"I don't have time to practice." I've said it. You've said it.
But here's something I discovered: you don't always need the guitar. Some of the most effective fretboard work happens entirely in your head.
Mental Practice Isn't Woo-Woo Nonsense
I was skeptical at first. But studies show that visualizing a skill activates many of the same neural pathways as physically performing it.
Obviously you can't build calluses by thinking about guitar. But fretboard knowledge? Note locations? That's mostly a brain game anyway.
What Mental Fretboard Practice Looks Like
You're on the bus. Pull out your phone, open a random note generator, and start drilling.
Note appears: "Ab"
Close your eyes. Picture the fretboard. Where is Ab?
- Fourth fret, low E string
- Eleventh fret, A string
- Sixth fret, D string
- First fret, G string
Can you see them? Can you picture your fingers on those positions?
The "One String" Method
Pick one string. Let's say the A string. Now, without looking anything up, go through every note from the open string to the 12th fret.
Can you do it without hesitating? Can you do it backwards?
The "Find It Fast" Game
Pick a note. Let's say E. Now mentally race through all six strings: where's E on each one?
- Low E: open, 12th fret
- A string: 7th fret
- D string: 2nd fret
- G string: 9th fret
- B string: 5th fret
The "No Time" Excuse Is Dead
You probably have more time than you think. It's just scattered in weird pockets throughout your day — five minutes here, ten minutes there.
If you commute thirty minutes each way, that's five hours a week. Five hours of fretboard visualization, every week, on top of your regular practice.
In a few months, you'll know the neck better than people who've played twice as long as you. All without touching a guitar.