21 fret guitar but the song I'm learning goes up to to the 22nd fret...What to do?

[elsupermanny14]

So I'm learning to play a new song except that I ran into a road block. The song goes all the way up to the 22nd fret but my Strat only has 21 frets. The song goes up to the high D. So what do I do? And please don't tell me to go buy a new guitar! Is there an equivalent D I can play somewhere else on the fretboard that will not sound too far off?

[relva3]

Bend.

[jtr654]

+1

[antman1993]

bend. on my first guitar id have to do crazy bends trying to play metal on a cheap squire was not easy

[Doctor49]

tune to F.

Unless you are using cowboy chords in which case bend.

[elsupermanny14]

That makes sense! I don't know why I didn't think about that. I only have to bend a half step from E to D.

[wax4213]

C# to D

 

But as far as an equivalent D, what string is it intended to be played on? If it's anything other than the high E then there is an equivalent D, it might just be too awkward to reach. Bending is probably the easiest.

[sfarfsky]

bend

hit the same note an octave lower

use a pinch harmonic to get the note an octave or two up

 

and my personal fav

play a different note

[elsupermanny14]

C# to D But as far as an equivalent D, what string is it intended to be played on? If it's anything other than the high E then there is an equivalent D, it might just be too awkward to reach. Bending is probably the easiest.

 

Yeah C# to D. My bad. I don't have any other option. It is the high D on the high E string that I am trying to hit except my guitar is a 21 fret so it only goes up to that C#.

 

It's the first time I have ever needed to use that particular note so hopefully it will not be too much of a problem as I move forward. If worst comes to worst I have a Squier that I put together which has 22 frets. I just don't like the feel, weight, and overall sound of the Squier.

[chuck1016]

improvise your own solo. If you're all the way up the neck like that it's all going to sound like Meedly-Meedly-Meedly-Meedly-Whaaaaaa! anyway

[Armchair Bronco]

Use this as an excuse to buy a new guitar.

 

Then, once you have a 22 (or 24) fret guitar, you can justify the one after that by learning a song that has some bizarre tuning (like Zeppelin's "The Rain Song").

 

Never pass up an excuse to get more gear!