Fretboard Logic SE: The Reasoning Behind the Guitar's Unique Tuning Plus Chords Scales and Arpeggios Complete

by Bill Edwards

The Special Edition is the first two volumes of the Fretboard Logic guitar series combined, at a special discount. Part One deals with the pattern organization of the fretboard which results from the guitar's unique tuning system. Part Two teaches the tone groups of music - Chords, Scales and Arpeggios - by building them in the context of this pervasive pattern organization, and thereby eliminating the usual guesswork and rote memorization associated with these areas of a guitarist's education. This alone can take years off the learning curve. Combined, the two parts form a solid foundation by which a guitarist can intelligently pursue the music styles and technical approaches of their own choosing, and play them on the guitar types which they prefer.

Genres: Music, Reference, Nonfiction

120 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Jay Skyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

BE CAREFUL! This book starts out with one of the best, most concise explanations of the Guitars tuning system and where the CAGED system gets its name from. He correctly shows how the guitar and its tuning are a 100% physically based system, allowing us to play complex pieces with minimal strain or effort to our hands.
Here's the problem.
He then completely forgets this fact in the second half of the book advocating absurd, often painful chord forms like the "barred G" form, (which no one ever really plays) in an attempt to force a visual/mental system on the neck.
The very mention of this book has made several of my guitar students wince in pain at its mention, having learned it pretty much verbatim from another teacher in the area. There are much easier and less painful ways to learn chords and scales via the CAGED system.
Back to the positives, the diagrams are of very high quality and correct, his explanations of the harmonic tension created by different scale choices is spot-on and very accessible, and his "lead patterns" are well explained and can be very useful.
You will learn a great deal from this book, but please skip the extreme chord forms. When your hand starts hurting, use some common sense.

[EJ Van · Rating 3 out of 5]

Frankly, this novel gives a very sterile view of guitar theory which, when taken outside of a very disciplined, academic approach, can make it hard to engage with. Additionally, some of the concepts covered in the book gloss over the foundations on which they are built, so if you read this book without a decent foothold into music theory already, it may be challenging to progress.

Regardless of what's stated above, the information that is provided into chords, scales, and arpeggios is full of information with adequate explanations and very precise terminology.

[Xenophon Hendrix · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've since reached the age where I probably have more years behind me than ahead of me. Enduring my "middle years," I have accumulated some regrets, as is to be expected. If one looks at some of the potentially glaring examples from a long list--allowing much damage to my health, never finding a career that matches my potentials and temperament, never getting married and starting a family, spending more of my time alone than is wise, in short, wasting a life--the one that causes me the most frequent distress is never learning to play a musical instrument, namely, the guitar. No doubt, this is yet another example of my foolish misjudgment of priorities, but there it is. I've never claimed not to be a chronic screw up.

For many wasted years, I went around telling myself I was too old to take up music. Why spend the time if one can't ever become good? When I was even older but somewhat wiser, I realized that the point was the journey rather than the destination, so I tried to learn the guitar. I did my research, bought a good beginner instrument, found some well regarded books and websites, and set out. I worked my way through the initial finger pain, but my chronic back pain defeated me.

Recently, however, I figured out a way to work around my traitorous back. I have again started teaching myself the guitar. Fretboard Logic SE by Bill Edwards is one of the best regarded guitar teaching manuals that my research turned up. It sure looks good to me, and I believe the man is onto something.

Be aware, however, that my evaluation is a naive evaluation. An experienced player might rate it differently. Also, the date listed for my finishing the book is misleading, for I'm sure that I've read through it at least once previously.

[Tushar]

(9/10) This book is written like a math textbook. The first volume begins with the singular axiomatic assumption of the standard tuning of a guitar; and then proceeds to build the basic chord forms, scale forms, and lead patterns in a logically incremental manner. It illustrates how each is derived from the last, and how the different forms are related as parts of a whole using the CAGED system. The second volume continues to build more advanced chord types, scales, and lead patterns; and introduces modes and arpeggios. It illustrates how the advanced chord forms are constructed from the basic chord forms using standard formulas, how the advanced scale forms are extensions of the basic scale forms, how different modal orientations can be constructed from each other using standard formulas, and how arpeggios are derived from individual and connected chord forms.

This book is a great resource for both learning and reference, and provides a great structure for self-instruction. Learning to play the guitar for the third time in my life, this book has made me a better player in a week than years of instruction in my younger years. Not in a technical way, since that requires practice, but it has filled a lot of gaps in my theoretical understanding. I read the entire book in one week and found that I can play through the first volume with little difficulty, and I intend to work through the second volume over the next few months.

[Jenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm learning to play the guitar and this is one of the best books for learning. It was recommended by my friend Dan who has been playing for 15 years.

[Chase Sterling · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's good for what it is. I'm just not good with any form of theory. Don't really like standard tuning either so I lost interest before I could drive any further. That's just me though. I can totally see how this book would benefit others though.

[Indran · Rating 5 out of 5]

On your third reread, start at p. 46 of Vol II! So much worthwhile commentary on shapes. Oh, shapes.

[William Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great primer on guitar theory and the application of theory to modern music

[Laura Gabelsberg]

I purchased this, but did not use it very much, sadly. Not sure if it was the book's fault or my own.

[Michael Twiss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Volume 1 of this is literal pure gold. Kinda lost me in Volume 2 ngl.

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant book that I will be coming back to again and again. I've been playing for years and already knew much of this book but to see it broken down and applied in this way is eye opening.

I'll be reading this again and again over the coming months.

[Stuart Lodge]

After nearly 30 years of moving at a snail's pace on guitar... I'm searching for that epiphanic moment.

[D · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic tool that provided an excellent refresher for those daring to venture further up the fretboard :)