Leaderboard

You are a legend sir i'll have a look, I'm not arsed about using upper frets. Don't think i've ever learnt a song that requires upper fret use!

lol not really, I got a warning from Amazon for sending stuff back, but I might give it a go. I like to keep all my options open in my studio and yes I would probably keep both, and sell one after a couple of months, at a great loss. Thanks for your interest/concern

I don't, it's often wrong . That said, interval training helps, but multiple octave jumps are always going to be a challenge. That said, memorise some intervals in tunes that mean something to you and that you can recognise (for instance the minor third of the Jaws theme or the octave jump in Over The Rainbow). Also knowing whether the key being used is major or minor flavoured can get you there quicker.

When singing a melody through, in your head or out loud, try to pick out the highest and lowest notes, when you get to them. That's when to pick up the guitar and find those notes, and only those notes. That'll determine where on the fingerboard the rest of the melody lies, so, having established the extremes, now find the initial, starting note, keeping in mind these extremities. Does this help..?

There isn't an easy way, it is mostly just muscle memory. I don't think about what notes are which, I just know which note I start from, the rest is purely muscle memory and experience from playing various licks and melodies. If I am learning a new melody that needs to be precise rather than just improvised then I would do as I would suggest and start SLOW. Half speed usually until I can play that and just then speed it up gradually. I would normally dedicate a practice session to just play the same lick or melody over and over again until fingers do it automatically. Finding the start point is usually the hardest for me. Don't worry about getting it wrong at full speed, just slow it down again until you can play each section over and over one after the other then begin to speed it back up.