How to Notate Fingerboard Positions on Strings and Instruments
Overview
Notating fingerboard positions on strings such as a guitar, uke, or mandolin can be done in a variety of ways. The choice of notation often depends on the instrument and the details of the piece of music. Below, we explore various methods used for different types of strings and provide examples and best practices.Common Notation Methods for Guitar, Uke, Mandolin
The usual way to notate a chord on a guitar, uke, or mandolin includes drawing a diagram or listing the fret numbers directly. Let's look at both methods in detail.Diagram Notation
The standard method for indicating a chord typically involves drawing a diagram of the fingerboard, with:- An "X" for an unplayed string
- A "0" for an open string
For example, here's a G chord:
X - 0 - 2 - 3 - 2 - x
Concise Notation
For efficiency, you can use a more concise notation: - Use "X" for unplayed strings - Use "0" for open stringsSo, for the G chord mentioned above, the notation simplifies to:
XX0232
While this works well up to the ninth fret, beyond that, there isn't much agreement. Using A10, B11, etc. can be helpful for higher fret positions.
Adding a Capo
If you use a capo, you can indicate its position with "capo: [fret number]". Then, count every fret from the capo. For example, a capo at the first fret followed by an F on a uke would be:capo: 1XX1244
These techniques work well for guitars, ukuleles, and mandolins. Here’s how you can apply them:
For guitars: You can use XX0232 for a G chord. For ukuleles: A G chord would be 0232. For mandolins: A G chord would be 0023.Classical Guitar Notation
Classical guitar has two common methods for notating fingerboard positions: barres and individual note positioning.Barres
Barres are traditionally indicated with Roman numerals. Here's how it's typically done: For a barre at position 5: It would be written “CV” where “C” stands for barre and “V” for position five. For a three-string barre: “1/2CV” where “1/2” indicates a half barre (or three strings). For varying numbers of strings: Some authors use “B” for barres. For example, “BV4” implies a four-string barre at position five, and “BV2” for a two-string barre at position five.Many editions simplify this by just using a Roman numeral indicating the barre is implied, and you can determine how many strings you need to barre.
Individual Notes
For individual notes, the string number is given as an Arabic number with a circle around it, implying the position: For example, in the snippet below: The first “E” note is listed on the “A” string: This has to be in the seventh position since that's the only place on that string you can play that note.Note: The specifics may vary by author/edition.
Modern Usage for Non-Classical Guitar
For non-classical guitar, the use of traditional notation is sometimes still seen, but most pop transcriptions list both standard notation and tablature, providing positioning and fingerings.Consistency
Guitar tablature is often problematic, and the quality can vary significantly depending on the author/edition. Learning to come up with efficient and effective fingerings is one of the key skills in classical guitar.