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|Position#Open Position|Open Pos.|Position#Position-Shifting Technique|Technique}}
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== Open Position ==
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The easiest position for us to start in is ''open position''. This is a bit different from all other positions because here our index finger is actually positioned to fret the first fret. However, because we are using open strings, it is called open position. The C major scale uses all the open strings and never requires playing any 4th fret notes, which means we don't need our pinky to do any work yet, which is good because it is naturally the weakest.
The tab below illustrates a full C major scale in open position. Each position contains a little more than 2 octaves of scale notes; however, depending on the position and scale, only one of those scales may have continuous notes from the root note to its octave. '''If the scale has a root note on the 6th string, you will get 2 consecutive octaves - note that the low and high E strings have the same exact notes, but the high E string is 2 octaves above the low E string.''' The tab below that contains all the possible C major notes in open position.
E-------------------------
B--------------------0--1-
G--------------0--2-------
D-----0--2--3-------------
A--3----------------------
E-------------------------
C D E F G A B C
E-------------------------------------------0--1--3--
B----------------------------------0--1--3-----------
G----------------------------0--2--------------------
D-------------------0--2--3--------------------------
A----------0--2--3-----------------------------------
E-0--1--3--------------------------------------------
E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G
The scale maps below represent the same notes as above; however, they use a scale map instead of tab. Notice how the scale map uses the horizontal axis for fret numbers while tab uses it to represent time.
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Knowing all the notes in the C major scale in open position isn't necessarily going to happen in a single lesson, and you shouldn't dwell on this information trying to take it all in yet. The focus here should be on visualizing the scale and playing it using the references above.
|Position#Open Position|Open Pos.|Position#Position-Shifting Technique|Technique}}
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* [[Basic Technique]]
== Stretches Open Position ==
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The easiest position for us to start in is ''open position''. This is a bit different from all other positions because here our index finger is actually positioned to fret the first fret. However, because we are using open strings, it is called open position. The C major scale uses all the open strings and never requires playing any 4th fret notes, which means we don't need our pinky to do any work yet, which is good because it is naturally the weakest.
The tab below illustrates a full C major scale in open position. Each position contains a little more than 2 octaves of scale notes; however, depending on the position and scale, only one of those scales may have continuous notes from the root note to its octave. '''If the scale has a root note on the 6th string, you will get 2 consecutive octaves - note that the low and high E strings have the same exact notes, but the high E string is 2 octaves above the low E string.''' The tab below that contains all the possible C major notes in open position.
E-------------------------
B--------------------0--1-
G--------------0--2-------
D-----0--2--3-------------
A--3----------------------
E-------------------------
C D E F G A B C
E-------------------------------------------0--1--3--
B----------------------------------0--1--3-----------
G----------------------------0--2--------------------
D-------------------0--2--3--------------------------
A----------0--2--3-----------------------------------
E-0--1--3--------------------------------------------
E F G A B C D E F G A B C D E F G
The scale maps below represent the same notes as above; however, they use a scale map instead of tab. Notice how the scale map uses the horizontal axis for fret numbers while tab uses it to represent time.
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Knowing all the notes in the C major scale in open position isn't necessarily going to happen in a single lesson, and you shouldn't dwell on this information trying to take it all in yet. The focus here should be on visualizing the scale and playing it using the references above.
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== Stretches ==
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Very rarely will you ever be completely confined inside a group of 4 frets. You'll often have to perform ''stretches'' such as below:
== Using Position Intelligently ==
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It's technically possible to play a single note passage using only your index finger, shifting positions for every note. Or to play the same passage in one position, even if it means some nasty stretches or awkward transitions between fingers. In rare cases, manic position changes are desired for their tonal aspects, but normally they are reserved to make playing easier.
'''So there's always some balance between tone and difficulty, with difficulty having balance between fingering difficulty vs. position-shifting difficulty.'''
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== Position-Shifting Technique ==
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Remember that ideal fretting technique places our finger right behind the fret, so that the string sounds cleanly. When you shift positions, you should '''focus on cleanly fretting the first note after the position shift. Also, the shift should not be obviously noticeable.''' You shouldn't kill the note right before the shift early to make time for the shift - you just need to shift faster. Fast, accurate, subtle shifting in-time with the beat is your goal.