Fret Board

Welcome to guitarnoise Jadda918, you've come to the right place.

What you are doing is perfectly normal. In time you will develop a "feel" for the guitar and know where you are at any given moment. It will take time and a LOT of practice.

Have fun and stay focused!!!

You shouldn't be looking at the fretboard when you play, but you have to at first, or you won't be able to tell what you're doing. Like Tracker said, you'll get a feel for it. You could work on it by playing without looking as much as you can (mistakes will happen at first!), and playing in darkened rooms (very dark).

playing in darkened rooms
A couple of years ago I read about a Russian pianist who always practices in a pitch black studio. I guess it works - she won a major competition (the Chopin, as I recall, but I might have that wrong).

When I'm learning something new I tend to look at the fret board more often, but once I'm comfortable with it a quick glance is often all thats needed, usally when I start playing just to make sure my fretting hand is starting at the right place/ fret.

A few weeks ago I started learning a fingerpicking pattern, at first I had to look!!! Just to make sure I was hitting the right strings. Funny thing I've noticed is after practicing for a while, I found I actually made less mistakes when I didnt look. I think I may overprocess things when I start looking at the fretboard, once I get it down I think it's better if I just play by feel, sort of get in the groove..... hope that makes sense.

Anyone else think there playing improves once you can quit looking at the fretboard?

Yes it does, but I still find I glance at it to make sure I'm oriented. And you can clearly see guitarists doing exactly that in concert. Makes me feel better. :)

Sleep with your guitar. well maybe not sleep but go to bed with it. well humm..... what im saying is before you go to sleep, turn off the lights and lie down with your guitar. Place your fretting hand on the fretboard and just fell the neck/strings distances between frets and strings(action) untill the sandman comes. Try to put your guitar up before this happens, you dont want to damage it. You could even pick up a strum, or start finger picking. I might be kind of wierd but its somthing iv always done before bed. Making love to my baby.

Dirty Rotten

Rotten wrote:

"Sleep with your guitar. well maybe not sleep but go to bed with it."

My wife already thinks I spend way to much time with my guitar, If it even got close to our bed, I can assure you it would put her over the edge.

I couldnt help but laugh when I read your post, thanks :D

If it came down to the wife or the guitar what would you pick? Remember the guitar doesnt ask if its strings make it look fat.

Dirty Rotten

Ah, but can your axe cook dinner, fetch you a beer, bath the kids and take out the trash whilst you're playing, AND still turn into a beef sandwich at midnight?

A :-)

I've been to bed with a few things, but never a guitar!

When I play standing up I find myself putting my right foot up on somthing a few inches high to put a bend in my knee to angle the guitar a little. And if there's nothing there to put my foot on I'll raise it on the ball of my foot. Sorta like I'm wearing a shoe with high heels on my right foot (no, I don't get freaky like that, you pervs).

For me, it puts me in a more confortable playing postion overall, and it's easier for me to glance down at the fretboard. It's especially hard with the deep body of my accoustic that often obstructs my view.