SECRETS of the guitar fretboard

SECRETS OF THE GUITAR. The guitar is tuned in the circle of fifths and should be not looked at in a linear fashion. It should be viewed both on the x and y axis.
I show you the patterns you need to keep in mind if you want to master the guitar fretboard. The guitar fretboard when unlocked becomes your best friend. It will be your computer and will guide you through all the music theory and questions you will have in the future. You just need to learn how to use it instead of being intimidated by it.
You can get my other videos here www.GelvinGuitars.com/shop/

[@bigwavedave8492]

Wow man thanks sooo much ....it's like you've opened a door that I've been trying to bash down

[@MrThemortgage]

Sorry, too confusing, been at it way to long to use this method. But if it works for you great!

[@steveelle2169]

You’ve got to be kidding. There’s a reason nobody showed you this before. It should remain a secret.

[@KerryFreemanMelbourne]

Mind blowing...

[@azzuro195]

gret vid with one mistake at 11:10 when showing principle on real fretboard: everything should be like you already drawn on paper: one step below. what is shown is for d#

[@blackdog12873]

the secret of the fretboard just became an unsolvable mystery to me!!!

[@ashthegreat1]

I was hoping there would be someone else in the comments who had absolutely no idea what you were on about.

[@CobyBassett]

same! Is this one of those 'David goes to the dentist' videos, but all of the commenters have also coincidentally just gone to the dentist??

[@ashthegreat1]

Maybe? I’m unqualified to say. My music theory is like a primitive savage

[@mrovation99]

Very confused now

[@lancegould]

Wow, mind blown. I learned a long time ago about chord construction and the stacking of thirds (I.e. the 5th is the 3rd of the 3rd and the 7th is the 3rd of the 5th and all that shit) but I guess because of the B and high E strings’ displacement, I was prevented from seeing that every-other-string pattern, which, obviously, no one teaches. Once you’ve showed this to me, I’m going to sit down and, I guess just start unlocking all these gaps in my knowledge or maybe linking my knowledge of the notes on the fretboard to the information that has been opened by the key you just gave me. You’ve opened Pandora’s box and it’s going to take a while for my subconscious mind to work it out. Lots of sleeping is in my future. Lol.

[@thumbody1]

I admire your approach to finding a different way of understanding how the guitar works but, for me, after studying and playing guitar for over 50 years, this seems very confusing to me. Probably because my theory training was all keyboard based. I learned to apply the keyboard theory to guitar later on. Kudos to you for coming up with an alternate method. I'm sure this will help someone understand it better.

[@axemanfishing2703]

I agree with you Ken 100%. This approach is from a theory mind place, not an ear playing approach as my playing is from for the past 40 years. This is far too technical for my musical brain to latch on to, but this may be great for many others and their mathematical brain. Nice that Gelvin took the time to post this thought, great effort. 🙂

[@exerciserelax8719]

Yeah, I don't understand what this is for, at all. I don't get how someone would use this.

[@jowlorenz9555]

The uppity guitarist guild must be trying to throw all us intuitive newbies off the trail so that they don't become irrelevant as they are already nowadaze. Gotta luv watching anal-retentive academia nutz crunch themselves --- or not !

[@Ashaliel]

@@exerciserelax8719 I've made it about 9 minutes and and it is not clicking for me yet either. It seems a bit convoluted.

[@AndrewConniff]

I agree - although I also think a follow up showing how to apply it might change my mind

[@randyhaney5767]

What?.. More Like . WTF?? This reminds me of "WHO'S ON FIRST?" But The "B" String is not a "C" String. But what if??

[@INVERTEDBUKAKI]

Hey Will long-time subscriber I really appreciate you uploading some of this stuff as a father with two little kids I don't have enough money right now to buy a pack of strings this help someone like me immensely

[@ambu6478]

I appreciate what you're doing, but for someone who is just now starting guitar lessons, this making my eyes cross. I'll try to get through it again, but it seems like Greek to me right now.

[@kentzepick4169]

I know a decent amount of music theory but I found this explanation ridiculously complicated.

[@YEM_]

I'm shocked when reading the comments on this video and the previous one how many people find this helpful. "Instead of thinking about it the way you already do, pretend your guitar is tuned differently than it is and then think in 5ths". Everyone is like "you set me free" but I doubt any of those people can do this on the fly if they couldn't already name the notes and intervals from that note on any string.

[@Astr-w6y]

The real secret approach involves no thinking.

[@kane6529]

Fair enough it’s not earth shattering but it’s a new way of looking at things and the reality is it takes a lot of time and effort and memorization to where as you say you can recall it on the fly which there’s no shortcut to repetition

[@Astr-w6y]

@@kane6529 There is no substitute for practicing the right way and a lot of repetition till something becomes second nature but you either have it or don't when it comes to affecting the listener in an emotional way and all the practice in the world won't help for that unfortunately, there are a lot of great technical players around that lack feel, I played almost everyday for over 60 years only to find out I don't have it but I still very much play & record music for my own enjoyment and that is the main thing to me whether others like my tunes or not , some of my works are posted here.

[@kane6529]

@@Astr-w6y it’s cool you enjoy playing and have the awareness to know your not a virtuoso! It’s a fun journey and never stops

[@Astr-w6y]

@@kane6529 Thanks, I feel the world doesn't need anymore virtuoso's, I like to see the focus more on good songwriting and attitude like back in earlier times, I love old punk rock etc. and haven't known of any virtuoso's to play that style in a convincing kind of way as it is more about attitude, any kind of rock is more about attitude with mistakes left in there that becomes part of the excitement and character, we miss a lot of that in today's music except I am noticing a few bringing that back.

[@rayhoskins4478]

If I did understand this….I still don’t understand how it would be applied in music?

[@bivotarshamble3672]

Just fn play man ! If you have a good ear for music, you can figure out how to play without all of the theory information. I agree this type of knowledge is good and certainly helps. However, none of that means crap, without a good ear and creativity. Many well know great guitarist can't even read simple tab. Just saying. " sometimes the wrong note, is the correct note " Joe Satriani 🎸🎶🕺

[@Bricklinsv1970]

What How can I follow that? No way lol!

[@PLipetska]

I hope this is not confusing, but I believe that I have figured out the fretboard. I’m new to playing a guitar and I am self-taught by watching all the great KZbin‘s. However, I too wondered what the dots on the fretboard meant. I did a lot of research and could not find information about the design of the fretboard. What I have figured out is if you look at The fretboard from the nut to the 12th fret is one octave or thereabouts. Now, between fret five and seven there is no dot on the sixth fret, or better there’s no dot on the fretboard between the fifth and sixth fret. If you took a hand saw and cut the fretboard in half between the fifth and the sixth fret, then folded it on top of each other Fret-to-fret, they are mirror images of each other. Moreover, from the nut, the first two frets in that area has no dots (at least on my guitar). And from the ninth fret to the double dots on the 12th fret are two areas that don’t have a dot. Plus the pattern of dots on the third and the fifth fret lineup to the seventh and the ninth fret when you put them face-to-face. Furthermore, I discovered when you use the fifth fret to tune your guitar for example - finger on the Low E , fifth fret, and plucking the two strings will both ring out the note “A”, which is the string next to it to verify the tuning. I also found something interesting, when you pluck the low E string but your finger on the seventh fret “A” string, which is a note “B”, you will hear a harmonic frequency between the two strings which works like that on all adjacent strings. Conversely, when you’re tuning a guitar between the G in the B, you have to move one fret towards the nut to get them in tune, but when you create the harmonics on the seventh fret with strings G and B, you move away or opposite direction One semitone from the nut to get the harmonics for those two strings. This got me to believe that the fretboard is a mirror image from the sixth fret. Then from the 12th double dot fret to the 22th towards the bridge, is a (copy and paste ) complete duplicate of the lower half with identical dot placements except the frets are frets closer in spacing, which I believe the narrow spacing is required so the fretboard is not too long (just a thought). I also believe that the design was such that if you cut the fret board in a longitudinal from the nut all the way down to the bridge between string G and D, that will separate the base sounds and the treble tones. Please tell me what you think. I believe the guitar is one of the most fascinating instruments known to man. Thank you for your time! Patrick

[@ren7ee]

This is confusing and complicated AF to me.

[@NinjaLifeCrisis]

I've watched a handful of your videos and learnt more this morning than I have playing guitar for the last 30+ years. I've watched countless videos trying to get a better understanding of the guitar but nothing comes close to your video explanations! Thanks for sharing!

[@WillsEasyGuitar]

That is awesome!

[@donindri]

So did you get this from Tom Quayle, or did he get it from you? Actually I have seen these explanations before, but not quite as clearly as you put it. Thanks for posting.

[@TSoneonetwo]

after 30 years of playing, I am still embroiled in a fight with my fingers to do what I want them to. the fight between my brain and music theory would just be an exercise in constantly pissing myself off LOL i learned many years ago that there are some things this brain looks at and goes "f that"! to those of you who can understand theory in whatever form, and then apply it? you have my admiration.

[@markd5067]

I'm in your camp, but with over 50 years of playing 😕. This seems to be a lesson for those that already know theory.... So his secret remains....

[@rayhoskins4478]

If I did understand this….I still don’t understand how it would be applied in music?

[@jubyerhashin8214]

Mine as well have been in Greek 😂

[@ericallmeroth4698]

Thanks for your efforts here to explain this concept. For me,, having played guitar all my life and never having seen much relevant application of the circle of fifths, I wish this explanation wasn’t convoluted by introducing and overlaying this concept also here. I’m trying to wrap my head around the idea of the top three strings in the root position which are E A and D as related to the minor key, or a minor chord. Considering this is the key of B which was pointed out as it relates to “1” then I see that the D note is in fact the flatted third (minor note), the A is the flatted seventh, and the E note is the fourth note of both the minor and major scale which I would seldom use in a minor chord. Key of B: E A D 4 b7 b3 Heavily influenced by the five pattern Larry Carlton system of “seeing“ the neck, I would really like to know how to apply this major/minor scale system into my playing. Look forward to a video demonstrating the application. Once again thanks for your efforts.

[@baimun]

VERY useful tool for those of us who have relative pitch (as opposed to perfect pitch where one can label a note when hearing it). Being able to slide up to a note and use your method to play the every note in a major or minor scale with one hand, within a two fret span... then harmonize those relative pitches... I feel like I'll be able to much more quickly create harmonizing lines and the appropriate chord without wandering off into a nearby mode.

[@olivier3847]

interesting...i also like to move the notes on the first three strings an octave down to the top three strings...so in C major the three major chord notes (I, IV, V) are on the third fret and the three minor chord notes (II, III, VI) are open on the same strings (and the VII diminished on the second fret below the root), which also gives an easy to remember visual pattern

[@bulletsforteeth5029]

I blame other guitarists and musicians... They always seem to make it more esoteric and complicated than it needs to be. I can't tell you how much of my time others have wasted and misled me.

[@D.Guitar]

In the first 20 seconds. I find it wierd that you show a guitar neck. From the observation of a "student" observer. Rather than from the perspective of a player?!?? Just one random players observation

[@brentchapman5177]

Great way of looking at the fretboard, I love it. Can you help me understand the video starting at 11:07 where you show the barre for D, E, F, & G major? Are you barring on the correct fret or should the bar be down 1 fret toward the headstock? What am I missing here?

[@WillsEasyGuitar]

just think of the nut as the barr. then you fret the high e and b.

[@sean3994]

@@WillsEasyGuitar Yes I too am a little confused here. You show barring on the 3rd fret, and you push down the high e and b on the 4th fret. The corresponding notes are G, C, F, Bb, Eb, Ab? As Brent Chapman has pointed out, in the key of D major, shouldn't you be barring on the 2nd fret? to give F#, B, E, A, D, G!

[@olivier3847]

@@WillsEasyGuitar you misunderstood his question, you're one fret off at that timestamp

[@notfamouschristopher]

Ummm I'm confused... I just tune everything to F (Fuck tuning)... Less conFusing... Aka sonic youth tuning (Thurston Moore) *or if I'm bored I tune (DaAD Got Coke Tuning ) DAADGC ..

[@carlosclaptrix]

I understand these patterns. But I don't see how they are relevant to playing! There is not a scale in the 1... 7 line because of octave shifts. I see how you can "see" the I - IV - V chords on the fretboard, but here unfortunately there is this maj 3rd intervall between the g and the b string, which causes the chord patterns not simply repeating in the vertical.

[@thesaj1110]

Man, at one point I got lost! please make a video where you apply this to the guitar so we can get the whole visual thing, please.

[@edcrutchfield3447]

Lost me on this 🤷🏾‍♂️. But I’m going to KEEP studying it. Thank you 😊

[@MaxwellMhaka]

In short, this video is about the circle of fifths.Awesome anyway but certainly not for beginners

[@Spaceman-jo5mz]

Nope, too much for my brain… But thank you for explaining the fretboard through this lens.

[@embreesmith7613]

Hi there, Willie

[@billh4946]

It's like I'm looking at Egyptian hieroglyphics! I'm totally lost!

[@iwilrage]

Yes but like many things on guitar..... everything you say is true IF you change you tunings...

[@anthonylove821]

I made it to 6:43 and don’t think I can rewire my brain to normal thinking again 😂…. I get that’s he’s trying to make it easier from another perspective but it got very confusing to me once he said to leave out the e strings. Is this the only way you can know how the circle of fifths works or are there easier ways?

[@johnfeole1971]

Light just went on in brain, thank you!

[@HarbingerOfAnarchy]

What the problem with looking on the fretboard through the circle of 4th perspective?

[@squirelova1815]

SOLD! I will spend the lousy fifty bucks for this Deep level of Revelation. You Sir William are a "stable genius" indeed. I hope you are healing and feeling and better, Amen.

[@thomasfritsch3536]

Wow I read the comments just dido thank you so much for this

[@kevinfarrell5100]

I understood everything except for the part that comes after now listen to this...

[@johnrandle8365]

Are these a series of opposites half minor half major in different keys I am a beginner or novice just trying to understand this system?

[@GillesChehade]

mind blown 🤯 thanks, you've got a new subscriber

[@danhalen1967]

Just learn the notes on the fretboard and key signatures.. then you free yourself from boxes and shapes. It is worth the effort.

[@thomashorvath7026]

I'm to hight to follow this but sounds good!!

[@MARZENTERPRISES]

Listening to this made me wish I was high.

[@georgebokor298]

This is way to confusing for me maybe im ignorant

[@mikecamps7226]

Did I see you in a TV commercial......for some product.......recently......

[@WillsEasyGuitar]

Yes

[@mikecamps7226]

@@WillsEasyGuitar refresh my memory......it was late at night and I was on my way to visit the sand man......and I couldn't remember what it was..... BUT i knew I saw somebody I was familiar with for the 2 seconds you flashed by...from KZbin

[@kevingibbet1566]

Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles' Father. Thanks for that insight.

[@WillsEasyGuitar]

Fraudulent Clinton Gave Democrats Additional Election Ballots. Then it continues with Gloating Democrats Approve Encroaching BIlls (these are the flats). If you do it the direction you are going it is the circle of fourths.

[@danbromberg]

At 10:55, I'm confused why you show a D major chord comprised of the notes G, D and A? (i.e., shouldn't the notes be F#, D, and A?)

[@WillsEasyGuitar]

there is nothing wrong with my explanation. You weren't paying attention to what I was saying or teaching. I wasn't teaching you how to make a D major chord I was talking about the notes and chords of D major. watch it again.

[@embreesmith7613]

Thanks Will Hope Your health is good. 🙂

[@Hakuakuki-n3q]

Thank you 🙏 so much😇

[@Hoekstes]

Four Constipated Gophers Died After Eating Beans

[@alva72nashir3]

we can use 3 and 4 full note pattern other note would be semi tone B or F right?

[@Asheanae]

I LOVE THIS APPROACH. How would this apply to less strings, like a ukulele? music theory generally brakes my brain, this is much more approachable.

[@stevepope5484]

If u used a Blue marker,,? It would all make since.

[@Gregorywillard777]

Thank you thank you thank you You Dropped a Bomb on Me

[@perfectstorm37]

There is nothing in this explanation that I understood?

[@Mike-hr6jz]

I’m sorry but this is clear as mud I still don’t understand the pattern

[@kirklandraab1999]

Clear as mud. Please use a clearer approach in your explanations.

[@primatesurvivor]

one of the E strings is an extra sumbitch. throws it all into 3d chess land

[@41663]

I dont get it. Probably why I didnt finish high school.

[@jasujokelainen5073]

I'm sorry, but i dont understand this one bit... 😢

[@Hoekstes]

Battle Ends And Down Goes Charles’ Father

[@teachmeguitar4149]

You are incredible at explaining things at a working mans level. Thank you

[@wallyinthebox1]

Wishing You a merry Christmas Will. Miss you Dude!

[@waynehicks1969]

Liked and subscribed. I have always thought of myself as a critical thinker. I guess I was wrong, because in this case I have just been trying to understand music information the way it was handed to me and never thought; "What's wrong with this picture". Thanks.

[@zsaxeshed5743]

I absolutely love this channel dude,you are the man!

[@WillsEasyGuitar]

I appreciate that!

[@TimothyHuffGuitar]

I give up 🤷‍♂️ I just don't get it

[@deetee5156]

Great video. Will need to view this a few times to make it stink in

[@miked2125]

my brain hurts......

[@waynekelly1419]

Wow…way over the top for me!!!

[@geomann1009]

Thank-you beyond words for bringing a completely different but more sensefil approach to the fretboard!! I may have to watch it several times but incredible!!

[@WillsEasyGuitar]

My pleasure!

[@Man.Well93]

@@WillsEasyGuitar absolutely useless and uneccessarily overcomplicated information.

[@SyNKevN]

@@Man.Well93 I will wait and will love to see your rendition of a video explaining the fretboard.... I won't hold my breath... .... Asshole

[@vinvin1909]

Nice stuff, man.

[@deanherbig9178]

wow never looked at it that way

[@djmustad]

I just saw you on a Navage commercial!

[@Davo2233]

Whats up with leart?

[@joesnose1647]

Man☹️ I only know how to play by ear. Never tested but I believe I just might have a learning disability. Played since I was 14. I’m now 61. Absolutely cannot understand music visually. Debilitating really. So limiting. I feel like Helen Keller. If I could ever understand my playing would be exponentially improved. All though I can play really good. I’d prefer to understand better. But TY for trying 👍🏻😎

[@johnrebolledofaminial3698]

Nice i appreaciate so much...

[@byromtaylor6482]

you lost me completely

[@sprit2000able]

너무 눈물이 나네요 사랑합니다건강하세요

[@raybenoit5238]

If you don't Mind , what is the name of your last video ?

[@WillsEasyGuitar]

"you are not looking at the fretboard correctly"

[@kane6529]

I watched this video twice and at the end I finally had a moment where it all made sense 🤯 at first I was very confused but this is actually a very helpful way of looking at things, thanks for being like Taco Bell and thinking outside the bun or in the sake of guitars outside the box 😅

[@markknowlton9184]

This is the dumbest hardest way to learn about the fretboard... If you are a beginner and are discouraged by this ridiculously difficult algebra problem please throw it in the trash and never think of the fretboard this way... It's way too much math 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@thore_rohit]

Wow, a completely new perspective for me.

[@guitarlots]

Very good visual

[@Kommencentz]

Be careful everyone, if you don't follow the instructions correctly you'll end up installing the flux capacitor a half step to high and end up in the 9th dimension of 1955.

[@Hillbillykaren]

Huh

[@grandpohbah]

I taught myself this with the circle of 4ths and 5ths several years ago I try to teach people to use an acronym like this girl likes beads by saying the bead for A girl that’s cute and fancy and then the beads are flat and then the girl is flat and then you’re back to just normal bead Girl cute fancy And back to the flat beads ….But you can do it both ways you don’t have to just do it on fifths and you could do it in fours so when you’re going from the elephants and donkeys get ( big Ears ) those two high strings Have to be fingered and not open but if you are pressing the strings from.Bass to treble you have to move the last two over a fret giving you F Bb Eb Ab and your two treble strings have to be moved over a half step ie fret to the right , to become Db and Gb So all of the notes in each key are visible from bass e to treble e a e a d g (b e ) have to be pressed to become (c f)

[@drivventodrumm1]

I'm sweating

[@butcheringsaint]

Nice way to view it! Thanks!

[@nikkindrid3634]

Its hard to see why you have done this after 25 years of teaching myself the actual notes of every fret every string. I tried but i just don't get why you've done this

[@totallyfrozen]

So….everything I need to understand, I learned playing a 5 string bass. K, thanks! 😁👍🏻

[@theAxehound]

Imma build me a C standard guitar, but now I wanna sharpen that "B string" and move the 10th fretmarker down to the 9th fret and that should be a piano fretboard, with the inlays as the white keys and the ones in between the black keys.

[@RippedPantsss]

Blew my mind

[@kevinkillsit]

Dooood! Where has this been all my life!!! Absolutely mind blowing that I have never learned this and never understood why the guitar is tuned the way it is and how it all connects to circle of fifths. I've had all the pieces, but never put them together until now. I honestly can't thank you enough! What an epiphany.

[@kevinkillsit]

18yrs of playing never understood

[@stoneysdead689]

All this just to identify which note is what on the fret board? Seems like overkill- has to be some other motive- does it help you figure out chord progressions or what scale form sounds good over what chord? Makes it easier to find triads huh? Or to come up with alternate chord voicings- and still be able to color them minor, major, minor 7th, etc- I think I'm catching on. So, this is what those jazz dudes are doing when they're thumping a bass line and stabbing chords here and there- they're playing the melody and implying chords or stabbing a triad here or there to keep the rhythm going. I dig it- love jazz guitar- and this would be a massive step towards playing that style. I think I'm going to check out your course thingy you talked about- thanks man.

[@jessehutchings]

I guess the main reason why learning the music alphabet has been so hard for me is because I already know how to play almost entirely by ear minus sweep runs, full scale runs and high tempo shredding. So, for me, I've always been like .. why do I even need to learn this stuff when I can play without it based on hearing and memorization of patterns I've played before? So can I sit down and write sheet music? That's not what I want to spend my time doing; I'll never be an orchestral composer. What's the point? The most important reason for me is to play lead and create lead guitars and to collaborate with other musicians using a common language .. So, that's why I'm trying to learn this now .. it's really difficult when you don't actually have any other musicians you're working with at the moment