Guitar notes

Here is a site that has a Diagram of the Guitar Neck with notes:

[http://www.weblee.net/GuitarLessons

Originally posted by noticingthemistake
So when you then show the chromatic scale, you suggest just filling in the open frets with accidentals??

This brings up an interesting point...is the chromatic scale actually a scale?
A scale by definition is a series of notes played in a distinct order that creates a tonality (major, minor, dominant, diminished, or augmented).
I never teach the chromatic scale becuase to me there is no such thing, not too mention it is very impractical and may shy students away from applying chromatics into there playing. Chromatics can sound very hip and musical when applied correctly. Chromatic scales, so to say, are nothing more then finger excercises.

Chromatic scale is just every note on the fret board... theres nuffin to learn! It is a scale though, its one that increases by a semi-tone.

How can it be considered a scale if it has no tonality?

This brings up an interesting point...is the chromatic scale actually a scale?

According to the first part of your definition, yes it is a scale cause it is a series of semi-tones. Does it have a distinct tonality? That's debatable. According to Schoenburg's 12-tone system (or dodecaphony, later evolved to serialism), they are atonal (no tonality). But according to the 12-tone system ALL notes have to be played before one is repeated again, thus erasing any clear tonality. If a chromatic passage is played without following this rule which many are, there is usually a tonal center of some sort. Usually by the harmony, the note played on the strong beat or longest note held in the passage. Composers like Stravinsky used chromatics alot in their music.
Serialism later evolved to encompass not only melody written with chromatics but also harmony.


[Edited by noticingthemistake on 01-30-2004 at 07:32 PM]

But there is a difference between using chromatics and composing from a so called chromatic scale. Flight of the Bumble Bee encompasses many chromatic passages...but I would not say that the melody is composed from the chromatic scale.
Schoenbergs tone row system cannot really be defined as composing from a chromatic scale becuase there is no defined order to the notes,,,except that created by the composer. This type of music can hardly be defined as so, since it lacks many qualities that we use to define music. It's more of a lackluster game for the artistically declined.
Chromatics are nothing more then approach tones that have to be resolved.

I agree. Although to me the proverbal chromatic is a sequence of notes that moves in step-wise fashion, like Flight of the bumblebee. And composing music chromatically implies the thought of doing so without a tonal center in mind, although later one can easily be sensed, like flight of the bumblebee.

I have tried to write music using serialism and have only been able to achieve it through systematically plotting out all twelve notes until it seems somewhat musical. It's possible but in hopes of breaking away from the ties of tonality, it places far more boundaries on music then say the major scale does. One the music in my head just doesn't play in such a way, and second I believe once the melody has started all the composer can do it ride it out. So saying I can't do this until I play all these notes doesn't make sense.

Though I do believe it is possible to compose using the chromatic scale. Like every other scale it too has a distinctive sound. Very fluid as it inquires the movement to ascend, descend, or zig-zag in half steps. But ultimately if you add a harmony, a tonality will be established and the view you have on chromatics definitely makes sense.

Originally posted by chris mood
One thing I used to do when I was learning the fret board was to make a game out of it....I would close my eyes and randomely put my index finger down on the neck of the guitar and then figure out what note it was. I found this to be a great mental excercise.

Someone stole your idea :eek: :D. Check out the fretboard warrior program: http://www.francoisbrisson.com/fretboardwarrior/download.html

it really helped me learn all the notes on the fretboard.