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Guitar not so newb question: learning the fretboard

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Valrus:
So i've been playing guitar in a hobbyist sort of way for like 6 years, but I feel like I ought to start getting a little more ambitious and, you know, take my playing to the "next level." I know a fair amount of music theory, so I thought maybe I should try to learn my way around (read: memorize) the fretboard so I could make use of it.

The problem is, it's damn boring and tedious, and all the methods I have to practice learning the notes don't involve actually playing the guitar. So I feel like there's kind of a disconnect between the knowledge and application thereof at this point.

I guess my question is: Has anyone else here tackled the task of learning the fretboard? How did you do it and, perhaps most importantly, keep it interesting?

Soidanae:
Learnt the melodies of songs by reading the music, and did scales while saying the notes I was playing.

I got enough to find anything withing the first five frets very quickly.

Bastardous Bassist:
Okay, here's what someone suggested to me, and it helped a bit.  If you've ever played D&D, then you probably have a D12, if not, go find a game store, and ask for a 12-sided die.  If you don't have a six-sided (the normal amount), then get one of those too.  Well, roll them both together.  The six-sided represents a string (i.e. 1=E, 2=A, 3=D, etc) and the 12-sided represents a fret.  So, a four on the six-sided and an eight on the 12-sided would be?  If you said Eb (D#), you'd be right.  Do that for a bit every day, and you'll probably know the neck a bit better.

Reading music also helps a ton.  I don't think I'd know the neck of my bass at all if I didn't read music.  Also, try to work out multiple different fingerings/positions for certain melodies.  Not only is this kind of work good for getting the notes down, the best fingering/position might not have be the first one you tried.

Good luck.

Kai:
Yeah, I pretty much started out playing all of my music in sheet form anyways (as opposed to the general kid who buys a guitar and learns Green Day songs. go me) and I just played it a shitload.

TrueNeutral:
So I break the mold by being the general kid who buys a guitar and learns Modest Mouse songs?

Man, I dunno what to tell you. I'm not serious about my guitar playing at all. I just prefer noodling around. Heck, I only read tablature.

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