The Steel Guitar Forum

Can anyone give me some tips on learning fret positions? I'm learning how to play Cajun music, so my positions mostly go from 2-4, 5-7 and sometimes 9. When I started out about a year ago, the guy that got me started had me mark the frets, so I'd like to start getting off that crutch. I know just like everything else, this will take practice, but I was curious if anyone had any tips. I do realize they have designs along the board, but right now, that's not helping me much LOL!

Any help is greatly appreciated!

It may help if you learn what chord is at what fret, instead of what number.

No pedals.....Fret 3 is "G", 5="A", 8="C", 10="D".
A+B pedals...Fret 3 is "C", 5="D", 8="F", 10="G".
A+F lever.....Fret 3 is "E", 5="F#", 8="A", 10="B", etc.

Also, using the designs will help. Notice what design is on fret 3, compare it with the design in fret 15 (one octave higher). See the similarities/difference? Fret 5 vs 17, 7 vs 19, etc. Keeping note of design helps you know/understand where you are, too.
And you are right, it will take practice..........

Enjoy your steel............Pat

My suggestion would be get yourself a Mel Bay steel guitar chord chart. Take a song, Pick a key, say G then find the rest of the chords you will need to make the key, G,C,D, and E Minor for a start. On a 3 pedal ABC and 2 knee lever DF steel guitar, there is about 3 different ways to get each chord in 12 frets on the neck. Once you get the chords of G worked out on the neck, Play these till you get the moves needed to memory. Then by moving all the chord down say 2 frets you would have A key,chords A,D,E and F flat minor. Good Luck and Happy Steelin.

Patricia Warnock has a comprehensive chord chart here: http://www.cryinsteel.com/

Okay lets say the key if G
G is the 3rd fret no pedals
c Which is the 4 is on the same fret A/B pedals down
A which is the 2 is 2 frets up at fret 5 no pedals
D which is the 5 is at fret 5 A/B pedals down

So the formula is
1 and 4 same fret
2 and 5 same fret
3 and 6 same fret
keep in mind i'm talking all majors
Also 7 and 3 are together 1 fret back from the one
or in the case fret 2 .
3 minor and 6 minor on the same fret as the one, either using knee lever or pedal

I hope this helps and makes sense

My suggestion would be not to limit yourself to the no pedal, A+B pedal and A+F kind of thinking. The fretboard contains so much more than that to spice up the playing.

Thank y'all for the input! Right now, I only play a G tuning on my back neck, I know nothing on the E9th. Do these tips still apply since it's not the same tuning?

Peter, could you elaborate a bit. As a beginner. I find the No pedals, AB and AF are my anchors. I;m trying to break into more melodic playing across the fretboard.

Identifying "chord and position instead of number" and noting design position would still apply.

Enjoy your (non-E9) steel...........Pat

Jason, you might do a search here on the forum for posts about Cajun steel...I know there are members that are very knowledgeable with the G tuning.

Bobby Snell wrote:Jason, you might do a search here on the forum for posts about Cajun steel...I know there are members that are very knowledgeable with the G tuning.

Thanks for the tip! I was hoping some of the ones I know would chime in. I guess I'll make another thread and see how it goes!

Maybe contact Murnel Babineaux,,,,He plays a lot of cajun using a capo (round bar under the strings at 3rd fret). When he plays cajun,,,you KNOW it's cajun!!!!