Fretboard Builder

As a guitarist for over 45 years, I know that although it's great to continue to learn new things, it's equally important to be reminded of the things we already know.

When I set out to develop Fretboard Builder, my primary goal was to create a configurable utility providing stringed instrument artists a way to quickly and easily view the scales and patterns that are useful to our everyday learning and playing. Rather than simply replicate all of the wonderful posters and web pages that are available to us, I preferred to create a no-nonsense utility that allows the discerning musician to be a bit more collaborative, creating exactly what is most useful and made available anytime, anywhere.

Fretboard Builder enables the artist to designate the number of strings and frets on the instrument they are most interested in and to configure the tuning of each string. This allows the artist to simulate multiple instruments with virtually infinite alternate tunings to view and compare. When a scale or fingering pattern is applied to these instruments (also customizable), it is possible to produce an immediate fretboard visual, in any key, to act as a valuable learning tool or music stand reference guide.

It was equally important for this utility to respond to changes in instrument, pattern and/or key very quickly, without a great deal of button pushing. To solve for this I have implemented buttonless pickers to make it easier to select any configuration required. Then simply rotate the device to fill the screen making the entire fretboard more visually friendly during performances.

Here are a few Fretboard Builder functional highlights:

- Visual fretboards consist of a combination of instrument, pattern & key
- Visual fretboards are presented as large as possible in portrait mode, and are presented larger in landscape mode when required
- Instruments (fretboards) may be easily created from scratch, modified or deleted from the instruments repository
- Each instrument consists of the number of strings, number of frets & individual string tuning
- Patterns (scales, modes or other fingering patterns) may be easily created from scratch, modified or deleted from the patterns repository
- Each pattern consists of twelve (12) semitones that may be simply switched on/off within any pattern (including new patterns added to the repository)
- Selection pickers (instruments, patterns & keys) are buttonless, allowing the artist to simply spin and stop to make a quick and easy selection, enabling quick and efficient transition with a single action
- The artist may select between 4 - 8 strings and 12 - 22 frets when configuring or modifying an instrument
- Fretboard Builder is delivered with a dozen (12) instruments and patterns just to get you started (actually the ones I use regularly), feel free to personalize or add as many as you like
- Personal note - if you're not interested in the Ukulele, you should be; it's such an easy add on to any other instrument; and Fretboard Builder can help you make quick sense of it or other stringed instruments

I sincerely hope you enjoy the Fretboard Builder stringed instrument utility application, created by an artist, for an artist, and now shared with everyone.