You are going to be reading Chord Boxes in the very first stage so you will need to get this down now. You won't need to read tab for a little while yet, but we'll give you a brief run down of it here so you at least understand this too. I do not encourage beginners to read music notation. If you want to learn that later then go for it, but it makes for very slow progress and is only really used by professionals, and even then it is a specialist skills for a pop or rock guitarist, not for a beginner!

Video Lesson

Reading Chord Boxes

The first thing that you need to know is how to read chord boxes. These show you where to put your fingers on the fingerboard. The six vertical lines represent the six strings, the one furthest left is the thickest string. The two close together lines at the top of the box represent the nut (the plastic, bone or metal piece that the stings go through on the headstock) and the rest of the horizontal lines represent the frets.

The dots represent the places where you must put your left hand fingers, and they are numbered to show which finger to use. Number 1 is the index finger, 2 is the middle finger, 3 is the ring finger and 4 is your pinky. If you have played the piano make sure you don't get confused because the piano finger numbers are completely different (guitar players don't use their left hand thumbs).

Notice the X or O above each string too. These show weather to play the string or not. The O means that you play the string with no fingers on it and the X means that you should not play that string. Be careful which strings you pluck.

Reading TAB

I have another lesson with all the details about more complex tab, but here is a diagram to give you the basics. The other lesson is here: TB-011 • How To Read TAB

I will explain more about TAB when we come to use it!

OK, now we just have to get your guitar in tune and then we are ready to go - SO lets move on to BC-109 • Get your guitar in tune

HELP!!!!

If you need to ask a question about this lesson - there is a topic set up specifically to help you with this lesson. To help you find it easily you can click the following link and it will take you right the topic. You'll be able to see questions that other people had and ask your own questions! Hopefully one of the very helpful members of our community will be there to help you soon, I do go there and answer stuff too - but there are just too many questions for me to answer alone! So click this link to get help with this lesson!

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