Introducing the concept of coloured guitar music

Every guitar string is assigned a different colour. The highest pitched string is given the colour yellow - the lowest string the colour black.

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A number before a note head tells you two things at the same time: on the one hand, it indicates the finger that is used to play the note and on the other hand it tells you the fret your finger needs to be placed on. Example: Place your 3rd finger (ring finger) on the third fret and your 2nd finger (middle finger) on the second fret.

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Already you will find it easy to play a lot of songs from our guitar song books.


Playing in position

The coloured music also makes playing in position really easy. The following melody has to be played in the second (II) position. Roman numerals are used to indicate which position the notes have to be played in, e.g. II. The 1st finger of your fret hand shows the position you are playing in. Any note on the second fret will be played with this finger. Example: If your 1st finger is placed on the second fret, you use your 2nd finger to play notes on the third fret etc.

Lagenspiel


For advanced learners - fret numbers

If the number of your finger does not match that of the fret there will be a symbol (a circle with a number) near the note head to indicate the corresponding fret. This number only indicates the finger that is used to play the note with. Example: Your 4th finger (small finger) is placed on the twelfth fret, your 1st finger on the seventh fret and the 2nd finger on the eighth fret.

Bundzeichen


High E string - bright yellow sun
B string - green field
G string - red ball
D string - blue sky
A string - brown sand
Low E string - black hole (brother of the bright yellow sun)



The following little story will help you memorize the colours of the guitar strings in no time. »While the sun is shining bright and yellow I take a walk across a green field. I spot a red ball and kick it into the blue sky. The ball bounces back onto small pile of brown sand and rolls down into a black hole in the ground.«