How To Read Guitar Notes

Reading guitar notes requires practice .

We need to learn the staff, its lines and spaces and work out the notes on the instrument.

Observe the following diagrams and work through them slowly. Click on each diagram to open up a pdf file which you can print and then use it to practice.

In e.g. 4a below, the diagram shows the first to the fourth positions of the fret-board.

Starting with the low E, 6th string to the 1st.string.

This lesson on how to read guitar music notes will illustrate the various signs and symbols used.

In e.g.4.1a, the two dots placed at a double bar, at the first measure, shows the repeat signs.

In the second measure, the 1st and 2nd beats are silent.

The two pick-up guitar notes are played on the 3rd and 4th beats.

Play the melody. At bar 4, there is a pause sign on the 3rd beat. Hold it for just a little longer. Then play through to bar 10 which is the 1st. ending.

The repeat sign at bar 10 brings us back to bar 11. At bar 12, 3rd beat,we play the pause again.

Play through to bar 17 and jump to bar 18 which is called the 2nd ending.

At bar 18, we see the D.S.al Coda which means to go back to bar 19 and play on.

At bar 20, we play the pause again. Keep playing to bar 25 where the "to Coda" sign is.

We than jump to bar 26 where the coda is and finish off with the word Fine.

The D.C. or Da Capo sign means: to repeat from the beginning.

When you learn to play the guitar notes, commit these symbols to memory.

In e.g. 4b the chromatic guitar notes (also called sharps) are illustrated.

The e.g. 4c shows the Cmajor scale. Try to get a clear tone when the frets are pressed.

We can play the first two notes on the 5th string.

Fret the Left Hand 2nd finger on the 3rd fret to get the note C.

Stretch the fourth finger to get to the 5th fret D.

Three notes can be reached on the 4th string.

Fret the 2nd fret E with the 1st finger.

Than move and fret the 3rd fret 2nd finger to get the F.

Stretch the 4th finger to get to the G 5th fret.

You can get four notes on the 3rd string. Place the 1st finger on 2nd fret A.

Move up to B 4th fret 3rd finger. Shift 1st finger to C 5th fret than go to D, 7fret 3rd finger.

On the 2nd string, 3 notes can be reached.

Fret the 5th fret E using the 1st finger, than move the 2nd finger to 6th fret F, stretch 4th finger to reach G on the 8th fret.

Three notes can be reached on the first string.

Using the 1st finger, fret the 5th fret to get A.

Stretch to the 7th fret B 3rd finger and lastly move to the 8th fret C, 4th finger.

Play through and get familiar with the positions and fingerings.

These are some examples to explain the approach to reading music notes.

Observe the different values, types of rhythm and notation used.

In the Hymn, "O God, Our Help In Ages Past" above e.g. 4d, the music starts with a pick-up note which is played on the 4th beat.

It plays through and goes to the 1st ending at measure 8 and repeats back to measure 9 and plays through. It avoids the 1st. ending and jumps to the 2nd ending at bar 16.

Also at bar 16, the 2nd ending, you will see this symbol Del Segno or D.S. to coda. It means to repeat back to D.S. sign at bar 17. Play to the to coda sign at bar 23 and jump to the coda at bar 24.

The word Fine indicates the end of the music.

Go through the guitar theory, digest and chew it slowly and much fruit will be produced.

Let us now proceed to:Guitar Theory Instruction

Guitar Theory Instruction

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