-length song that jumps up and down the fretboard!

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