How To Unlock Area's Of The Fingerboard To Gain More Freedom In Your Playing

Hey There,

Would you like to have more control with your soloing and improvisational skills? Of course! Silly question. Read on to learn how to begin unlocking areas of the fingerboard and gaining more freedom in your playing.
By learning different chord shapes, you will gain the knowledge to play anywhere on the fingerboard. In this lesson we're going to take a look at 2 shapes and then learn all the notes around that shape that can be played. The first shape is a G7 chord played in the 12th fret. The chord is played on the first 4 strings.
The notes in this "Block" or Shape" that can be played are found in a 4 finger position as shown below. Now, you can visualize this shape when you need to solo over a G7 chord and play any of these notes you want to create limitless possibilities of patterns.
Also, I must add that you can also play notes that ARE NOT in the Melodic Shape - this is a great way to connect the notes that ARE found in the shape. Connecting with these "outside" notes not only gives you more notes to play but it also broadens your "color" palette as well.

Example 1

E |---------------12-15-14-13-11/12----------------|
B |------13-------------------------13---15-13p12--|
G |----------10h12---------------------12----------|
D |-10h12------------------------------------------|
A |------------------------------------------------|
E |------------------------------------------------|

E |------------------------------13---|
B |---------------------13-------12---|
G |--14h12-----------------------12---|
D |----------15-13/14-------12--------|
A |-----------------------------------|
E |-----------------------------------|

The next shape you can play is located in the 8th fret. The "Melodic Shape" is shown below for this chord.

It's very easy to transpose this to other chords because there are no open strings being played.

The first shape in the 12th fret contains the root or name of the chord on the 3rd string. If you wanted to solo over an F7 chord - all you have to do is move this shape to the 10th fret.

Example 2

E |--8h10--8--8-----------------8---------------------------10--|
B |--8----------8h10--8--8/10------------------------------8----|
G |-----------------------------------10-9b10r9----------10-----|
D |---------------------------------------------------10--9-----|
A |-------------------------------------------------------------|
E |-------------------------------------------------------------|

The second shape in the 8th fret contains the root or name of the chord on the 2nd string. To solo over an F7 for this shape, simply move it down to the 6th fret.

Of course you can also merge these "Melodic Shapes" together to create more freedom in your soloing. Below I have included a final example of this.

Practice playing these shapes everyday. Before you know it you'll be able to see them clearly on the fingerboard. Daily practice of these shapes will also allow you to transition between them seamlessly so that the imaginary barrier that separates them will be more transparent.

Example 3

E |-------------------------------------|
B |--8----8----------8----------10/12---|
G |--10---10-------------9h10-----------|
D |--9----9-----8/9---------------------|
A |--10---10----------------------------|
E |-------------------------------------|

E |--10-12-10-12h13p12p10-12-10-15-11/12--------------|
B |---------------------------------------12----------|
G |--------------------------------------------12/10--|
D |---------------------------------------------------|
A |---------------------------------------------------|
E |---------------------------------------------------|