Your Classical Guitar Input Here

Beyond first position

by Parris

I am newly learning to play guitar, and read standard music notation. So far I've come to understand all of the notes within the first three frets fairly well.

However, the tabbed forms of the sheet music often use notes on frets outside of the first three.

Sometimes it is annotated that the music should be played in a different position, and other times it is not.

I basically have two questions.

1)What would be the first step to learning how to play pieces from the second position and thus fourth?

2)In the case of pieces such as "Andantino by Felix Horetzky" (number three from the free lesson section), from reading the music in standard notation how does one know exactly when to fet outside of the first three frets when theres no written indication of a change in positions?

Hi Parris,

You have to learn the notes of the fretboard first because that will make it much easier to both sight read and know when or if it's even desirable to play in an alternate position.

Just because someone says you should doesn't always make it right for you.

Additionally, you know when to play in another position or on another string because in guitar notation the numbers 1-6 in a little circle means what string to play the note. I think this type of notation is only found in guitar music.

Look at this page to help you with learning notes on the fretboard...

And as for question 2 re: the Horetzky piece, it relates to the first. If you know your notes you'll often know wher it can be fingered or played successfully. And as for tabbed notes, it can often be the best way to quickly find out what position the notes are in and on what string they are.

Although it doesn't give you the timimg or rhythm of a piece it is great for working out note positions.

I hope this is of some help.

Kind regards,
Trevor M.