FretLight Guitars ?

[Brett Fuzz]

Are these http://www.fretlight.com/software/pc/ things any chop ? Does anyone here own one ?

I see Guitar Pro 6 supports it. I imagine they could be put to good use for learning scales, solos ?

Any thoughts

[mmarsden]

I think I stare at the fretboard enough.

[Brett Fuzz]

hah! yes, something like that. :)

Seriously though, I'm all for anything that will catapult my learning.

I'm game to try it. I read some good reviews (some bad too).

Be really great to hear from a happy (or not so happy) owner of one of these things.

[Donelson]

I hope this isn't taken as an insult etc. But, there is NO benefit to learning any musical instrument through technical gimmicks like this. The "hard" way, i.e. learning all the notes, positions, scales, chords, notation, backwards and forwards, IS the way.

Much cheaper and better is to buy some paper and a pencil, and chart out all the scales, chords, etc., and memorize them.

[Brett Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Donelson

Much cheaper and better is to buy some paper and a pencil, and chart out all the scales, chords, etc., and memorize them.

That's exactly what I want to avoid.

The 'Bash your head against a wall guitar method'.

If modern technology can make things easier, why not ?

I'm no expert or guitar teacher but I can see the positive aspects of a system like this.

I'm not saying you don't need to practice & understand theory, but if you can eliminate that disconnect between having to decipher what's on the page of a book & translate that to the fretboard, then that is a great thing in my book.

[JimmyJam]

Originally Posted by Donelson

I hope this isn't taken as an insult etc. But, there is NO benefit to learning any musical instrument through technical gimmicks like this. The "hard" way, i.e. learning all the notes, positions, scales, chords, notation, backwards and forwards, IS the way.

Much cheaper and better is to buy some paper and a pencil, and chart out all the scales, chords, etc., and memorize them.

+1

The system you are looking at will only make you more dependent upon it, rather than teaching you to play. It might initially show you the patterns, but that's all you learn.

[bobtomspon09]

I have owned my Fretlight for over 2 years now and have learned more in these two years then all of my 10 plus years combined of trying to learn from books, tab, lessons, classes, videos, etc.

It is very powerful to see exactly where and when to play. There is no guessing or counting "10th fret, third string, for a half note... and now what the heck are my other fingers doing?!" The software is free and very powerful. They just have the Free Fretlight Video Player, which is like watching you favorite instructional DVD except when the instructor plays something it actually lights up your Fretlight!

The big question I needed answered before I bought it was, is the guitar any good? Answer: Yes. The guitar's overall quality and playability is great! It is made in the same factory as Fender, Ibanez and the other big names out there. It is not a plastic toy. For the price it is worth the guitar alone but with the learning system you'll feel like you are ripping them off and should have paid triple for it. Just for the gas money that you will save from not having to drive to lessons alone, this guitar will pay for its self.

The knowledge you gain, is truly is priceless.

You are only wasting time if you don't get this right now. Mark my works you will be saying, if you waited just like I did, "Why didn't I have this when I first started playing?!" What a Rock Star I could have been!

[Kennedycaster]

Originally Posted by bobtomspon09

I have owned my Fretlight for over 2 years now and have learned more in these two years then all of my 10 plus years combined of trying to learn from books, tab, lessons, classes, videos, etc.

It is very powerful to see exactly where and when to play. There is no guessing or counting "10th fret, third string, for a half note... and now what the heck are my other fingers doing?!" The software is free and very powerful. They just have the Free Fretlight Video Player, which is like watching you favorite instructional DVD except when the instructor plays something it actually lights up your Fretlight!

The big question I needed answered before I bought it was, is the guitar any good? Answer: Yes. The guitar's overall quality and playability is great! It is made in the same factory as Fender, Ibanez and the other big names out there. It is not a plastic toy. For the price it is worth the guitar alone but with the learning system you'll feel like you are ripping them off and should have paid triple for it. Just for the gas money that you will save from not having to drive to lessons alone, this guitar will pay for its self.

The knowledge you gain, is truly is priceless.

You are only wasting time if you don't get this right now. Mark my works you will be saying, if you waited just like I did, "Why didn't I have this when I first started playing?!" What a Rock Star I could have been!

So, how long have you worked for Fretlight?

[dan1952]

My experience is that Fretlight guitars are at least as good as Estaban guitars...next, maybe they'll have a little plastic housing over the strings, with buttons to push to form the chords...oh, wait, that's already been tried...
I thought this thread was a joke when I first saw it.

[czgibson]

Originally Posted by bobtomspon09

It is made in the same factory as Fender, Ibanez and the other big names out there.

Where is this factory, exactly?

[ludashoeless]

Originally Posted by Kennedycaster

So, how long have you worked for Fretlight?

1st post.... no reply to someone asking this question..... yaaaaa..... "made in in the same factory as all the big nams"-sounds like something they would put in the description on musicians friend

[bobtomspon09]

Originally Posted by ludashoeless

1st post.... no reply to someone asking this question..... yaaaaa..... "made in in the same factory as all the big nams"-sounds like something they would put in the description on musicians friend

Originally Posted by czgibson

Where is this factory, exactly?

From what I could find out they are made over seas in China.

FYI - I have worked for Fretlight for the last two year since I bought one and became a (super) fan. They don't pay me cause I'm not an employ or whatever but I have sold guitars for them to my friends but no commission cause that whole not being employed by them thing.

I know I was laid it on a bit thick but that is how I feel and what I posted to their customer testimonial page. If you guys want to know what people THAT ACTUALLY HAVE ONE (like me) then check out their testimonial page.

http://www.fretlight.com/testimonials/

Let me know if you have any actual questions and not your two cents on how you know everything about something that you have never even tried.

[camatillo]

Well, this is an interesting question, I have one of the Fretlight Pro 450 models. It's a super Strat configuration. I bought it off ebay from Fretlight direct. It was a Blem. I didn't see any blemishes on it so I figured was just a way for them to unload some extra product. It has stainless frets but could use a level and crown & polish. But I didn't buy it for it's perfect fit and finish. It's pretty cool, you just choose the lesson and every position on the fretboard can light up as needed. I would say it is not at a CV50 level, which I do own. The idea is really good, and if you are serious about learning scales, modes, etc, you can pick it up fast. Here is the problem I found, I'm 6' 295 lbs, my gut is a bit of a bulge, so seeing the lit up frets needs to be done while sitting in a lazyboy recliner where I can tilt the guitar a bit to see the face of the fretboard. If you have no gut , no problem. The other negative is that you are all plugged into your amp/modeler and your computer at the same time. So you are engulfed in cords, kind of a pain. These are minor complaints i guess. The system does what is advertised, learning is much faster than tabs, though not that much faster than a good video lesson for songs. I wish that the midi player had better quality song production. What I mean is that it plays songs like a casio keyboard and the timing is way off the original songs tempo and feel. But you will learn the notes. I paid for all the extra lessons and different programs before they were free. All in all it has it's place. Much faster way to learn, but you have to be willing to give yourself over to their system. For an older player it's not as much fun as learning from a good utube video lesson. All in all worth what you are getting if you will be dedicated to putting in the practice time. I really should fire it up more often but I seem to grab my Pod HD500 and my CV50 more often than the Fretlight. Well I guess that's as honest a review as you will get. I am a fan but I don't use it that much.

[Solcat]

How do they compare to Rocksmith?

[camatillo]

My nephew has the Rocksmith setup and I gave/lent him a very nice guitar to play it through/with. I told him if he keeps up with it he gets to keep the guitar , if not it comes back to me. I thought that was a pretty good incentive. So far ~ not much progress. My nephew blows through video games, once a week he gets a new one. I guess learning guitar is much harder than mastering the other games he gets. It's like everything, you get out what you put in. I think that the Fretlight is a much more advanced system and you don't have to jump through hoops to start learning whatever you want. But if you want that gaming experience , then Rocksmith has its place. Also Fretlight is the more expensive option but you get much more for that extra dollar. It's kind of ironic, about a year before Rocksmith came out I spoke with Fretlight about making a Rocksmith like game for the Fretlight but never got anywhere with them. Bet they're kicking their own butts now. lol

[Brett Fuzz]

I used to fly light aircraft & when GPS first came in in the early 90's, I was one of the first to buy one.

All the 'old school' flyers ridiculed me for buying one & not using real navigation ala maps, compass, dead reckoning, 1 in 60 rules, and comments like, 'what if the battery goes flat'? yada, yada, yada.

I kept up my 'old school' nav skills, but the GPS was invaluable. Now they are widely accepted.

I see this Fretlight system in the same light (pardon the pun). I'm 100% convinced it would help. I'm going to buy one. :)

[Sabicas]

Originally Posted by Brett Fuzz

I used to fly light aircraft & when GPS first came in in the early 90's, I was one of the first to buy one.

All the 'old school' flyers ridiculed me for buying one & not using real navigation ala maps, compass, dead reckoning, 1 in 60 rules, and comments like, 'what if the battery goes flat'? yada, yada, yada.

I kept up my 'old school' nav skills, but the GPS was invaluable. Now they are widely accepted.

I see this Fretlight system in the same light (pardon the pun). I'm 100% convinced it would help. I'm going to buy one. :)

Exactly. Old-schoolers and purists can't see past their nose, most of the time. I learned my fretboard the with online fretboard quizzes. I know my theory pretty well. I understand scales degrees, modes, etc .......not just the patterns, but what they actually mean, how to apply them, etc. After knowing that, i bought a Fretlight. Why? Because of the free Improvisor software. I don't think I'd want to learn songs by rote via the Fretlight, but setting up a chord progression and watching the modes (or arpeggios) change under your fingers with flashing root notes is a very efficient way to reinforce and apply what I've learned. It's great for learning new connections and new ways to see your fretboard.

Another great feature for those that play other instruments is the alternate tuning option in the Improvisor software. I play a turkish instrument that I have tuned to DADGAD. I use the Fretlight as part of my practice to familiarize myself with other tunings faster. I've found so many new chord voicings faster than I ever would have otherwise. I also use this method for my lap steels.

I don't think it's a revolutionary tool for the beginner, but if you are serious about learning jazz improv (or any other kind of improv) or composing, and you already know what the little red dots mean, it's extremely helpful.

[jbmando]

My two cents:

There is very little "learning to play the guitar" which can come of seeing where to put your fingers and putting them there. To me, this is slightly less useful than tablature when it comes to "learning to play the guitar." It seems to me that a chimpanzee can be trained to put his fingers where he sees a light. Doesn't make him a guitar player. Sorry. No disrespect intended, but I say, there is no shortcut to becoming a guitar player other than studying and practicing.

[Sabicas]

Originally Posted by jbmando

My two cents:

There is very little "learning to play the guitar" which can come of seeing where to put your fingers and putting them there. To me, this is slightly less useful than tablature when it comes to "learning to play the guitar." It seems to me that a chimpanzee can be trained to put his fingers where he sees a light. Doesn't make him a guitar player. Sorry. No disrespect intended, but I say, there is no shortcut to becoming a guitar player other than studying and practicing.

But, what I described IS studying. Seeing what options you have before you and watching it all change with the progression is just another way to understand what is happening. I'm not saying toss out the other methods, traditional or not.

I know I thought I had a pretty solid understanding of how to improvise in the gypsy swing style where players think in arpeggios/chord tones instead of scales and modes. Understanding and applying, of course, are two different things. Setting the improvisor software to "chord tones" is a very effective tool in simply practicing getting around and making transitions from one arpeggio to another. I can't think of anything detrimental about testing yourself out and seeing something in a way you hadn't previously experienced.

No matter how abstract you want to think of music, it's ultimately just as important to physically understand your instrument. You understand the English language and can improvise, but do you think it's cheating that there are letters written on the keys?

[jbmando]

I said nothing about cheating. I said seeing where to put your fingers is not learning guitar. And it isn't.