Fretboard Memorization Drills For Guitar

The First thing I noticed when trying to learn the entire fretboard was that Letters are harder to relate to than numbers, which is odd because we use them every day to communicate.

The Reason for this disasociative process is that other than the School Grading System, Letters are taught without a Numerical Value System, in other words the Value of the letter S is not 18 higher than the letter A they are equal.

So Unless you got a D- on your midterms the relation of A To D is unimportant

Now if you look at the number 19 it has a value 19 times that of the number 1 thus it's relation is much easier and faster to understand.

By subtracting 5 or adding 7 to the fretted note you are currently on and moving to the adjacent string
This First exercise Formula and Pattern will help you learn any particular note in all places on the neck starting from the low E string


Lets start on the 8th Fret of the 6th String this is a C Note.









to play this C Note on the Next String Take the Fret you are on in this case it is Fret Number 8 now subtract 5 which equals 3, Now Play the Answer on the next string which is the Third Fret on the fifth String








Now Starting With our New Found C note on the 3rd Fret 5th string









lets find the next C note
Take the Fret you are which is Fret Number 3 now Add 7 which equals 10 Now Play the Answer on the next string which is the Fourth String










Now Starting With our New Found C note on the 10 Fret 4th string lets find the next C note










to play the C Note on the Next String Take the Fret you are on in this case it is Fret Number 10 now subtract 5 which equals 5 Now Play the Answer on the next string which is the 3rd String

Now A Slight Variation Takes Place

When moving from the G String to the B String. Because the B String is Tuned a half step lower in it's relation to the G String you have to compensate by changing your formula this one time to -4 +8. Since this page is focusing on the 1st 12 frets I will minus 4 while going to the next string to reach the next C note. If I were going past the twelfth Fret so for now we'll just stick with the first twelve Frets.

to play the C Note on the Next String Take the Fret you are on in this case it is Fret Number 5 now subtract 4 which equals 1 Now Play the Answer on the next string which is the 2nd String