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The Ground Rules"/> <meta property="og:description" content="OK, to get the guitar method down, here are some ground rules to help you understand my diagrams."/> <meta property="og:type" content="article"/> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/guitar-method.html"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/images/fender-gibson-guitars.jpg"/>  <script>var https_page=0</script> <script src="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/sd/support-files/gdprcookie.js.pagespeed.jm.pkndbbCar4.js" async defer></script></head>   <body class="responsive"> <div id="PageWrapper" class="modern"> <div id="HeaderWrapper"> <div id="Header"> <div class="Liner"> <h2 class="WebsiteName"> <a href="/">Learn To Play Rock Guitar</a> </h2> <p class="Tagline">Beginner rock guitar lessons for n00bs and rusty rockers</p>   <div class="ResponsiveNavWrapper"> <div class="ResponsiveNavButton"> <span>Menu</span> </div> <div class="HorizontalNavBarCenter HorizontalNavBar HorizontalNavBarCSS ResponsiveNav"> <ul class="root"> <li class="lil"><a href="/">Home</a></li> <li class="li1"> <a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/learning-to-play-guitar.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">Start Here</a> <ul> <li class="li2"><a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/guitar-method.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">Ground Rules</a></li> <li class="li2"><a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/guitar-tuning.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">Tuning</a></li> <li class="li2"><a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/guitar-hardware.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">Axe Anatomy</a></li> <li class="li2"><a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/free-guitar-lessons.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">Guitar Tonewoods</a></li> <li class="li2"><a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/beginner-guitar-lesson.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">Rock Guitar Terms</a></li> <li class="li2"><a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/guitar-maintenance.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">Guitar Maintenance</a></li> <li class="li2"><a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/recommended-guitar-products.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">Recommended Guitar Products</a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="li1"> <a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/learning-to-play-guitar-chords.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">Chords</a> <ul> <li class="li2"><a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/rock-guitar-chord.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">Progressions</a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="li1"> <a href="#">Scales</a> <ul> <li class="li2"><a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/guitar-notes-for.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">Natural Notes</a></li> <li class="li2"><a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/notes-on-the-guitar.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">Sharp Notes</a></li> <li class="li2"><a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/notes-for-the-guitar.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">Flat Notes</a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="li1"><a href="#">Rhythm</a></li> <li class="li1"> <a href="#">Gear</a> <ul> <li class="li2"><a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/electric-guitar-lessons-online.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">Guitars</a></li> <li class="li2"><a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/vintage-guitar-values.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">Vintage Guitars</a></li> <li class="li2"><a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/guitar-strings.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">Strings</a></li> <li class="li2"><a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/electric-guitar-amps.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">Amplifiers</a></li> <li class="li2"><a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/guitar-sound-effects.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">Effects Pedals</a></li> <li class="li2"><a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/free-guitar-lessons-for-beginners.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">Accessories</a></li> <li class="li2"><a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/guitar-practice.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">Practice Tools</a></li> </ul> </li> <li class="li1"><a href="#"></a></li> <li class="li1"><a href="#"></a></li> </ul> </div> </div>  </div> </div> </div>   <div id="ColumnsWrapper"> <div id="ContentWrapper"> <div id="ContentColumn"> <div class="Liner">   <H1>Guitar Method - The Ground Rules</H1> <p>OK, to get the guitar method down, here are some ground rules to help you understand my diagrams. I've modeled them after diagrams you will see in chord books and on musical scores and sheet music, so they should be pretty universal.</p> <h3>Strings:</h3> <p>I'll start with a quick rundown of the strings. As I go over different notes, chords and scales in this guitar method, I'll use the note of the string tuning interchangeably with the string number. Check this out:</p> <p align="center"><img border="0" src="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/images/string-numbers.gif" WIDTH="355" HEIGHT="69" alt="String numbering"></p> <p>The string on the top of the fingerboard (when you're holding the guitar) is the Low <b>E</b>. In standard tuning the strings are tuned to the following notes: <b>E A D G B e</b>, the second small <b>e</b> (or high <b>e</b>) being two octaves above the first <b>E</b>. We can also notate these strings as 1 through 6, high <b>e</b> being number 1 and low <b>E</b> being number 6.</p>  <CENTER> <table width="525" border="0"> <tr> <td><div align="center"> <script>google_ad_client="pub-4172697844801312";google_ad_slot="6791473289";google_ad_width=468;google_ad_height=15;</script> <script src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"></script> </div></td> </tr></table> </CENTER>  <h3>Fingering:</h3> <p>On the diagrams, you'll see big black dots with either a number 1-4 or a letter. These indicate which finger you will use on the fingerboard. Just to clarify, the fingerboard is the part of the guitar neck with all the silver bars (these are frets) going cross-ways.</p> <img border="0" src="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/images/fingering-notation.gif" align="left" WIDTH="207" HEIGHT="195" hspace="10" alt="Fingering Notation"> <img border="0" src="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/images/a-major-chord03.gif" align="right" WIDTH="210" HEIGHT="240" hspace="10" alt="Fingering Notation Example"> <br clear="all"> <br clear="all"> <p>The guitar method table on the left shows you which finger corresponds with the numbered dot on the example of a chord diagram to the right.</p> <p>In the chord diagrams, if the chord or notes fall within the first three to four frets, you'll see a black bar (the <i>nut</i> on a neck) across the top (example on <strong>left</strong> below). If the chord or note falls higher on the neck, the diagram will just look like a section of the neck (example on <strong>right</strong> below). The number here denotes the fret you're at.</p> <img border="0" src="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/images/fingerboardAtNut.gif" align="left" WIDTH="190" HEIGHT="240" hspace="10" alt="fingerboard at nut"> <img border="0" src="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/images/blank-fingerboard.gif" align="right" WIDTH="210" HEIGHT="240" hspace="10" alt="blank fingerboard image"> <br clear="all"> <p>Most guitars also have dots on the fingerboard to give you an idea where you are on the neck. For example, there is usually a single dot at the third, fifth, seventh and ninth frets. At the twelfth fret, usually there's two dots. Here are some examples found on common electric guitar styles:</p> <p align="center"><img border="0" src="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/images/fender-gibson-guitars.jpg" WIDTH="361" HEIGHT="335" alt="Guitar Fingerboards"></p> <br clear="all"> <h3>Fretting:</h3> <p>Fretting is a guitar method that refers to finger placement on the fingerboard of the guitar. When I say the "fifth fret" I am talking about putting your finger ahead of or in front of the fifth fret on the neck. This can also be said as the space on the neck between the fourth and fifth fret.</p> <p>Take a look at this picture showing the <b>A major</b> barre chord, which is played at the fifth fret:</p> <p align="center"><img border="0" src="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/images/guitar-neck-fretting.jpg" WIDTH="400" HEIGHT="210" alt="Neck work - A major image"></p> <p>You can see my index finger (1) barring all six strings at the fifth fret in the space between the fourth and fifth frets. What I'm doing is pressing the strings down so the fifth fret becomes the temporary nut on the neck. A capo clamped on the neck does the same thing for you - it stays stationary while playing. You have to stop playing to remove it. That's what's nice about barre chords - kind of like an "on-demand" capo...</p> <p>If you need to get your guitar tuned up now, <a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/guitar-tuning.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">you can get straight to the tuning pages by clicking this link.</a></p> <p>If you'd rather get started on the guitar method chords, go to the <a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/learning-to-play-guitar-chords.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">Rock Chords guitar method pages here.</a></p> <p>If you're already good with the basic chords, <a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/rock-guitar-chord.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">try out some of the Rock Chord Progressions</a>.</p>  <table width="100%" border="0" align="center"> <tr> <td> <div align="center"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>  <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-4172697844801312" data-ad-slot="9040907166" data-ad-format="auto"> </ins> <script>(adsbygoogle=window.adsbygoogle||[]).push({});</script> </div> </td> </tr> </table>  <hr> <div class="liner"> <div align="center"><a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/learning-to-play-guitar.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">Back to Getting Started</a></div> <br> <div align="center"><a href="https://www.learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com/index.html" onclick="return FIX.track(this);">Back to the <strong>Learn to Play Rock Guitar</strong> homepage</a></div> </div> <div class="liner"> <br> <div align="center"> <div id="socializeit_" class="js-socializeit"></div> <script>var https_page;var socializeit_options=socializeit_options||[];socializeit_options.push({el_id:"socializeit_",pack:2,domain:"learn-to-play-rock-guitar.com",https_page:https_page,share_horizontal_label:"Share this page:",share_sticky_label:"Share",payItText:"Enjoy this page? 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