How far up the neck do you go?
* EVER: the highest fret you *ever* use in normal play?
* SOMETIMES: the highest fret you *regularly* use in normal play? (More than just one or two songs even if you don't go there all the time)
* OFTEN: the highest fret you frequently use in normal play? (Most songs take you this far up)
* ROOT: how much of your time do you spend in the root position? (Open strings and traditional first-three-fret chords)
(Acoustics only, obviously. Electrics is a different instrument, and you'll have different answers.)
Comments
SOMETIMES: about the 10 or 11th, give or take
OFTEN: 9th
ROOT: depends on what I'm playing, but probably 50-60%
In mathematical terms, I would imagine the percentage chance of finding my left hand a specific distance from the nut is roughly 100 divided by the distance in cm, squared!
:-)
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Simpler solos I play around root a lot, but in DADGAD I’m always “based” between 2 and 5.
more of my more complex solos seem to base me at 7 and 9 with pinky going to 12 or 12 harmonics, with a occasional 14/15 on the high E
* OFTEN: 12th
* ROOT: Not a lot
I play all over the shop all the time - there is no "regular", often use a capo (as in every time I play, but not for every tune) sometimes two (for those "pseudo drop Ds").
so probably 15 is the highest Id ever go, but not often - and purely based on physical restriction
just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
I favour 12 fret guitars so a fairly even spread up to 12.
SOMETIMES: 12th, but mainly for harmonics
OFTEN: 7th - 9th
ROOT: rarely, more often 2nd-5th - which may be in your definition of root?
That’s fingerstyle, mainly in DADGAD
just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
A large chunk of my acoustic playing is open chord strumming. At least 50%.
EDIT - I'm not really a fan of cutaways either.
Sometimes - 15th. I like the open G shape an octave up.
Often - probably 9th-10th, depends on the key.
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Sometimes - 14th
Often - 10th
Root - 40% - 60% (dependent on piece)
I haven't considered artificial harmonics in the above answers
I slide that same shape down two frets for a D (with a 7th (E) in the bass) and the C#m7/E a fret further down (0 11 11 9 0 0)
PS: I just tried the open G you like. Tricky to reach and not a sound I care for on first impression - but sometimes these things grow on one.
SOMETIMES - again 15th, top G etc. and D shape
OFTEN - 10th across all strings
ROOT - in singer guitarist mode probably 40% but a lot of moveable chords and barre chords to get the voicings nice and lots of songs in keys like Eb or Bb.