Fretboard Wizard

Learn The Fretboard Fast

Congrats, future Fretboard Wizard!
You are about to quickly learn how the
fretboard works so you can get exponentially
more enjoyment from your guitar routine.

Why is Fretboard Wizard different than the rest?

This newly updated 30-day Fretboard Wizard program uses a carefully crafted “micro-learning”
approach rather than the traditional information firehose of online courses or college curriculums.

This format has been shown to increase completion rates by up to 500%. This means when you invest
in Fretboard Wizard, you’re much more likely to see results. Here’s how…

First, we’ve selected the most potent 10% of all music theory that guitar players use nearly every time
they pick up the guitar.

Then, we’ve painstakingly sequenced this information so each day builds on previous days in a
carefully layered progression that pulls you through the program.

Finally, we’ve connected what you’re learning in Fretboard Wizard to the TAC Daily Challenges so
you can reinforce your new knowledge with hands-on guitar playing. This cycle between fretboard
concepts and your daily guitar routine will speed up your understanding while giving you a deep
sense of fulfillment.

FRETBOARD WIZARD LEARN THE FRETBOARD FAST 2

How it Works
You’ll learn four core fretboard navigation concepts over four weeks.
Each day will contain a micro-lesson and a hands-on challenge.

Use the quick reference section of this course guide to practice your new
fretboard skills in the TAC Daily Challenges.

WEEK 01
This is the most foundational element of fretboard knowledge.
Musical Everything you learn in the rest of the program will build upon this
simple framework. Get ready for plenty of lightbulb moments! This week:
Alphabet learn the musical alphabet, create a major scale (and why it’s important),
find the key by ear, and learn the minor scale formula.

WEEK 02
The Chord Matrix is a simple tool you’ll use to find scales, chords within
Chord Matrix a key, and notes for improvisation among so much more. This week:
learn how to make a chord matrix, anatomy of chords & how to make
Fretboard Tool them major or minor, find the chords to a song by ear, and learn the
Nashville Number System that allows you to change keys instantly.

WEEK 03
Using the previous two weeks as your foundation, you’ll learn how the
CAGED system helps you find chords, notes, and scales in five different
CAGED locations to connect & unlock the entire fretboard. This week: learn what
CAGED is, focus on one chord shape and scale shape each day, then
see how they all connect. Prepare for your mind to be blown!

WEEK 04
This week you’ll connect all the concepts you’ve learned so far to actual,
hands-on guitar playing. This week: Learn the basics of improvisation
Building Blocks by playing a scale over a chord progression, get a bit more musical by
playing chord tones as you solo, add even more to your solos by finding
of Soloing the melody of any song, learn to find harmony notes (and the secret to
arranging any harmony!)

FRETBOARD WIZARD LEARN THE FRETBOARD FAST 3

Instructions
• Print & place on bathroom mirror
• Plan to focus at least 30 minutes per day

WEEK 01

Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

Musical Musical Major Scale Find the Minor Scale Key Concepts
Alphabet Alphabet Formula Key by Ear Formula & Quiz

WEEK 02

Chord Day 1 Day 3 Day 4

Day 2 Day 5
Learn the Find the Nashville
Matrix Anatomy of Key Concepts
Chord Chords Number
Fretboard Chords & Quiz
Matrix by Ear System
Tool

WEEK 03

Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7

CAGED Day 1
C Shape A Shape G Shape E Shape D Shape Connect
What is
Navigation CAGED
& Scale & Scale & Scale & Scale & Scale the Shapes
System Pattern Pattern Pattern Pattern Pattern & Scales

WEEK 04

Day 5
Building Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4
Review &
Foundation Find Chord Find the Find the
Blocks of Soloing Tones Melody Harmony
Completion
of Soloing Certificate

FRETBOARD WIZARD LEARN THE FRETBOARD FAST 4

Fretboard Wizard
Quick Reference
 WEEK 01

The Musical Alphabet

You learned that the Musical Alphabet is the most foundational element of fretboard knowledge.
Everything you learned in the rest of the program built upon this simple framework. First you learned
the musical alphabet, then you learned how to create a major scale (and that it’s the foundation for all
music). Next, you learned to find the key by ear, and the minor scale formula.

• Between B&C and E&F there is a

MUSICAL ALPHABET naturally occurring half step, all
other pairs of natural notes are
separated by a whole step

A B C D E F G A • Whole Step = 2 frets

• Half Step = 1 fret

W H W W H W W

3rd Fret 5th Fret 7th Fret 9th Fret 12th Fret

E F G A B C D E

B C D E F G A B

G A B C D E F G

D E F G A B C D

A B C D E F G A

E F G A B C D E

• Above: Study each string to see

how it follows the musical alphabet
formula.

• Left: See how the musical alphabet

applies to piano. Notice the “half
step” between B&C and E&F.”
A B C D E F G A

FRETBOARD WIZARD LEARN THE FRETBOARD FAST 6

 • The “model major” scale is the C
MAJOR SCALE FORMULA major scale because it contains all
natural notes. This means no sharps
or flats are used to achieve the
arrangement of whole and half steps
C D E F G A B C necessary for a major scale.

• To make a major scale in keys other

than C you will need to add sharps
W W H W W W H
(#) or flats (b) to manipulate the
intervals (the space between the
The universal recipe for a major scale is: W W H W W W H notes) to achieve the correct “recipe”
for a major scale.

• You can add sharps or you can add

EXAMPLE 01 flats to “fix” or create a major scale,
but you will NEVER add both. You
will be adding only sharps or only

D E F# G A B C# D flats when manipulating notes.

• By understanding the universal

recipe of the major scale you can
W W H W W W H construct a major scale on any string
without having to know the notes.
E X A M P L E 02
• Playing a scale on one string will
allow you to “see” and experience

A B C# D E F# G # A the distances or intervals between

the notes in any major scale.
Allowing you to understand what
exactly you are playing when you
W W H W W W H play different scale shapes that go
across the strings.

Find the Key by Ear

Using the low E string find the Name that note using the
STEP STEP
lowest note that works through the
01 entire song
02 musical alphabet

FRETBOARD WIZARD LEARN THE FRETBOARD FAST 7

Minor Scale Formula

· Every series of natural notes issues a mode, a mode is an arrangement of whole and half steps.
· There are many other modes, but for simplicity, only concern yourself with major and minor modes.
· Model minor scale is A B C D E F G A
· Minor scale formula: W H W W H W W

Reinforce These Concepts in Your TAC Daily Challenges

· When playing a major or minor scale, recite the corresponding recipe

· Try to find the key of the backing track
· Check your answer the following day during the Thursday Rhythm Guitar Challenge
Wednesday
· In any daily challenge, name the notes that you are playing by using the musical alphabet
Improvisation

WEEK 02

The Chord Matrix Fretboard Tool

This week you learned that the Chord Matrix is a simple tool you’ll use to find scales, chords within a
key, and notes for improvisation among so much more. First you learned how to make a chord matrix,
then you learned the anatomy of chords & how to make them major or minor. Next, you learned how
to find the chords to a song by ear, and we wrapped up the week by learning the Nashville Number
System that allows you to change keys instantly.

Create a Chord Matrix

Creating a Chord Matrix allows you to see what chords are in a key and which notes each chord
contains. This can provide a wonderful basis for improvisation and give you some guidelines when
choosing which notes to play over which chords.

The chord matrix will show you the tonality of the chords — Major (M), Minor (m), or diminished (dim)
in whichever key you choose to construct it in.

FRETBOARD WIZARD LEARN THE FRETBOARD FAST 8

The chord matrix will also show you the connection between the scale degree (1-7) and the tonality of
its corresponding chord (i.e. the first scale degree corresponds to a Major chord, the 2nd scale degree
corresponds to a minor chord. Etc.).

The major key chord matrix also reveals the universal rule of any major key’s scale/chord connection.
The chords in any major key will follow this pattern:

· The 1 chord is always Major

· The 2 chord is always minor
· The 3 chord is always minor
· The 4 chord is always Major
· The 5 chord is always Major
· The 6 chord is always minor
· The 7 chord is always diminished

The minor key chord matrix also reveals the universal rule of any minor key’s scale/chord connection.
The chords in any minor key will follow this pattern:

· The 1 chord is always minor

· The 2 chord is always diminished
· The 3 chord is always Major
· The 4 chord is always minor
· The 5 chord is always minor
· The 6 chord is always Major
· The 7 chord is always Major

Workflow

STEP 1 Write the given scale in row 1.

STEP 2 Starting on the 3rd of that scale, write the scale in row 2 (this row is based on the 3rd degree).

STEP 3 Starting on the 5th of that scale write the scale in row 3 (this row is based on the 5th degree).

STEP 4 Once constructed, note Major, minor, or diminished below the columns that correspond to the
scale degree (This is the universal major key chord rule).

FRETBOARD WIZARD LEARN THE FRETBOARD FAST 9

 EXAMPLE 01

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (1)

(1) D E F# G A B C# D

(3) F# G A B C# D E F#

(5) A B C# D E F# G A
M m m M M m dim M

E X A M P L E 02

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (1)

(1) A B C# D E F# G# A

(3) C# D E F# G# A B C#

(5) E F# G# A B C# D E
M m m M M m dim M

EXAMPLE 03 (WITH SCALE DEGREES)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (1)

(1) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1

(3) 3 4 5 6 7 1 2 3

(5) 5 6 7 1 2 3 4 5
M m m M M m dim M

FRETBOARD WIZARD LEARN THE FRETBOARD FAST 10

Chord Tonality

Use the chord matrix to see what notes are in a given chord, then determine if that chord is major or
minor and manipulate it to your choosing.

Once fluent in chord manipulation, there is less urgency to memorize basic chord shapes due to
your ability to “create” chords based on their inner workings.

What allows you to analyze a chord are the spaces in between the notes called intervals.
Within a triad, (the three notes that a chord contains) there are two types of naturally occurring intervals:

· Major 3rd - Equal to 2 whole steps
· Minor 3rd - Equal to 1.5 whole steps

The distance of these intervals is measured by calculating the number of steps between the given pair of
notes. Depending on the order in which the intervals occur, you will have a major chord, a minor chord,
or a diminished chord when using chords from a major scale.

CHORD TONALITY FORMULA:

Major Chord = Major 3rd followed by minor 3rd

Minor Chord = minor 3rd followed by Major 3rd
Diminished Chord = minor 3rd followed by minor 3rd

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (1)

(1) C D E F G A B C

(3) E F G A B C D E

(5) G A B C D E F G
M m m M M m dim M

FRETBOARD WIZARD LEARN THE FRETBOARD FAST 11

 EXAMPLE 01 E X A M P L E 02 EXAMPLE 03

C 2
A 1.5
B 1.5

E 1.5
C 2
D 1.5
G E F
• Between C and E there are 2 • Between A and C there are 1.5 • Between B and D there are 1.5
whole steps or a major 3rd whole steps or a minor 3rd whole steps or a minor 3rd

• Between E and G there are 1.5 • Between C and E there are 2 • Between D and F there are 1.5
whole steps or a minor 3rd whole steps or a major 3rd whole steps or a minor 3rd

• Due to the above layout this is a • Due to the above layout this is an • Due to the above layout this is a
C major chord A minor chord B diminished chord

Understanding chord analysis is crucial to your chord knowledge on the guitar. Once you understand
chord analysis you can then change any chord on the guitar using the following process.

Workflow
STEP 1 Make a chord shape.

STEP 2 Figure out the notes that you are holding down (hint: they will be in the chord’s triad).

STEP 3 Translate those notes into numbers corresponding to which row they’re located on in the chord
matrix (1,3, or 5).

STEP 4 Once you translate the notes into numbers identify the location of the 3rd (this could be
multiple locations depending on the chord).

STEP 5 Manipulate the 3rd raising it a half step to make any minor chord major, or flatting it a half
step to make any major chord minor.

FRETBOARD WIZARD LEARN THE FRETBOARD FAST 12

 EXAMPLE

A Am

Chords By Ear
Workflow
STEP 1 Find the key by ear.
STEP 2 Write out the corresponding chord matrix.
STEP 3 Identify the naturally occurring chords (3 major, 3 minor).
STEP 4 Start on the 1st major chord of the key (99% of the time this will be your starting point).
STEP 5 Identify the 1st chord change.
STEP 6 If it sounds happy, try out the remaining major chords, if it sounds sad, try out minor chords in
the following order (6m, 3m, 2m).
STEP 7 Repeat steps 5 and 6 for the remaining chord changes.

NOTE: If an odd chord change happens it will likely be the flat 7 chord or major 2 chord.

Nashville Number System

Major Chord Matrix columns will always result in the following chord tonalities
1 = Maj, 2 = min, 3 = min, 4 = Maj, 5 = Maj, 6 = min, 7 = dim

Minor Chord Matrix columns will always result in the following chord tonalities
1 = min, 2 = dim, 3 = Maj, 4 = min, 5 = min, 6 = Maj, 7 = Maj

Converting a chord progression to numbers then allows you to transpose to any key.

FRETBOARD WIZARD LEARN THE FRETBOARD FAST 13

Nashville Number System Reference Card
TIP: Cut this out, fold, and place in your guitar case

Major 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Tonality Maj min min Maj Maj min dim

Key of A A Bm C#m D E F#m g#dim

Key of B B C#m D#m E F# G#m a#dim

Key of C C Dm Em F G Am bdim

Key of D D Em F#m G A Bm c#dim

Key of E E F#m G#m A B C#m d#dim

Key of F F Gm Am Bb C dm edim

Key of G G Am Bm C D Em f#dim

Minor 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Tonality min dim Maj min min Maj Maj

Key of Am Am bdim C Dm Em F G

Key of Bm Bm c#dim D Em F#m G A

Key of Cm Cm ddim Eb Fm Gm Ab Bb

Key of Dm Dm edim F Gm Am Bb C

Key of Em Em f#dim G Am Bm C D

Key of Fm Fm gdim Ab Bbm Cm Db Eb

Key of Gm Gm adim Bb Cm Dm Eb F

FRETBOARD WIZARD LEARN THE FRETBOARD FAST 14

Reinforce These Concepts in Your TAC Daily Challenges

• Write out a chord matrix for a • Convert the chord progression to

given scale Nashville Number System and then
transpose to a different key
• Figure out the chord progression
of the backing track by ear • When playing a chord progression,
Wednesday find the third of a chord and alter its
Thursday
Improvisation tonality
Rythm

WEEK 03

CAGED Navigation System

Using the previous two weeks as your foundation, you learned how the CAGED system helps you
find chords, notes, and scales in five different locations to essentially unlock and connect the entire
fretboard. First you learned what CAGED is, then each day you focused on one chord shape and its
corresponding scale shape, then you learned how they all connect.

· The CAGED system is a way to navigate the guitar neck. It is a pattern for telling how chord shapes
and their associated scale shapes layout across the fretboard.

· The letters in the word CAGED are the exact order the chord shapes occur on the fretboard.

· The CAGED system involves two critical pieces of information: the first is knowledge of the 5 basic
moveable chord and scale shapes (C, A, G, E, and D), the second is the root note location for each of
those 5 shapes.

· Each chord shape in the CAGED system is moveable and wherever it is moved the root note will name
the chord.

FRETBOARD WIZARD LEARN THE FRETBOARD FAST 15

 Workflow
STEP 1 Form the shape (C, A, G, E, or D) and play it anywhere on the fretboard.
STEP 2 Play the chord shape’s associated scale shape.
STEP 3 Name the root note to name the chord and the scale.

C SHAPE A SHAPE G SHAPE

C Chord Shape A Chord Shape G Chord Shape

(root on A string) (root on A string) (root on E string)

C Scale Shape A Scale Shape G Scale Shape

E SHAPE D SHAPE

E Chord Shape D Chord Shape

(root on E string)

E Scale Shape D Scale Shape

FRETBOARD WIZARD LEARN THE FRETBOARD FAST 16

 SHAPE CONNECTION

Reinforce These Concepts in Your TAC Daily Challenges

• What scale shape are you using?

• What scale shape is the guitar
• Can you play the scale in a different
lick derived from?
location on the guitar neck using one
of the five locations from CAGED?
Tuesday Wednesday
Guitar Lick Improvisation

• What chord shapes are you using to

play the chord progression?

• Can you play the chord progression

using different shapes?
Thursday Friday
Rythm Chord Transition

FRETBOARD WIZARD LEARN THE FRETBOARD FAST 17

 WEEK 04

Building Blocks of Soloing

This week you connected all the concepts you’ve learned so far to actual, hands-on guitar playing.
You learned the basics of improvisation by playing a scale over a chord progression, you got a bit more
musical by playing chord tones as you solo, then you added even more to your solos by finding
the melody of the song. Lastly, you learned to find harmony notes which opened up the secret to
arranging any harmony!

Guitar Soloing Technique

Below is the basic workflow of the TAC Improvisation Challenge on Wednesdays:

STEP 1 Pair the chord progression with the matching scale and play one note at a time. This helps you
get comfortable with the notes in a key that you can choose from when playing a solo.

STEP 2 Once you’re comfortable playing the scale over the chord progression, use rhythmic variation to
create phrases.

Using Chord Tones

Use the chord matrix as your guide to find chord tones that correspond to each chord being played in
the backing track. Next, find chord tones without using the chord matrix.

Workflow
STEP 1 Without the chord matrix, identify the root note of the chord within the scale shape.
STEP 2 Use the “every other note” approach to identify chord tones within the scale quickly and easily.

Finding the Melody

Workflow
STEP 1 Sing the words to the song.
STEP 2 Convert words to sounds (Da, La, or even whistle).
STEP 3 Identify the chord accompanying the melody and search chord tones for the melody note.
STEP 4 Repeat for each unique melody note.

FRETBOARD WIZARD LEARN THE FRETBOARD FAST 18

Playing Harmony
Workflow
STEP 1 Find the melody notes in row 1 of the chord matrix.
STEP 2 Use the columns to find the corresponding 3rd & 5th harmony notes.

Reinforce These Concepts in Your TAC Daily Challenges

• Add rhythmic variations to your solo

• Play the harmony to the lick
• Improvise more musically using
chord tones

TuesdayGuitar Wednesday • Come up with a line or musical

Lick Improvisation phrase and then play its harmony

FRETBOARD WIZARD LEARN THE FRETBOARD FAST 19

Printable Blank Chord Matrix

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (1)

(1)

(3)

(5)
M m m M M m dim M

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (1)

(1)

(3)

(5)
M m m M M m dim M

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (1)

(1)

(3)

(5)
M m m M M m dim M

FRETBOARD WIZARD LEARN THE FRETBOARD FAST 20

Printable Blank Chord Matrix

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (1)

(1)

(3)

(5)
M m m M M m dim M

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (1)

(1)

(3)

(5)
M m m M M m dim M

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (1)

(1)

(3)

(5)
M m m M M m dim M

FRETBOARD WIZARD LEARN THE FRETBOARD FAST 21