What percentage of my time should I allocate toward improv/theory vs technique?

Playing Technique
#21

That is a thing I never had trouble with (most things I do/did have trouble with lol). My method was to commit to memory the low E string, using the open string and conventional fretboard markers as landmarks. So for example, the low E just learn

E|-0--3--5--7--9------12
   E  G  A  B  C#(Db) E

Any note not in that set is always going to be 1 fret away from a note that is. So if you need to get a G#, you’ll already have memorized that fret number 3 is G, so G# is just a fret north of that. Over time you’ll stop leaning on the landmarks and you’ll know all 12 frets

Do the same with the A string

A|-0--3--5--7--9------12
   A  C  D  E  F#(Gb) A

Those were the only 2 strings I committed to memory. I then just did the D string by knowing octaves - it is always the same as the E string, just 2 frets ahead. So, you need to find a G note on the D string. No problem, you have already memorized it’s the 3rd fret on the E string, so it’s going to be the 5th fret on the D string.

D|----5
A|-----
E|-3---
   G  G

You’ll have the same octave relationship between the A and G strings as you did between the E and D strings.

For the B string, I just substracted 2 frets from the memorized notes on the A string. Ex you need to find a D note on the B string. You’ve memorized that it’s the 5th fret on the A string, so it’s 2 frets lower on the B string - the 3rd fret

B|---3
G|----
D|----
A|-5--
   D  D

Then obviously the high E is the only string left, and you’ve already learned that by learning the low E. So that’s not a ton to “memorize”. It’s really just the names of the notes on the fretboard markers of the E and A string, then a few simple rules and all the others you ‘relate’ to the ones you’ve memorized. Over time, you’ll just know the whole thing. That worked like a charm for me, and I passed that along to all the students I taught and they seemed to mostly ‘get it’.

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#22

I agree with the above. Learn the 6th string (and therefore the 1st, since they’re both E. Then the 5th.

The 4th and 3rd become easier as the 4th mirrors the 6th……just two frets and one octave up. The 3rd and 5th are the same way.

Don’t just “learn the notes”. Give it context against a chord progression. I diagrammed the fret board early on and it was a waste. When I learned triads ……then it all started clicking together and the patterns I knew made WAY more sense.

#23

I’d recommend incorporating some randomised self-testing into your practice when learning the notes on the fretboard. Something like this web tool.

https://www.truetoneguitar.co.uk/tools/guitar-note-trainer

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