Notation for Left Hand Fingering

Most notes on the guitar can be played in several places.

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E is played open on the first string, but that is just one of five places you can play the note. In fact there are even more places if you include harmonics.

On top of this, how do you know which finger to use to play a note? Well most of the time it is either obvious or it is not essential that you use a particular finger. However, sometimes it is important, either to let notes ring together or to make a phrase easier by playing it in a less obvious position. Guitarists therefore have special notation to help them with fingering puzzles:

• Roman Numerals are position numbers, they tell you which fret you should have your first finger in. As a general rule, you then use one finger in each fret. For example, once you are playing in the 4th position, your 1st finger plays all the notes in the 4th fret, your 2nd finger plays in the 5th fret, 3rd finger in 6th fret and 4th finger in 7th fret.
• Numbers in circles are string numbers. You can assume you stay on the same string until I tell you otherwise.
• Plain numbers are finger numbers.
• Little ascending or descending lines (shown as / or \ ) tell you to move up the neck or down the neck, so you will usually see them at the same time you see a roman numeral. They usually suggest using the same finger again as well. A dash ( - ) instructs you to hold on to a note.

Extra notation should be kept to a minimum. The more clutter on the score, the harder it is to read. There is no need to write obvious fingering in. You may wish to mark in positions as a reminder, but there is no need to then add all the finger numbers if you are familiar with that position.