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Finding Channels in the Fretboard with Jeb Sherrill (the chair guy)

Metadata

title
Finding Channels in the Fretboard with Jeb Sherrill (the chair guy)
description
Jeb Sherrill (the chair guy) joins the pod to discuss the mysticism, geometry, and awesomeness that is the guitar fretboard. We keep it high level, so even people that don’t play this beautiful instrument can get inside the guitarist’s head!
status
complete
date
2024-10-29
kind
guest
guestSlugs
  • jeb-sherrill
listenUrl
https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/lovemusicmore/episodes/Finding-Channels-in-the-Fretboard-with-Jeb-Sherrill-the-chair-guy-e2q6ucp
appleUrl
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/finding-channels-in-the-fretboard-with-jeb-sherrill/id1567355195?i=1000674829595&uo=4
spotifyUrl
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Jrpb84m8hSONO6Svf1hv8
youtubeUrl
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F-lGqAZiQo
topicsDiscussed
  • Guitar
  • Music theory
  • Piano, synth, and keys
  • Songwriting
  • The internet
  • Creativity
  • The chair system and fretboard geometry
  • Improvising by finding channels on the fretboard
hostNote
**Jeb Sherrill** built the **chair system**, his own way of mapping the guitar fretboard, after a YouTube video reframed how he saw the instrument, about seven years into a career that started three decades ago. We talk about what that reframe actually was: seeing the fretboard as one shape instead of a set of memorized box patterns. He describes thinking diagonally across the neck instead of horizontally or vertically, and what changes once you stop seeing separate patterns and start seeing one channel running through all of them. Jeb also gets into something harder to pin down: visualizing music on the fretboard at night, a process he calls almost spiritual, and how that connects improvisation to composition rather than treating them as separate skills. The conversation stays practical throughout: if your current method for learning guitar isn't working, the chair system is built around the idea that there's a more intuitive way in.
selectedMoments
  • label
    Introduction to the chair system
    startSec
    116
    note
    Jeb explains how the chair system transformed his understanding of the fretboard and facilitated his journey in music.
  • label
    Epiphany about guitar playing
    startSec
    196
    note
    Jeb describes his moment of realization while watching a YouTube video that changed his approach to playing.
  • label
    Seeing music visually
    startSec
    361
    note
    Discussing how he visualizes music on the fretboard at night, Jeb shares about the spiritual and mystical aspects of playing.
  • label
    Improvisation and creativity
    startSec
    602
    note
    Jeb elaborates on the connection between improvisation in music and how it parallels the act of composing.
  • label
    Breaking traditional patterns
    startSec
    931
    note
    Explaining the shift from traditional box patterns to diagonal thinking on the fretboard for enhanced creativity.
  • label
    The impact of simplified systems
    startSec
    2415
    note
    Discussing the accessibility of music creation and the importance of intuitive learning for aspiring musicians.
excerptQuotes
  • text
    I started to see music on the fretboard, especially at night. I mean, I do this in my head and I just see the music on the fretboard, and it's... kind of spiritual.
    startSec
    360
    reviewed
    true
  • text
    You start realizing there’s really just one pattern. When you go diagonal, it’s a place that’s right in between the horizontal and the vertical, and it just kind of blooms.
    startSec
    930
    reviewed
    true
  • text
    It’s all about bringing order out of chaos, and when you start playing, it’s like you find these channels in the fretboard and these channels are the music.
    startSec
    678
    reviewed
    true
  • text
    The idea of being able to make something that affects people emotionally is just... there’s nothing more incredible.
    startSec
    3188
    reviewed
    true
  • text
    ...music and language are both ways that we as humans translate emotion and meaning.
    startSec
    2032
    reviewed
    true
  • text
    If whatever method you're presently using for guitar isn't working for you, it might. I'm not saying it will, but it might.
    startSec
    3032
    reviewed
    true
faq
  • question
    What is the chair system in guitar playing?
    answer
    The chair system is an innovative approach created by Jeb Sherrill that helps guitarists understand the geometry and patterns of the fretboard, allowing for more intuitive and expressive playing.
  • question
    How did Jeb Sherrill get into guitar?
    answer
    Jeb started playing guitar about 30 years ago but faced challenges in learning traditional methods. A transformative experience about seven years ago led him to develop the chair system.
  • question
    What can I learn from Jeb Sherrill's approach to guitar?
    answer
    Listeners can learn about overcoming traditional patterns in guitar playing, the importance of improvisation, and the spiritual aspects of music-making, fostering a deeper connection with the instrument.
transcriptPublished
false
draft
false

Content

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