About blank fretboard diagrams
A blank fretboard runs the whole neck horizontally so you can map scales, arpeggios and note positions along it, rather than the single-position boxes of a chord chart. Horizontal lines are the strings, vertical lines are the frets, the heavy line at the left is the nut, and the inlay dots and fret numbers help you find your place. Set four strings for bass, six for guitar, and as many frets as you need.
Where a chord box shows a few frets in one position, a full fretboard diagram lays the whole neck out horizontally so you can see how a scale or arpeggio joins up along the strings. The nut sits at the left, the strings run the length of the neck, and the inlay dots at the third, fifth, seventh, ninth and twelfth frets give you the same landmarks as the real instrument.
Print a stack to map out major and minor scales, the modes, pentatonic shapes or the notes of the fretboard one string at a time. Set six strings for standard guitar or four for bass, and add frets up to the full two octaves when you are charting shapes that run the length of the neck.
Great for
- Mapping scales and arpeggios
- Learning notes across the neck
- Guitar and bass lesson sheets
- Planning solos and licks
Common questions
Is this different from a chord chart?
Yes. A chord chart is a short vertical box for one hand position; this is a long horizontal neck for mapping scales, arpeggios and notes across the whole fretboard.
How many strings and frets should I choose?
Six strings for standard guitar and four for bass or ukulele. Twelve frets covers one octave; go higher when a shape runs further up the neck.
Guides for this paper
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