First Position Review © 2010 Kevin Vigil and John Graham 1

First Position Review Unit 1:

• A Position is a four finger to four fret

relationship that is named after the fret that the first finger is on.

• *Enharmonic Equivalents are two notes with the same pitch but different names. For example F♯ and G♭.

First Position Review © 2010 Kevin Vigil and John Graham 2

NOTE: The notes of Exercise1 are played on open strings. Pay close attention to rests and right hand fingerings.

NOTE: Exercise 2 is played on strings ①, ➁, and ③ with a pick. Be sure to use the appropriate strokes

(≥ = down strokes, ≤ = up strokes). Pay attention to the key signature; all Fs are sharp (♯).

BONUS POINTS: Can you name the scale/key? ______________________

First Position Review © 2010 Kevin Vigil and John Graham 3

NOTE: Exercise 3 is played on strings ④, ⑤, and ⑥ with “p” (right hand thumb). Pay close attention to the key signature; all Fs are sharp (♯). BONUS POINTS: Can you name the scale/key? ______________________

NOTE: Exercise 4 is played on all six strings. Use right hand alternation as suggested. Pay attention to the signature; it has F♯ C♯ G♯ D♯ . BONUS POINTS: Can you name the scale/key? ______________________

First Position Review © 2010 Kevin Vigil and John Graham 4

NOTE: Exercise 5 is made up of 3-note chords that are played on strings ①, ➁, and ③. Watch for the G♯ and remember that once an accidental is used, it remains for the duration of the measure. BONUS POINTS: Can you name the chords used in this exercise? ______________________

NOTE: Exercise 5 is made up of 3-note chords that are played on strings ④, ⑤, and ⑥. BONUS POINTS: Can you name the chords used in this exercise? ______________________

NOTE: Exercise 5 is made up of 4-note chords that are played on a variety of the six strings. Watch for the F♯ . BONUS POINTS: Can you name the chords used in this exercise? ______________________

First Position Review © 2010 Kevin Vigil and John Graham 5

Combining Chords and Notes on All Strings.

First Position Review © 2010 Kevin Vigil and John Graham 6

Octave Relationships

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NOTE: Exercise 15 uses a very familiar chord progression. Can you recognize it?

NOTE: Exercise 16 uses the F Major scale and the chords based on that scale.

NOTE: Watch for the rests in Exercise 17!

First Position Review © 2010 Kevin Vigil and John Graham 8

Interval and Chord Studies

NOTE: Oh When the Saints go Marching In (Spiritual). A three-note chord study

First Position Review © 2010 Kevin Vigil and John Graham 9

Note: This familiar tune is a fun way to review the range of notes in First Position.

First Position Review © 2010 Kevin Vigil and John Graham 10

Music in Two Parts (Composite Rhythms)

First Position Review © 2010 Kevin Vigil and John Graham 11

First Position Review © 2010 Kevin Vigil and John Graham 12

First Position Review © 2010 Kevin Vigil and John Graham 13

First Position Unit 1 Review Part I

• Write the name of each note with the appropriate Octave Identification. • Mark the location of each note on the fingerboard diagram and label it with the corresponding

measure number. • 3 Examples are done for you.

o Correct note name = 1 point o Correct Octave ID = 1 point o Correct location mark with measure number = 1 point

2

1

3

First Position Review © 2010 Kevin Vigil and John Graham 14

Part II

• Write the musical notation for each fingerboard diagram. o Each chord = 1 point o Extra Credit for naming each chord = 1 point each.

First Position Review © 2010 Kevin Vigil and John Graham 15

Extending First Position & Thinking in Keys

*Unit 2:

* This unit includes the use of eighth notes. See Rhythm Supplement Unit 2

• It is common to play music that extends first position (I).

• The ability to do so offers multiple

musical and finger options to the guitarist.

• The diagram on this page

represents connections and note relationships based on the Unison Tuning Method (“5th fret tuning method”).

• Understanding these references will

facilitate your ability to learn the music in this unit quickly and efficiently.

• Some pieces in this section require

no extensions, some offer choices, while others require the guitarist to meet the demands of the music.

A1rangeflow1@aol.com1

D1 G2

B2

E3

A1 D1 G2 B2 E3

A3 C2

E1

E1

A3

First Position Review © 2010 Kevin Vigil and John Graham 16

Meeting the Demands of the Music & Making Choices

The pieces presented in this unit are intended to further your understanding of making music on the guitar. The first piece is presented with three different fingering choices and is highly edited with specific instruction regarding fingerings. The remaining pieces are lightly edited so that you can make your own choices with guidance from your teacher. All the pieces in this unit (with exception of “Into the Fog” ) are presented in Key Signature Order. This is intended to create a better connection of keys and fingering choices as some keys are more easily played in positions other than first position. It is also important for the student to realize that any single piece may be played in more than one position.

Guitarists must often make choices about where to play notes. These choices are made to accommodate various fingering priorities, the most common are:

• Key signature • Technical facilitation for left and/or right hand; • Consistency of tone; • Special effects

Open Strings

Open strings may be used in any position. They often accommodate shifts to other positions and

are often used for special effects. When playing open strings, you may notice that they have a brighter timbre (tone color) than closed strings. This may or may not meet the musical needs that you want to hear. Additionally, vibrato is not possible on open strings, so if you are playing a beautiful single line melody, you may want to consider choosing closed strings for this purpose.

Frequently Asked Question

Q: How do I know which location to use when the music indicates a note that can be played

in more than one location? A1: When you have two or more notes that are played simultaneously, you will often need to

locate notes in places other than what you are accustomed.

Example: The “B2” and “D2” cannot be played on the same string, therefore you must find locations for these two notes so that they can be played together. (This excerpt is from Opus 240, No. 24 by Ferdinando Carulli).

A2: As you develop as a guitarist and musician, you will often choose to play notes in

locations that meet your musical demands. The choice is ultimately yours, so choose wisely.