Ok..just got my grand 12 from SE, and I'm starting the books and dvd I ordered.

I have noticed that some of you have used violin fret board tape to mark out extra markers.

What techniques are u using to help find notes quicker?

I am coming from a guitar background....so I am gravitating toward seeing the "E"s right now.

Mine has dot inlays and I see the benefit of the linear....but I can make due with some board tape now. I used a little to mark the side of the stick for quick reference when I lose the dot.

Otherwise...I now see the logic in the 5th and 4th classic tuning. Hands move the same way in progressiobs...like 1 4 5. Genius layout

(Typed on the phone. ..forgive spelling)

Thanks

TP

Hi Thomas, for me it worked same as all the other string instruments: scales and songs. cheers and congrats on your instrument!
Rodrigo


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My method...is no method.

I still don't know what the notes are on the melody side, without applying some sort of ...."ok...D is here, so if I go a full step up thats an E"....... sort of methodology. This is after having a Stick for close to five years.
I know most of the notes on the bass side though.....but that is through osmosis and learning songs.

Real musicians insert cringe here------>

Personally, I think its more important to know chord shapes in the bass side and have an ear for melody, then the note memorization will become a by-product of your practice.

I don't need to know where an E is on string 3 to get the same result as a player who knows where E on 3 is. I'm not sure if that makes sense or not......sorry....egg nogg infused post.
My point....just play, and dont get too tied up in the mucky muck (Nigel
tufnel).... you will learn where the notes are through practice.

cheers,
Sir Dennis Eton Hogg

Kev, I'm kind of the same way. I don't even look at the fret board, so tape and markers have no use for me. I'm learning this instrument by ear.

What tuning are you using? There are helpful hints, but they are tuning-specific.

Classic tuning....5th on bass side, 4th on melody side

im like Rodrigo. scales and songs as well as using a chromatic tuner or i will match notes on the piano. After you learn a few songs you start getting grounded a bit more. Thats my approach

I use music flashcards. Pick a string, shuffle the deck, draw a card and go find the note.

It might seem stupid, but it's very fast...

Thomas,
here's some hints that might help you-

MELODY side
1) get a chromatic tuner and keep in line when you play. Mainly the melody side, so when you play a note, you can see what it is ie. C.

2) the linear/dot markers show where the note repeats on the next adjacent string.

3) using octaves - over 2 strings up 2 frets higher you can double and triple the notes you already know-you can do this on the fly to find a note from a NOTE YOU ALREADY KNOW

4) learn the natural notes, ie. C D E G F G A B, then if you need a C#, it's up one fret, if you need a Bb then it's down one fret.

BASS SIDE
1) you can use the same tuner idea
2) learn the NATURAL notes on just two thickest strings first up to the Seventh ( inlay) fret
so D would be your lowest and D would be your highest.
…..this ties into Kev-C's approach, and you could use shapes then to make the chords which are based off those two thickest strings
3) learn the natural notes, ie. C D E G F G A B, then if you need a C#, it's up one fret, if you need a Bb then it's down one fret.

hope this helps,
Dave B "DBro"
Lessons via SKYPE and Google + and by Reindeer this time of the year!

Not taking away from anyone else's suggestions; one must learn the relationships and how the fret board is organized...octaves, fifths, chord arpeggios, etc.

However in answer to your question of "finding notes quicker", I suggest sight reading exercises. I use sightreadingfactory.com; no nonsense, configurable, not just a random shotgun blast of notes (they use algorithms that force a certain element of musicality), a different exercise every time, and I don't have to waste time looking for pre-published exercises in a book or something. Well worth the $35 yearly fee.

Until recently I limited myself to the bass side, frets 9 and below. I can't truly sight read a piece at speed unless it's pretty simple, but 10 minutes a day for a couple of months moved me beyond constantly needing to Friggin' BEADGooC my way around. Plus, as I think Stickrad noted once on this forum, it brings the bonus of making you better at playing without having to look at the instrument constantly.

It's a big fret board with multiple places to play most notes, and that complicates things, but sight reading exercises definitely work.