Just to add to this... Octaves are a good way of figuring out the notes.

Eventually it can cause a bigger problem (like mnemonics does for memorizing string names). If we only rely on the "octave calculation" we don't associate the note names directly with those strings / frets -- since we always have to relate them to other strings / frets. What starts out as a short-term trick can become a long-term hindrance. [br][br]

It depends on how important it is drill those individual note locations into your brain and use them instantly. If you're doing a ton of sight-reading and complex jazz harmony on the fly, better to not rely on that octave trick.

For most players I am sure the octave calculations are enough! I have used them most of my 30 years of rock playing, but it has limited me. In the past few years I have dedicated much more focus on learning each string / fret directly. [br][br]

-Carl.