The Map
The same note in five places
One note you know becomes five notes you know, without counting anything.
Take the guided lessonTurn one known note into several
You do not need to memorise all 72 positions on the neck. You need a handful of anchors and a way to jump from them.
The jump is the octave shape. From a note on the low E string, skip one string and move two frets toward the bridge. Same note, one octave higher.
Hear the jump
Fret 3 of the low E string is G. Fret 5 of the D string is also G.
Played together they blend into something that barely sounds like two notes. That blending is how you check an octave shape by ear instead of by counting.
The shape changes once
Skip one string and move two frets works from the low E string and from the A string.
Starting from the D or G string, the shape becomes skip one string and move three frets. That extra fret is the B string irregularity from the last lesson, showing up exactly where you would expect.
Two shapes, and one rule for when to use each. That is the entire technique.
Two shapes, and when each applies
Which shape you need depends only on the string you start from, because of the B string irregularity from the last lesson.
| Starting string | Move | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Low E or A | Skip one string, up two frets | Low E fret 3 (G) to D string fret 5 (G) |
| D or G | Skip one string, up three frets | D string fret 3 (F) to B string fret 6 (F) |
| Low E or A | Skip two strings, down two frets | Low E fret 5 (A) to G string fret 2 (A) |
The third row is the same idea pointed the other way, and it is how you find an octave below rather than above.
Fret 5 of the A string is D. Using an octave shape, where is the next D up?
Find three different notes: A, D and G
Use octave shapes rather than counting up the alphabet. Labels are hidden.
All three are open strings, which makes them the easiest anchors on the instrument. Find them anywhere you like.
Why is the octave shape worth learning before anything else?
Takeaways
- Skip a string and move two frets to find the same note an octave up.
- Starting from the D or G string that becomes three frets, because of the B string.
- Two octaves played together blend almost into one sound, which lets you check by ear.
- Two shapes cover the whole neck, which is why this beats memorising positions.