10 Things You Gotta Know About the Fingerboard -Page 4- ~ World Guitar

9.SHIFT YOUR GAZE

By using a different graphic symbol for each chord tone as in Fig. 11, it’s easy to see how these five connecting C-chord shapes originate in open position with the circular C roots, the diamond-shaped Es, and the square Gs all happening simultaneously. Practice breaking each chord tone into its own discrete “dipper”—for Cmaj7, play all roots (Cs), followed by all 3’s (Es), all 5’s (Gs), and all 7’s (B’s)—to create unique arpeggios.

10.REDEFINE THE MAP

Finally, let’s have another look at Figures 1 and 2 from a more informed perspective. Fig. 12 organizes the 12-fret template of natural notes into five distinct C major scale patterns, each of which adheres to the root positions of its related chord shape. The entire template may be shifted up or down to transpose the whole fretboard to any key—up a half-step for C#/ Db, up a whole-step for D, up one-and-a-half steps for D#/Eb, and so on. Of course these are all virtual dots and position markers, so we have to train ourselves to visualize these patterns on demand. The “Big Dipper,” five major chord shapes, and five major scale patterns (which also contain all seven modes) provide a universal point of reference originating from any note in any position. Commit them to memory and you’ll never feel lost again!
Jesse Gress is the author of The Guitar Cookbook.