Fretboard Knowledge for the Contemporary Guitarist (Paperback)

~ Vivian Clement (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Become a master of the entire guitar fretboard by learning simple pattern recognition techniques. Vivian Clement puts hundreds of scales, modes and chords at your fingertips, along with some new tricks for easy transposing.

Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Alfred Publishing (May 4, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0739031570
• ISBN-13: 978-0739031575
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 8.8 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #529,484 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars finally something that makes sense, September 3, 2006

By	D. Anderson (Bainbridge Island, WA,USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is a real find. It shows some of the patterns on the guitar neck that make playing infinitely more enjoyable and easy. Why every guitar teacher doesn't use this book is beyond me. Its like the difference between an analog watch (one with hands) and a digital. With the analog a glance will show the pattern of the time; a digital actually has to be read and interpreted. Same thing with the guitar neck. Know the patterns and start creating your music.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It makes playing guitar FUN, October 8, 2008

By	A. R. Greenlee (Montana, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've been trying to learn the fretboard (to be able to jam or improvise)for years (scales, keys, notes), but I HATE rote memorization, and so many approaches require LOTS of memorization. This book shows you a VERY simple way, first, to find specific notes on the fretboard (using a "W" formation that locates notes by octaves). Then it shows you how to play the most-used scales (major and minor pentatonic) in the most efficient, easily-remembered way I have ever seen. (It also covers other scales.) I've struggled with the CAGED system using "boxes." Call me slow or stupid, but it never made sense to me, and there was SO much to remember with that approach. With this approach, I find my fingers flying up and down the fretboard, starting with any note, playing in any key. I can go, for example, from the first fret of the 6th string to the 16th fret of the first sting, and back down again, and play around in between, and not take the same "route," with NO problem. It's just plain FUN. And it's easy.
In my opinion, pages 14 and 15 alone are worth the price of entry. I highly recommend this book.