The
Whole
Guitar Neck
The Whole Guitar Neck is an authentic, and concise, guitar method; based only on musical rudiments, and an easy learning path.
Primary components are large books of guitar charts; of various scales, in all chords, and all modes. Our method then brings you a firm grasp, within any fingering on any diagram; along the whole neck.
Our large charts also help you discover chord voicings, phrase fingerings, the positions, movement, and many other things all over the neck; and, our method will bring you all the way past merely shapes, and give you the musical orientations that allow you to play the music, anywhere, without baggage.
Please Pause for Us Just One Moment 🙂
Many of you may be quite familiar with scale diagrams. So we just want to let you know that we're not providing a cut-short presentation of scale diagrams; and nor is this merely a cluttered collage of boxy pictures to assemble! Our easy rudiments-based method is musically sound, and that is what simply leads out to all of these shapes on the whole neck; and, it is concise.
Our method is based only on the music; while still as easy to grasp as a simple looking diagram.
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👉 You'll find an excellent resource; designed well even for professional players, and diametric approaches.
More than just the one Shape, the "complete charts" provide you with the complete scale at any position along the whole neck; and the uncontrived charts also allow you to see your own figures "from the markers-out".
We're not going to give you "easy" diagrams; or diagrams with "an approach"; and we're also not going to leave you with nothing more than scales and diagrams. Our musically sound method will provide you with core substance, for confidence from your own approach.
😊 Getting all the way down to the musical rudiments in our method, will reveal that the diagrams come second to the music; and, there’s even a lot more than just one orientation in one diagram! They will all "fall away", into your own music.
About the Book
The book is delivered in two parts; and is available for many scales. For the particular scale, the book includes a collection of dozens of large diagrams; and each one is given in all chords, and all modes for that scale. Every book then also includes our complete method. Our method covers all of the musical components.
① You'll find an excellent set of clear charts that give you all the chords and grips at every fret on the whole neck.
② What you see in all of the diagrams comes out of our easy method; and is at your disposal. 😊
Our method is also built a bit like a "toolkit"; in that you will be able to use any part of it in many different contexts. That's part of why we've said that we won't simply give you rote scales or chords: instead, our method "builds out" all of these components, and there is no "one way street" in anything we provide for you; neither musically, nor in the diagrams. You will feel confident in the music on the fretboard, and all of the diagrams are just a consequence of that.
We have made the full method Introduction available online for free here. The introduction will begin to break down how we find so many musical tools in the "shapes" — and it is an integral component of the whole method.
Our method may certainly seem to be focused on something about shapes: our books provide a very nice toolkit in large clear charts. But then we’re also going to break them all down, and discover orientations in them. We’re also firmly saying that we don’t want to put rote mechanics before you: the music is the target; and we might ask: if you consider that a goal can be in becoming familiar with the notes on the fretboard “like seeing the numbers on the diagrams”; then we’d answer by saying that you can get there with our method.
The primary goal of our method is not simply shapes; but is about those musical orientations all over them. If you’re playing in one given position, then you should be able to improvise and have the needed confidence in the scale tones and/or chord tones; as well as various transitions, and movements. You’ll also be playing in many positions; and in many keys and chords; and again want the orientation.
So we’re not simply going to leave you with the shapes, as if to say “there is the scale, and so it should seem obvious now”. Our method will provide you with the concise toolkit to assemble your needed musical orientations; and from many perspectives.
The diagrams are simple neck diagrams, like the one to the left. The frets are laid out horizontally, and strings are laid out vertically. On a right-handed diagram, the Low E string is on the left; as if holding the neck up in front of you. The strings are reversed for a left-handed diagram; and the book is available in both left and right-handed * versions.
The markers represent all the notes available for your fretting fingers. In addition to the "blank" diagrams, our books include complete sets of diagrams that show the scale degrees on the markers (a Trademark); and they are designed to help you to isolate and see intervals, notes; and any shapes or string groups, anywhere on the neck — in addition to learning the scale and chords.
Notice also that our diagrams include a "duplicate scale tone"; on the B and G strings. It's included because our diagrams are designed to show you the complete scale at each position. (Actually fingering the scale in position is only one thing; and there is a preferred fingering for each duplicate tone. But for one, the chords are also in the diagrams; and, the choices do remain free!) Our diagrams are not just rote scale fingerings, and are designed to be more complete tools in a toolbox; so they do include the chords.
(11" × 17")
(11" × 17")
The book will include diagrams specific to the scale and our method; and also includes all of the chords, and larger diagrams; all in every mode and chord. It's formatted on large, Tabloid pages (11" × 17"); and is great to print!
* We consider a "Right-Handed" player as picking with the right; and fretting with the left hand.
FAQ
Is this an academic course?
Or method is not truly a 100% complete instruction course; yet it is an academically sound method, with real substance that can be applied in your own musicianship, and technique; and it can be made complete on your own. Everything in our method is based purely on musical rudiments, and what you take away won't be tied back to only what you read and see here.
What's so useful in large diagrams?
Our method uses the diagrams to solidify the music on the fretboard. You will gain new perspectives with the chart that's there; and you'll see more than just one takeaway in the whole chart. Our method makes that easy to do; and you'll see "from the markers-out", and figure confidently anywhere on the neck.
Can I have full success on my own?
Yes. Any reader can absolutely gain confidence in playing just what they want, anywhere on the neck, on their own. You only need to approach and apply the method with an open mind, as you see fit to take the real goal of the music seriously.
Why not three fingers per string?
Because the chords are in our charts too! The instrument is tuned that way for a reason; and our uncontrived method does not make choices for you! Our charts are not merely "scale diagrams"; and we'll have more to say about our diagrams being designed to be uncontrived, and to leave your options open too; and taking real substance out.
Does this method include music?
We do not provide exercises or other music to study or play. Yet our method is complete up to just that point; and in order to consider it academically complete, you'd only need to apply some music of your own. We do provide suggestions on that; and, the method is also not tied to any particular musical or playing style: you can take away just what you need to play with your own confidence in any music you choose.
Is this method tied to just one scale?
The answer is no. Though it may seem that a lot of material leads through the Diatonic scale, you can consider the scale as "only a means to an end". When you get all the way through our method, then the instruction we give you is also applied to any music of your own; and you won't be tied to any scale at that point!
Will I only take out "just the same things" as all other readers?
No. The rudiments that form our method will leave each reader with tools that add in to their own unique musicianship.
Is this method the same as another method?
No: our method is 100% unique. The underlying music, and the rudiments, are musical facts; but the approach taken by our method was crafted from the ground up, through it's own unique path.
Where to Go
