| Author |
Topic: Solving a Fretboard Problem |
Luke Yanders
From:
Canton, Georgia, USA
|
Posted 20 Apr 2023 4:54 am |
|
I wrote to Tom Bradshaw asking if it was possible for him to print a fretboard with all fret markers located one fret lower from their normal position. I wanted the markers displayed, for example, to begin at the 2nd fret (not the 3rd fret) with each marker on the full length of the board to be positioned one fret lower than their standard positions. I needed the board for my Mullen, since its neck length was 24 1/4", which proved to be an Emmon's board. Tom was a bit dumbfounded, but I explained that I played in 2 different bands one of which tunes down a 1/2 step. The 2 bands play a lot of the same songs which can make it a bit confusing playing one night in standard and the next night 1/2 step down. I wanted to keep the well identified frets the same from night to night. Instead of down-tuning my steel (which is not a good option), I made a prototype fretboard that contained fret markers located one fret lower that I could slide onto my existing fretboard. This made it appear that I was playing at the markers when in reality, I was playing between the markers. It has worked well for me, but I’d preferred to maintain a nicer appearance for my Mullen. Tom put together a board (pictured on the guitar) that works quite well for me, so thought I'd share this here on the Forum.
He cut up another Emmons board and pasted the markers as I requested. I thought I'd share its look with everyone and reveal how accommodating Tom tries to be toward all his customers, even when they make strange (if not weird) requests. I highly recommend Tom Bradshaw!! Give him a call or shoot him a message. He is always willing to help.
Pictures shown below with and without the temporary board.
_________________
Mullen Royal Precision D-10
MSA Classic D-10
Last edited by Luke Yanders on 20 Apr 2023 5:52 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
|
 |
Joe Krumel
From:
Hermitage, Tn.
|
Posted 20 Apr 2023 5:42 am
|
|
| Awesome idea. Yeah Tom is the best. |
|
|
|
Dennis Montgomery
From:
Western Washington
|
|
|
|
Rich Upright
From:
Florida, USA
|
Posted 20 Apr 2023 9:53 am
|
|
Had that happen to me once or twice.
I told 'em "Too hard to change tuning on a steel;tune normally, or find another steeler"
Problem solved.
_________________
A couple D-10s,some vintage guitars & amps, & lotsa junk in the gig bag. |
|
|
|
Jeremy Steele
From:
Princeton, NJ USA
|
|
|
|
Dennis Montgomery
From:
Western Washington
|
|
|
|
Luke Yanders
From:
Canton, Georgia, USA
|
Posted 21 Apr 2023 2:31 pm
|
|
Jeremy, how is the latency? I've heard it is minimal, however I've never used one of these for a super clean tone.
_________________
Mullen Royal Precision D-10
MSA Classic D-10 |
|
|
|
J D Sauser
From:
Wellington, Florida
|
Posted 22 Apr 2023 10:13 am
|
|
May 3rd, 2013:
I have decided to amend my rant below with a little more constructiveness (I hope):
We all have been beginners and as such, we tend to somewhat battle the instrument's mechanical aspects. It's not exactly the most comfortable to play instrument and it is a challenge at the beginning with so much going on all at once.
So, I do understand that one tends to want to "fix" things. I can actually relate to it. Been there done that.
But I stand by my warning that such "fixes" will not fix the real problem.
That being said, I too have struggled with "key-freedom", and maybe even more so because it somehow became and still is one of my pet peeves to not feel always able to play anything in any key without struggling.
FRET MARKERS (NOT the fret lines, but the pictograms in between certain frets) do create a map-image against which moving things one or more frets in one or the other direction (modulating) can change the "image" of what we are playing.
My solution has been to have fretboards printed virtually WITHOUT markers, except for very small dots. I did that after owning a Jazz "standard" guitar with such a "blank" neck... nothing but frets. Tiny markers only on the neck's upper edge.
What I see, is just frets. I don't play by fret numbers but by numbers of frets... Eg: "2 frets down, 5 frets up..." etc. Where ever I place it, the "image" is the same, moved as a whole. The only limit are the nut and playing too far up into "Hughey Land" (a ref. to John Hughey's famed ability to play way over the 17th fret, in tune and still sweeter than cotton candy).
So this is my recommendation. It does take a few days or weeks to get accustomed to "wonder out blind" onto the new mine-field, but it's helped me a great deal in reaching my goal to feel comfortable modulating (which is what Jazz is all about with moved around sequences or cadences) and even in the most unusual keys.
... J-D.
Original answer, April 22nd, 2023:
I am afraid I would have to suggest that it’s not a “Fretboard”-problem but rather a player’s problem.
How about rather have a fretboard with NO position markers at all?
It would “play well” in ALL keys. Could even tune to a different tuning (like pedals and levers don’t already do that constantly) and still have the mine field look all the same.
I don’t mean to be sound patronizing, I really think one having a problem with fretmarkers, would benefit from getting rid of them. A musical movement of (example) a fourth is a 5 semi-tone movement no matter the keys. That can be 5 frets up or 7 frets down on an un-modified chord structure, no matter what key or tuning. It’s not fret numbers, but numbers of frets which allways repeat. That’s what players should “see”.
It’s like being able to perfectly walk without crutches and instead of getting rid of them, trying to tinker around on them so not to costantly getting entangled in them wanting to hang on to them long after thir not needed anymore.
The PSG, with all it’s complications, has one main advantage over most other instrument: The seamless ability to modulate everything around with NO changes whatsoever. Keys players, struggle with just that their whole life, and so do wind players amd many other instrumentalist. We can even drag our tuning temperament from one key to the oddest key, with a simple nudge of our bar. Not just do all peda and lever combinations stay the same, so do the string grips AND BAR MOVEMENTS.
I think it’s very kind of Tom Bradshaw having provided the OP with a “simple” solution to his plight, but I sincerely doubt it’s helping the OP musically. It looks more to me like now the “crutches” have spinning casters or something attached to them.
… JD
And while we’re at it, here’s a simple solution for those who are not used to play FACING the band 😂🤣:
It’s joke! 😇
_________________
__________________________________________________________
Was it JFK who said: Ask Not What TAB Can Do For You - Rather Ask Yourself "What Would B.B. King Do?"
A Little Mental Health Warning:
Tablature KILLS SKILLS.
The uses of Tablature is addictive and has been linked to reduced musical fertility.
Those who produce Tablature did never use it.
I say it humorously, but I mean it.
Last edited by J D Sauser on 2 May 2023 9:10 pm; edited 4 times in total |
|
|
|
Lee Baucum
From:
McAllen, Texas (Extreme South) The Final Frontier
|
Posted 22 Apr 2023 1:35 pm
|
|
| Quote: |
I think it’s very kind of Tom Bradshaw having provided the OP with a “simple” solution to his plight |
I agree. It falls right in line with the KISS principle.
Keep
It
Simple
Stupid
~Lee |
|
|
|
Jeremy Steele
From:
Princeton, NJ USA
|
Posted 23 Apr 2023 3:01 am
|
|
| Latency on the Digitech Drop is unnoticeable. I usually only drop a half step and can't discern any change in tone. I used to transpose instead of retuning...this thing changed my life. |
|
|
|
Bob Hoffnar
From:
Austin, Tx
|
Posted 23 Apr 2023 3:38 pm
|
|
I play with a band regularly that tunes down a half step. I usually paint myself into a corner a couple times a night. I was thinking about retuning or doing something about it but I never get around to it. Not being able to rely on muscle memory is sort of fun anyway.
A steelplayer named Rob Segal uses fret boards with different markings. He has trouble playing open strings so his first fret is open E. Works for him.
Maybe he will chime in.
_________________
Bob |
|
|
|
David Donn
From:
New South Wales, Australia
|
Posted 23 Apr 2023 7:07 pm
|
|
| This reads like a prank to play on your steeler buddies |
|
|
|
Rick McNamara
From:
Michigan, USA
|
Posted 24 Apr 2023 5:35 am Solving Fretboard Problem
|
|
Hey Luke,
If this is a joke you and Tom Bradshaw cooked up(thanks David Donn!), you made your point! If it’s for real then carefully read JD’s explanation on how simple it is to change key up or down on PSG without requiring a new fretboard.
A practice exercise I do is to play a rhythm track in Key of G and then find every place on the guitar to play the 1, 4, and 5 notes with any pedal/knee lever combination. The goal is to never use the same location or chord grip twice in a row while playing with the rhythm track.
When you can do that in G or wherever you start, with muscle memory then move to a new Key and start again.
Also, special thanks to Tom Bradshaw for releasing Curly Chalker’s recordings. What a great player he was!👍
Rick |
|
|
|
Andrew Frost
From:
Toronto, Ontario
|
Posted 24 Apr 2023 9:46 am
|
|
| I know having everything remapped like that would be a distraction for me as I tend to look at the whole length of the string in my peripheral most of the time.. Things like chimes and harmonics would be just enough out of whack to drive me nuts. But hey, 'chacun a son gout'....Apparently Irving Berlin could only play in Gb so he had a giant piano capo installed. I think he did ok...Whatever works. |
|
|
|
Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
|
Posted 24 Apr 2023 10:12 am
|
|
I played an album tribute show a couple of weeks ago. I was part of the house band and a dozen artists were on & off the stage.
One song, our bass player switched to piano to do a sweet duet with his wife. It was the house digital keyboard. He punched a couple of buttons and transposed the instrument to fit her vocal range while playing in 'C' on the keys. I figured that he's not a pianist so that's ok. (he didn't switch the piano back to concert when he finished and the next guest was in a for a nasty surprise when he started playing. There's an etiquette tip there somewhere, folks....)
Bottom line, I play with all sorts of people from folkies (with capos) to jazz & classically trained players. Horn keys get called often enough. I'm not as fluent as I want to be in the key of Eb but I can't not look at the fretboard as an open, fully chromatic book laying before me, same as the white & black keys of a keyboard. There are no 'off' or 'other' frets.
But now I'm also wondering if this whole post was a very late April Fools gag. |
|
|
|
