| There are many ways to notate music on the | | | | |
| guitar. You can use sheet music easy to | | | | Let's play Happy Birthday To You. We can |
| understand when you have learned to read | | | | divide the song into four parts: |
| sheet music. To learn to read sheet music on | | | | |
| the guitar is however not so easy for many | | | | 1. Start by playing the open third string |
| students. | | | | twice. When you play a string without |
| | | | pressing down a fret is called to play an |
| What different ways are there to notate | | | | open string. Then you press down the second |
| guitar melodies? | | | | fret on the third string and the open third |
| | | | string. Play the first fret of the second |
| 1. You can use guitar sheet music. The | | | | string and the open second string. It will |
| advantage is that it is universal, meaning | | | | look like this: |
| that other instrumentalists will understand | | | | |
| the notation. | | | | 0/3 0/3 2/3 0/3 1/2 0/2 |
| | | | |
| 2. You can use guitar tablature. A tablature | | | | 2. Play the open third string twice. Play the |
| staff consists of six lines representing the | | | | second fret on the third string and the open |
| six strings on a guitar. Number on the lines | | | | third string. Play the third fret of the |
| indicate what fret to press down. Guitar | | | | second string and the first fret on the |
| tablature is very common on the net and is a | | | | second string. It will look like this: |
| widely used. | | | | |
| | | | 0/3 0/3 2/3 0/3 3/2 1/2 |
| 3. Use another system. | | | | |
| | | | 3. Play the open third string twice. The |
| 4. Describe with words how to play the melody | | | | third fret on the first string and the open |
| on the guitar. | | | | first string. The first fret string two and |
| | | | open second string. Second fret on the third |
| In this article I will use an easy system | | | | string. It will look like this: |
| that doesn't need a staff and I will also | | | | |
| describe how to play the melody on the guitar | | | | 0/3 0/3 3/1 0/1 1/2 0/2 2/3 |
| with words. We will learn to play the melody | | | | |
| Happy Birthday To You. | | | | 4. We finish the song by playing the first |
| | | | fret first string twice. Open first string |
| How to read the guitar notation | | | | and first fret second string. Third fret |
| | | | second string and first fret second string. |
| The first number tells you what fret to press | | | | |
| down. The second number what string to play | | | | 1/1 1/1 0/1 1/2 3/2 1/2 |
| on. An example: | | | | |
| | | | Learning to play the song Happy Birthday To |
| 1/2 | | | | You on guitar is a good investment. According |
| | | | to the Guinness Book of World Records, "Happy |
| This means, press down the first fret on the | | | | Birthday to You" is among the top three most |
| second string. | | | | popular songs in the English language. |