Piano player here. I've toyed with guitar over the years and only know the very basic chords. I had some understanding of the markers. Thanks for making their function even clearer! Excellent presentation. You're obviously a seasoned pro player but you gave me (a rookie) an excellent description.
Nice explainer! Another thing that's helpful I think - the notes repeat at the 12th fret of course, but it can be hard to convert numbers in the moment if you want to transpose something up the neck. Using the dots as a visual reference you can quickly jump to "the same place", and it lets you try fun things like big slides up an octave, or doing a little call-and-response bit where you play something down low and reply to it up high
I may be wrong, but I think it goes back to the regimented way in which classical guitar was/is taught. 1st position meaning using open strings + the first 5(?) frets, one finger per fret + a pinky stretch to the 5th. 2nd position meaning that you move your hand up so that your index finger is at the third fret, 3rd position - at the 5th fret etc. As an aside, when I first played in a band nearly thirty years ago, I sang back-up on a song where the chorus rapidly alternated between E and C#min. My acoustic guitar still has a small piece of tape on the back of the neck as a tactile marker so that I could slide up and stop at the C#min without looking down.
I want to know why are they on the front of the fret board? If you play standing up you don't see the ones on the front. Well you can but everyone will wonder what you are doing.
Well, that comment you feature seems to be correct. You actually do not explain why the dots are on 3rd, 5th and 7th. My guess is because that way they are evenly spaced between the nut and 12th ( octave ) and they are also non sharp/flat notes ( C# exception ) . You just explain the obvious which is that dots are there to help you finger the right position ( and this needs no explaining at all, everybody knows this ) , but you never explain why 3rd, 5th, 7th and not for example 2nd, 4th and 6th frets.
@@nosidemusic Nobody is saying you got it wrong. The question isn't what is the function of the markers, it's why are the not on the 2nd, 4th or 6th frets. Is it beacause of the harmonics which are found on the 5th, 7th and 9th frets?
I think everyone knows they are reference points. I think most of use wonder why THOSE frets and THOSE reference points were selected. For example, why fret 9 (C sharp) instead of fret 10 (D)? And then all manufacturers said , “oh this is awesome, we’ll do the same thing”. I believe that is the question being asked.
It's funny, I recently bought a guitar and the dots on the neck and the sides are almost the same color as the maple neck. I really struggle with it, I wasn't aware how much I relied on them. I'll probably sell it!
If the dots are actual inlays, you can use a little "Old English" on the fret board. It doesn't darken the inlays. Just wipe some on and wipe off. The "Old English" for dark wood does a awesome job on Rosewood. It will also darken "Purple Heart" and that "Indiana Laurel" crap. No waiting and it dries really fast. Awesome stuff. Been using that for years. Peace.. Joe Note: Just don't use the "Dark Wood" on a maple Fret board. It won't hurt it per say but it will darken it darker than what you may want. But the Original will work great.
According to the internet: To be extra confusing, some guitars have a position marker at the 10th fret instead of the 9th. These are typically Gypsy Jazz guitars. The reason for the change seems to be the guitars were based on mandolins, which have a fret marker at the 10th fret.
Excellent question. I asked Grok to explain this and here is what I was given: The dot on the 9th fret of a guitar, instead of the 10th, is due to how guitar fret markers typically indicate key positions on the fretboard: - **Octave markers**: The dots generally signify important musical intervals. The 12th fret is where the fretboard starts repeating an octave higher, so it's universally marked. However, markers are also placed at the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, and sometimes 15th and 17th frets because these positions are halfway points or significant intervals within an octave: - The 3rd fret is halfway between the nut and the 5th fret. - The 5th fret is a perfect fourth from the open string. - The 7th fret is halfway to the octave (12th fret). - The 9th fret is a whole step below the octave, making it significant for scale shapes and chord voicings. - **Symmetry and Ease of Use**: Placing a dot at the 9th fret rather than the 10th creates symmetry with other markers and aids in quick visual reference for players. If you consider the pattern: - 3rd to 5th (2 frets), - 5th to 7th (2 frets), - 7th to 9th (2 frets), it maintains a consistent visual pattern for players to recognize these intervals. - **Musical Reasoning**: The 9th fret is exactly three semitones (a minor third) below the octave at the 12th fret, which is useful for understanding and navigating scales, chord inversions, and melodies. This system isn't universal; some guitars might have different inlay patterns, but the 9th fret marker is quite standard due to these musical and ergonomic considerations.
@@nosidemusic To me as a severe ADHD guitarist, one more evenly spaced marker would slightly confuse me when I'm not playing low enough to see the nut and my hand in relation to it. Gives me an extra space on either end of the octave, which helps be instantly know where I am. Sort of "bookends" the octave. Also knowing the first 12 fret markers mirror each other from nut to 12 satisfies my OCD's need for symmetry! ;)
Uh I'm not sure that AI dump is all that helpful The pattern's useful because it creates a specific visual reference, and you can immediately tell what number any fret is (once you're used to it) The 4 dots are odd numbers, 3 5 7 and 9. You can quickly tell which is which by whether they're on the 'low' half of the pattern (3, 5) or the 'high' part (7, 9), and whether they're on the inside or the outside. Once you recognise those, now you can easily identify all the frets between them or adjacent to them. When you know which frets are 5 and 7, the one between them is obviously 6! The one before 3 is 2. You don't need to do any counting, because each of these frets occupies a specific visual place on the pattern The rest are relative to the nut and the 12th fret. Like the 10th and 11th frets have no markers, but they're both next to something that does, and the reference is on a different side for each. The 10th fret has a dot to its left (on a righty) and no dot to its right - and that's the only fret that looks like that. The 11th has no dot to its left, and a double dot to its right - unlike the 2nd which only has a single dot (And this pattern repeats on the other half of the neck because it's just another octave, same notes in the same pattern) So breaking the 12 frets up this way creates a very distinct pattern of reference points with no ambiguity. More dots would make it harder to tell which is which at a glance. Fewer would mean you'd have bigger unmarked areas that aren't next to an obvious reference. You could still work stuff out, but it wouldn't be as easy to just recognise - brains like patterns! It's a bit like being able to read numbers on dice without counting the dots (or mahjong tiles if you want bigger numbers). It's a pretty elegant way to do it! | - - o - o - o - o - - 8 👈look how neat that is
@@epeoples that is the twelfth fret, which signifies the first octave for all strings from the open tuning position. It’s sort of like a “reset” for the strings. Hope that helps!
@@epeoplesit’s an octave so basically what that means is, for example if on the E string. The open note is E and when at the 12th fret the note will be the E note once again. This repeats on every string. 2nd string will be A open and A on the 12th/etc
@@CitizenSoldier500 My guitar teacher had all of his dots on all even frets (aside from 12th) and so you can imagine how confusing that was for me just starting out 🤘🤪
I never thought this was even a question because aren't they pretty self-explanatory. I mean the other option is that there are no dots. And THAT should make it instantly obvious to everyone WHY they are there.
I like this video, and I appreciate everything you said. But, what you explained was the usefulness of the dots, not why they are on the frets they are on. As in, what was the first fretboard with this dot design? Why is it so universal? Who was the person that designed it this way? It’s as if the question itself has two different aspects to it, and your ex explanation answered one aspect.
12th fret = 1/2 neck 7th fret = 1/3 neck 5th fret = 1/4 neck You’ll find harmonics at each fraction of the string length (1/5, 1/6, 1/7 & 1/8) Get out a tape measure to see it)
So dots are there for beginners to learn where G A B and C# are. Most of the great guitar players I see close their eyes and use their ears. Why C#? For uniformity I guess. C and D are on each side of the 4th dot. Peace
Piano player here. I've toyed with guitar over the years and only know the very basic chords. I had some understanding of the markers. Thanks for making their function even clearer! Excellent presentation. You're obviously a seasoned pro player but you gave me (a rookie) an excellent description.
Wow, thank you so much for sharing - I’m stoked that this has helped you!!
I’m confused some of my guitars have birds😂
Ha ha PRS rules! Same difference essentially
So they aren’t guitar moles??
I mean, I’m not saying they aren’t…
😂
😂
Molely molely
Nice explainer! Another thing that's helpful I think - the notes repeat at the 12th fret of course, but it can be hard to convert numbers in the moment if you want to transpose something up the neck. Using the dots as a visual reference you can quickly jump to "the same place", and it lets you try fun things like big slides up an octave, or doing a little call-and-response bit where you play something down low and reply to it up high
I may be wrong, but I think it goes back to the regimented way in which classical guitar was/is taught. 1st position meaning using open strings + the first 5(?) frets, one finger per fret + a pinky stretch to the 5th. 2nd position meaning that you move your hand up so that your index finger is at the third fret, 3rd position - at the 5th fret etc.
As an aside, when I first played in a band nearly thirty years ago, I sang back-up on a song where the chorus rapidly alternated between E and C#min. My acoustic guitar still has a small piece of tape on the back of the neck as a tactile marker so that I could slide up and stop at the C#min without looking down.
I’m a huge fan of this approach!
This is super helpful! Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
How does that help me smash the guitar more efficiently?
@@jasongrove5223 at least you’ll be more confident of the guitar you’re smashing?
I want to know why are they on the front of the fret board? If you play standing up you don't see the ones on the front. Well you can but everyone will wonder what you are doing.
Ha ha love it
Well, that comment you feature seems to be correct. You actually do not explain why the dots are on 3rd, 5th and 7th. My guess is because that way they are evenly spaced between the nut and 12th ( octave ) and they are also non sharp/flat notes ( C# exception ) .
You just explain the obvious which is that dots are there to help you finger the right position ( and this needs no explaining at all, everybody knows this ) , but you never explain why 3rd, 5th, 7th and not for example 2nd, 4th and 6th frets.
Sorry about that! Maybe I’ll get it right in a 3rd video 🤘😆
He's right. Post hauk rationalization and utility aren't the reasons.
@@nosidemusic Nobody is saying you got it wrong. The question isn't what is the function of the markers, it's why are the not on the 2nd, 4th or 6th frets. Is it beacause of the harmonics which are found on the 5th, 7th and 9th frets?
I think everyone knows they are reference points. I think most of use wonder why THOSE frets and THOSE reference points were selected. For example, why fret 9 (C sharp) instead of fret 10 (D)?
And then all manufacturers said , “oh this is awesome, we’ll do the same thing”.
I believe that is the question being asked.
Yes!!!
still not getting it.... ok ok ok i got it.... well sh!t I lost it.
Better watch it again!
It's funny, I recently bought a guitar and the dots on the neck and the sides are almost the same color as the maple neck. I really struggle with it, I wasn't aware how much I relied on them. I'll probably sell it!
That’s a bummer, but could prove to be a great practice guitar if you decide to keep it!
If the dots are actual inlays, you can use a little "Old English" on the fret board. It doesn't darken the inlays. Just wipe some on and wipe off. The "Old English" for dark wood does a awesome job on Rosewood. It will also darken "Purple Heart" and that "Indiana Laurel" crap. No waiting and it dries really fast. Awesome stuff. Been using that for years. Peace.. Joe
Note: Just don't use the "Dark Wood" on a maple Fret board. It won't hurt it per say but it will darken it darker than what you may want. But the Original will work great.
Great tip. Thank you.
You’re welcome!
Long live Dime \m/
🤘😁
Obviously, they're markers. Why is there one on 9th fret (C#) and not the 10th fret?
According to the internet: To be extra confusing, some guitars have a position marker at the 10th fret instead of the 9th. These are typically Gypsy Jazz guitars. The reason for the change seems to be the guitars were based on mandolins, which have a fret marker at the 10th fret.
Excellent question. I asked Grok to explain this and here is what I was given:
The dot on the 9th fret of a guitar, instead of the 10th, is due to how guitar fret markers typically indicate key positions on the fretboard:
- **Octave markers**: The dots generally signify important musical intervals. The 12th fret is where the fretboard starts repeating an octave higher, so it's universally marked. However, markers are also placed at the 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, and sometimes 15th and 17th frets because these positions are halfway points or significant intervals within an octave:
- The 3rd fret is halfway between the nut and the 5th fret.
- The 5th fret is a perfect fourth from the open string.
- The 7th fret is halfway to the octave (12th fret).
- The 9th fret is a whole step below the octave, making it significant for scale shapes and chord voicings.
- **Symmetry and Ease of Use**: Placing a dot at the 9th fret rather than the 10th creates symmetry with other markers and aids in quick visual reference for players. If you consider the pattern:
- 3rd to 5th (2 frets),
- 5th to 7th (2 frets),
- 7th to 9th (2 frets),
it maintains a consistent visual pattern for players to recognize these intervals.
- **Musical Reasoning**: The 9th fret is exactly three semitones (a minor third) below the octave at the 12th fret, which is useful for understanding and navigating scales, chord inversions, and melodies.
This system isn't universal; some guitars might have different inlay patterns, but the 9th fret marker is quite standard due to these musical and ergonomic considerations.
@@nosidemusic So, I guess because it looks better. 😀
@@nosidemusic To me as a severe ADHD guitarist, one more evenly spaced marker would slightly confuse me when I'm not playing low enough to see the nut and my hand in relation to it. Gives me an extra space on either end of the octave, which helps be instantly know where I am. Sort of "bookends" the octave. Also knowing the first 12 fret markers mirror each other from nut to 12 satisfies my OCD's need for symmetry! ;)
Uh I'm not sure that AI dump is all that helpful
The pattern's useful because it creates a specific visual reference, and you can immediately tell what number any fret is (once you're used to it)
The 4 dots are odd numbers, 3 5 7 and 9. You can quickly tell which is which by whether they're on the 'low' half of the pattern (3, 5) or the 'high' part (7, 9), and whether they're on the inside or the outside.
Once you recognise those, now you can easily identify all the frets between them or adjacent to them. When you know which frets are 5 and 7, the one between them is obviously 6! The one before 3 is 2. You don't need to do any counting, because each of these frets occupies a specific visual place on the pattern
The rest are relative to the nut and the 12th fret. Like the 10th and 11th frets have no markers, but they're both next to something that does, and the reference is on a different side for each. The 10th fret has a dot to its left (on a righty) and no dot to its right - and that's the only fret that looks like that. The 11th has no dot to its left, and a double dot to its right - unlike the 2nd which only has a single dot
(And this pattern repeats on the other half of the neck because it's just another octave, same notes in the same pattern)
So breaking the 12 frets up this way creates a very distinct pattern of reference points with no ambiguity. More dots would make it harder to tell which is which at a glance. Fewer would mean you'd have bigger unmarked areas that aren't next to an obvious reference. You could still work stuff out, but it wouldn't be as easy to just recognise - brains like patterns! It's a bit like being able to read numbers on dice without counting the dots (or mahjong tiles if you want bigger numbers). It's a pretty elegant way to do it!
| - - o - o - o - o - - 8 👈look how neat that is
Excellent Video Thank You . 🇺🇸🇨🇦✨🎸🎬🔊🔊
You’re welcome!!
Why does that one fret in the middle have two dots stacked vertically like that?
@@epeoples that is the twelfth fret, which signifies the first octave for all strings from the open tuning position. It’s sort of like a “reset” for the strings. Hope that helps!
@ Yes, I think so. I’m just starting out but I think I get it. It’ll probably become more clear later.
@@epeoplesit’s an octave so basically what that means is, for example if on the E string. The open note is E and when at the 12th fret the note will be the E note once again. This repeats on every string. 2nd string will be A open and A on the 12th/etc
I just clicked on the video to look at your guitar... If those are black tuners and black string tree then our Teles are close to being twins.
Twinsies!
I am hungry.
@@fumanpoo4725 plenty of other videos on this channel to consume, and they are highly digestible 😉
try playing one without the dots and you'll learn pretty quick why they are there
@@CitizenSoldier500 My guitar teacher had all of his dots on all even frets (aside from 12th) and so you can imagine how confusing that was for me just starting out 🤘🤪
@@nosidemusic no doubt 😅
I never thought this was even a question because aren't they pretty self-explanatory. I mean the other option is that there are no dots.
And THAT should make it instantly obvious to everyone WHY they are there.
Some things are less obvious to some people I suppose 🤘😅
I like this video, and I appreciate everything you said. But, what you explained was the usefulness of the dots, not why they are on the frets they are on. As in, what was the first fretboard with this dot design? Why is it so universal? Who was the person that designed it this way? It’s as if the question itself has two different aspects to it, and your ex explanation answered one aspect.
Or you could learn on guitar on one without them like me!
The dots are gjitar zits...keep on pickin em
@@alrightnow7521 this channel will clear your guitar acne!
I learned to play bass on a friends AE fretless bass with no markers anywhere on the fretboard or neck.
It’s was a bitch!
I bet it was!!
Needo !
Yause!
I like beckers number guitar
I have never seen that
I just figgered they stuck em all over the place randomly..?
@@freewheeler8924 sure seems that way on some guitars! Ha ha
Harmonics
are nice!
12th fret = 1/2 neck
7th fret = 1/3 neck
5th fret = 1/4 neck
You’ll find harmonics at each fraction of the string length (1/5, 1/6, 1/7 & 1/8)
Get out a tape measure to see it)
huh?
@@Just__Blaze watch it again.
Still not an explanation.
Go play your guitar Leo 😂
So dots are there for beginners to learn where G A B and C# are. Most of the great guitar players I see close their eyes and use their ears. Why C#? For uniformity I guess. C and D are on each side of the 4th dot. Peace
✌️😝👌
A short video, but somehow still too long
Thanks for stopping by Joe!
Hmm, a lot of wrong and/or unnecessary explanations for a non-existing problem.