Excel Fretboard Spreadsheet

[duhvoodooman]

Not sure if this really belongs here, but it seemed to fit this topic area as well as any....

I use MS Excel extensively where I work, so got playing around to see if I could make a little guitar fretboard tool with it. The ZIP file attached below contains the resulting spreadsheet. Could be useful for a couple of things:

• You can select the open note for each string and the rest of the notes will fill in for that string, down to the 22nd fret. Seemed to me to be a handy way to see what the note sequences were for alternate/open tunings, etc. There's also a "reference" fretboard shown for the standard E-A-D-G-B-E tuning scheme.
• Additionally, below the editable fretboard, you can select notes (from a particular chord, for example) and they will be highlighted in green on the fretboard. You can even select notes (up to 7) and then change the tuning pattern, and their new positions will be displayed.

Feel free to play around w/ it and comment or ask questions. The spreadsheet is "protected", so only the pale yellow colored cell entries can be changed. These are edited using a dropdown selection list (just click the little down arrow at the right side of the selected cell), so you don't have to type in anything manually. Obviously, you have to have MS Excel or other compatible spreadsheet program on your PC to be able to open/edit this file.

View attachment 240

** UPDATED VERSION **

 

[blogan]

DVM, that's really cool! Great for learning the fretboard and picking out the pentatonics. If you added one more note that could be highlighted, one could display all the notes in a standard 7-note scale.

I'm going to have to take a look at how you programmed it so I can modify it and make my own changes. Thanks!

 

[duhvoodooman]

If you added one more note that could be highlighted, one could display all the notes in a standard 7-note scale.

Excellent idea! I'll make that change & repost it....

 

[Tim]

Good stuff there VooDoo. Obviously the guitar is on the mind more than work. I seem to have the same problem. I have my nose in books during the slow times. I wish I was like some of the guys and have my guitar at work. Break and lunch time would be more enjoyable, plus a little longer than normal.

 

[Robert]

Nice VDM! You are good at Excel, in fact, you excel at Excel! Haha

It seems like a great learning tool, well done.

 

[duhvoodooman]

Original posting updated with attachment that incorporates blogan's suggestion.

 

[Shawn]

I love it!

Could you pleeeeeeez send me the password so I could unlock it and check out the formulas! Pleeeeeeez? I want to recreate it in a different view. I promise to post it when it's done.

Thanks,

Shawn

 

[tjcurtin1]

Cool! Thanks, DVM!

 

[sunvalleylaw]

I had not seen that before. Thanks sir Vood! I can really use this.

 

[Kazz]

Thanks Vood....this is really cool.

 

[duhvoodooman]

Could you pleeeeeeez send me the password so I could unlock it and check out the formulas! Pleeeeeeez? I want to recreate it in a different view. I promise to post it when it's done.

Thanks,

Shawn

I would if I could remember it!

Here's a new, unprotected copy:

 

[Shawn]

VDM, You da bomb! I don't know if I'll be able to do it but I'll give it a shot. In the meantime I found a site that has a similar tool to what I'm trying to build. I don't know if this is the right place to post but here it is:

http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/guitar_scales.php

 

[Robert]

Hey DVM, do you still have this one?

The attachments disappeared after the forum upgrade a while back.

People have asked me how to get this.

 

[MAXIFUNK]

I tried to open it and it did not work for me.

 

[duhvoodooman]

I have a copy on my computer at home. Do you want a copy of your own, Robert, or just post it on my website & put a download link here?

 

[Robert]

I have a copy on my computer at home. Do you want a copy of your own, Robert, or just post it on my website & put a download link here?

Whatever you prefer - either way.

 

[samiam]

Not sure if this really belongs here, but it seemed to fit this topic area as well as any....

I use MS Excel extensively where I work, so got playing around to see if I could make a little guitar fretboard tool with it. The ZIP file attached below contains the resulting spreadsheet. Could be useful for a couple of things:

• You can select the open note for each string and the rest of the notes will fill in for that string, down to the 22nd fret. Seemed to me to be a handy way to see what the note sequences were for alternate/open tunings, etc. There's also a "reference" fretboard shown for the standard E-A-D-G-B-E tuning scheme.
• Additionally, below the editable fretboard, you can select notes (from a particular chord, for example) and they will be highlighted in green on the fretboard. You can even select notes (up to 7) and then change the tuning pattern, and their new positions will be displayed.

Feel free to play around w/ it and comment or ask questions. The spreadsheet is "protected", so only the pale yellow colored cell entries can be changed. These are edited using a dropdown selection list (just click the little down arrow at the right side of the selected cell), so you don't have to type in anything manually. Obviously, you have to have MS Excel or other compatible spreadsheet program on your PC to be able to open/edit this file.

View attachment 240

** UPDATED VERSION **

hello i am new to this site and i found this thread can i have a copy of this :Excel Fretboard Spreadsheet, the 1-with out the password please.

 

[duhvoodooman]

Posted a copy here:

http://www.box.net/shared/cdnnqran43q20ha5bnec

 

[Eric]

That's pretty cool stuff, DVM. I like looking at spreadsheets and figuring out how they were designed -- it's one of the best ways for me to learn new tricks.

I made a feeble attempt at something similar once, and I think it's on some thread somewhere. Unfortunately, I didn't really know what my goal was, and my skillz at spreadsheet design weren't/aren't as good as yours, so it came off as kind of half-baked.

Anyway, thanks for the file. It's much appreciated.

 

[samiam]

Posted a copy here:

http://www.box.net/shared/cdnnqran43q20ha5bnec

cool, thank you...

 

[gatorbrit]

That is really cool. I wonder if there is a way to modify it to show the intervals. For example - I enter the notes for a D chord shape and then I see the intervals - i.e. the 3rd, 5th etc.

 

[Eric]

That is really cool. I wonder if there is a way to modify it to show the intervals. For example - I enter the notes for a D chord shape and then I see the intervals - i.e. the 3rd, 5th etc.

There's always a way. It's just up to the user to figure out what's going on and modify as needed. That's one thing I love about code (even 'light' code like in Excel): you can bastardize it as needed, provided you understand what's going on.

 

[gatorbrit]

I'm a bit of an excel geek so I think I'll take a stab at this - it'll be a great learning tool for me as well. I had been thinking of mapping out intervals on the fret board around different chord shapes as a sort of learning exercise. I know that this stuff is probably available online somewhere, but the point is that when you do it yourself you learn it better.