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Guitar Fretboard Trainer - User Guide

📚 Table of Contents

  1. Getting Started
  2. Account Types & Features
  3. Learning Mode
  4. Testing Mode
  5. Game Modes
  6. Scoring System
  7. Practice Streaks
  8. Instruments
  9. 🎸 Pedal Steel Guitar (Featured)
  10. Tunings
  11. Fretboard Controls
  12. Preferences
  13. Leaderboard
  14. Subscription Management
  15. Keyboard Shortcuts
  16. Tips for Effective Practice
  17. Troubleshooting

Getting Started

When you first open Guitar Fretboard Trainer, you'll see the login screen with three options:

  1. Login - For returning users with an existing account
  2. Register - Create a new free account
  3. Play as Guest - Try the app without an account

After logging in or choosing to play as guest, you'll select your mode:

Account Types & Features

FeatureGuestFree AccountPremium
Standard Guitar✅✅✅
Learn Notes, Chords, Triads, Scales✅✅✅
Play Quiz Games✅✅✅
Standard Tuning✅✅✅
Save Preferences❌✅✅
Leaderboard Access❌✅✅
Save Game Scores❌✅✅
Practice Streaks❌✅✅
All Instruments (Bass, Ukulele, etc.)❌❌✅
Pedal Steel Guitar with Pedals/Levers❌❌✅
Alternate Tunings (Drop D, Open G, etc.)❌❌✅
Create Custom Tunings❌❌✅
Maximum Frets121224
Ad-Free Experience❌❌✅

Learning Mode

📝 Notes

Select any note (C, C#, D, etc.) to see all positions of that note across the entire fretboard. The info panel shows:

🎵 Open Chords

  1. Select a key (C, G, D, A, E, Am, Em, Dm)
  2. Click any chord button to see its fingering
  3. Each chord shows:

Color Legend for Chords:

Note: Chord shapes shown are optimized for standard tuning. In alternate tunings, the app displays chord tones instead.

🔺 Triads

  1. Select a root note (C through B)
  2. Select a triad type:
  1. Click Show Triad to see all positions

Color Legend:

🎼 Scales

  1. Select a root note
  2. Select a scale type:
  1. Click Show Scale to display all scale positions

Tip: Root notes are highlighted in orange for easy identification.

Testing Mode

Test mode allows you to quiz yourself on fretboard knowledge. Select your game mode, difficulty, and number of questions, then click Start Game.

Game Settings

Game Modes

FretTrain offers five different game modes to test your knowledge:

🎯 Name the Note

A position on the fretboard is highlighted. Click the correct note name from the 12 available options (C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B).

Best for: Learning note positions across the entire fretboard.

🔍 Find the Note

A note name is displayed. Click the correct position on the fretboard (or piano key).

Best for: Building muscle memory for finding notes quickly.

🎵 Name the Chord

A chord shape is displayed on the fretboard with colored markers showing the root, third, and fifth. Identify the chord name from the options.

Available chords by difficulty:

Best for: Recognizing chord shapes and understanding chord construction.

🎸 Pedal Steel Special: When using pedal steel, the game will randomly engage pedal/lever combinations and show which controls are active. This trains you to recognize how pedal changes affect chord voicings!

🔺 Name the Triad

Three notes forming a triad are highlighted on the fretboard. You must identify both the root note AND the triad type.

Triad types by difficulty:

Best for: Understanding harmony and chord theory.

🎼 Name the Scale

Scale notes are highlighted across the fretboard. Identify the root note first, then select the scale type.

Two-step answer process:

  1. Click the root note button (C, C#, D, etc.)
  2. Click the scale type button (Major, Minor, etc.)

Scale types by difficulty:

Best for: Learning scale patterns and modes.

Difficulty Levels

LevelFret RangeDescription
BeginnerFrets 0-5Open position only
IntermediateFrets 0-12First half of fretboard
AdvancedAll FretsEntire fretboard

Scoring System

Score Components

ComponentDescriptionPoints
Time BonusAnswer quickly for more points0-100 pts
Streak Bonus+5 points per consecutive correct answerUp to 50 pts

Accuracy Tracking

Your accuracy percentage is calculated as: (Correct Answers / Total Questions) × 100%

Grading Scale

GradeAccuracy
A90% or higher
B80-89%
C70-79%
D60-69%
FBelow 60%

Practice Streaks

Build consistency with the streak system! Your streak tracks how many consecutive days you've practiced.

How Streaks Work

Streak Display

Your current streak appears in the header when logged in: 🔥 7 days

Tip: Even a quick 5-minute session counts toward your daily streak!

Instruments

Available Instruments

InstrumentStrings/CoursesDefault TuningPlan Required
Guitar6 stringsEADGBEFree
4-String Bass4 stringsEADGPremium
5-String Bass5 stringsBEADGPremium
6-String Bass6 stringsBEADGCPremium
Ukulele4 stringsGCEAPremium
Mandolin4 courses (8 strings)GDAEPremium
Banjo5 stringsgDGBDPremium
Pedal Steel10 stringsE9Premium
Piano88 keys—Premium

Instrument Preview Mode

Non-premium users can view any instrument in "Preview Mode" but cannot use learning or testing features with it.

FretTrain includes the most comprehensive pedal steel guitar trainer available online! Whether you're a beginner PSG player or an experienced steel guitarist looking to sharpen your skills, our interactive E9 pedal steel simulation provides an unmatched learning experience.

Why Pedal Steel Players Love FretTrain

E9 Tuning Overview

The E9 tuning is the most common pedal steel tuning, optimized for country, western swing, and pop music:

StringNotePitch
1F#High
2D#
3G#
4E
5B
6G#
7F#
8E
9D
10BLow

Foot Pedals

The three foot pedals modify string pitches when engaged:

PedalNameEffect
AA PedalRaises strings 5 & 10 (B→C#)
BB PedalRaises strings 3 & 6 (G#→A)
CC PedalRaises strings 4 & 5 (E→F#, B→C#)

Common Pedal Combinations:

Knee Levers

Four knee levers provide additional pitch control:

LeverNameLocationEffect
LKLLeft Knee LeftInside left kneeLowers specific strings
LKRLeft Knee RightOutside left kneeRaises/lowers strings
RKLRight Knee LeftInside right kneeCommon pitch bends
RKRRight Knee RightOutside right kneeAdditional variations

Using Pedal Steel Controls

  1. Select Pedal Steel from the instrument dropdown
  2. The control panel appears below the fretboard
  3. Click pedal buttons (A, B, C) to engage/disengage
  4. Click knee lever buttons (LKL, LKR, RKL, RKR) to activate
  5. Watch the Effect Display - Shows which strings change and by how much
  6. Use Preset Combinations - Quick buttons for common setups

Effect Display Panel

When pedals or levers are engaged, the effect display shows:

Example: S5: B ↑ C# means String 5 raises from B to C#

Learning Mode for Pedal Steel

In Learning Mode, pedal steel works uniquely:

Bar Position Markers: On pedal steel, note markers appear directly ON the fret wire (not between frets) to represent where you'd place the bar.

Test Mode for Pedal Steel

Quiz games on pedal steel include pedal/lever challenges:

Beginner: No pedal changes - just learn the base E9 tuning

Intermediate: Questions include pedal combinations:

Advanced: Full complexity with:

Tips for Pedal Steel Practice

  1. Start with Base Tuning - Learn the E9 tuning without any pedals first
  2. Master A+B Together - This is the most common combination in country music
  3. Learn One Pedal at a Time - Understand what each pedal does individually
  4. Practice Chord Grips - Use Learning Mode to see chord tones at different bar positions
  5. Use the Effect Display - Watch which strings change as you experiment
  6. Try the Quiz Mode - Test your knowledge with pedal combination challenges

Tunings

Standard Tunings (All Users)

Alternate Tunings (Premium Only)

Custom Tunings (Premium Only)

Create your own tunings:

  1. Click "+ Custom" button next to the tuning dropdown
  2. Enter a tuning name
  3. Select the note for each string
  4. Click Save

Custom tunings appear in the dropdown and are saved to your account.

Fretboard Controls

View Options

Zoom Controls

Fret Range

Wood Type

Choose fretboard appearance:

Number of Frets

Set total frets: 12, 15, 19, 21, 22, or 24

Preferences

Access via the ⚙️ button. Save your preferred settings:

Note: Preferences are only saved for logged-in users.

Leaderboard

Access via the 🏆 Leaderboard button.

Leaderboard Views

Time Period Filters

Rankings Show

Your Rank: If logged in, your current rank displays at the bottom.

Subscription Management

Pricing Options

PlanPriceSavings
Monthly$3.50/month—
Annual$30.00/yearSave ~29%

How to Subscribe

  1. Create a free account or log in
  2. Click the ⭐ Subscribe button in the header
  3. Choose your billing plan (monthly or annual)
  4. Complete secure checkout via Stripe
  5. Premium features unlock immediately!

Managing Your Subscription

Once subscribed, the Subscribe button changes to ⚙️ Manage Subscription. Click it to:

After Cancellation

Keyboard Shortcuts

KeyAction
+ / =Zoom in
-Zoom out
0Reset view
← →Navigate fret range

Tips for Effective Practice

  1. Start with Notes - Learn all positions of each note before moving to chords
  2. Use the Streak System - Try to beat your personal best streak in test mode
  3. Practice Daily - Even 10 minutes helps build fretboard knowledge
  4. Vary Difficulty - Challenge yourself with harder levels as you improve
  5. Explore Alternate Tunings - Many songs use Drop D or Open tunings
  6. Learn Triads First - Understanding triads makes full chords easier
  7. Try Different Game Modes - Name the Note and Find the Note build different skills
  8. For Pedal Steel - Master the A+B pedal combination first, it's used constantly in country music!

Troubleshooting

"Failed to load" errors

Fretboard not displaying

Scores not saving

Pedal Steel controls not appearing

Subscription issues

Browser Support

FretTrain works best on:

Requirements:

Mobile Tip: For the best experience on mobile devices, use landscape orientation when viewing the fretboard.

Need Help?

For additional support, please contact the application administrator at https://www.frettrain.com/docs/about.php#feedback.

Guitar Fretboard Trainer v1.0

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