Position Playing

for
Guitar
Unlocking the Fingerboard
Peter R. Taschuk
Preface
Whats the definition of counterpoint? Two guitarists playing the same line. An old joke,
but firmly rooted in reality;guitarists just dont read as well as pianists, saxophonists, or violinists.
There are, of course, good reasons for this. The guitar fingerboard is very complex: it doesnt have
the visual simplicity of the piano keyboard or the equal intervals between strings of the violin. Also,
the guitar is used in most styles of music, some of which have no tradition of written music.
In the last few years there has been an explosion in the publication of guitar music, in print,
and on the Internet. The non-reading guitarist misses out on a wealth of great stuff in all styles.
Tablature is a poor solution for guitarists who dont read notation;you dont really read
tablature you figure out the music as you go along, usually while listening to the recording. A
particularly bizarre phenomenon is the publication of classical guitar pieces in tablature, for instance
Barrios in tab. A reading guitarist finds it extremely slow and painful to learn a piece from tab.
Most contemporary guitarists have a wide range of musical interests, and accomplished
guitarists are expected to have good overall musical skills: harmonic knowledge, reading and
improvising ability, and hearing skills.
Having said all of this, its just a lot of fun to be able to open a fake book or piece of sheet
music, and explore some new sounds, ideas, or styles of music. If done systematically, learning to
read is easy, fun, and exciting.
Ive been playing and teaching different guitar styles for several decades, and have used a
number of different published methods that introduce students to reading notation. There are
numerous books that teach reading in the first position, but I havent been able to find a good
method that takes the student into the higher positions. So, for my own students, and anyone who
wants to explore the exciting and dangerous wilderness of the higher positions, I offer this book.
Peter R. Taschuk, Salt Spring Island BC, September 2004.
Copyright 2004, FirstThought Music. All Rights Reserved. Made in Canada.
ptaschuk@saltspring.com
guitarideas.ca

About the Book

1. This book is intended for the guitarist who knows the notes in the first position,
understands sharps, flats, and key signatures, knows the basic chords, and is able to read simple
rhythms in quarter and eighth notes. Also, the more advanced player will be able to strengthen his
reading skills and fingerboard knowledge using this method. The book starts in the second position,
in the key of C Major. The music is based on five moveable scale patterns, each one defined and
then learned through a series of exercises and pieces.
2. Most of the pieces consist of single-note melodies, bass lines, or accompaniment patterns.
They are therefore perfect for pick-style players, but are also great for classical guitarists, who often
dont play melodies very convincingly, because they are also required to play accompaniment or
contrapuntal parts. As well, classical guitarists are overly dependent on the Segovia-style scales, and
are not very good at position playing.
3. One guitar sounds great, but two guitars sound even better all of the music here is
written for two guitars. The student is encouraged to find a good teacher or playing partner, since
the music only comes into complete focus when both parts are played together. Its so much more
fun to make music with other people, and duo playing is a skill that takes time to develop. Make
sure you learn both parts.
4. All of the music was written specifically for this book no Twinkle, Twinkle or Aura
Lee. Some of it, though, might sound somewhat familiar. As Stravinsky said: A good composer
does not imitate: he steals. Hopefully, the music is fresh and interesting for both student and
teacher.
5. The exercises and pieces represent several different musical styles. Through my career I
have studied and performed a wide variety of music: Classical, Jazz, Rock, Folk, and Latin, and
these influences are reflected in my music, although often not in a very formal way.
6. All of the exercises are short 4 to 16 bars. The music becomes progressively more
difficult rhythmically, and the key signatures go from C Major up to 4 sharps and to 3 flats. The
pieces are longer and more challenging than the exercises. Fingering indications have been kept to a
minimum, so that the student learns the notes thoroughly, and doesnt become dependent on
fingerings. There is little text, just music, 63 exercises and 15 pieces.
7. Spend some time every day working on absolute purity of sound nice tone quality, no
extraneous sounds such as buzzes or clicks, and playing perfectly legato. This is highly technical
work and involves things like finger preparation, coordination between the hands, and an even
attack. Play at an extremely slow tempo, and work on shorter and shorter sections, even as short as
two notes. This kind of work takes great focus or concentration. This book is not a technical
manual, but some of the music has specific technical goals, and takes longer to master.
8. Read all kinds of music. When I was first developing my reading skills, I looked for
clarinet, violin, and saxophone methods in used book stores, garage sales, and flea markets. Some of
these books have duos, exercises, and pieces that sound great on guitar.

Part One
C Major Scale
Memorize this scale, and use these fingerings for the following exercises.
Play using single notes, then each note two times.

Am

Exercises

Am

Always play slowly. Strive for rhythmic accuracy -- get in the habit of counting.

Am

Am

Am

It's more fun and more beneficial to play these exercises and pieces with another
guitarist: a friend or your teacher.

G7

Am

G7

The above is a rhythm used very often in rock and pop music.
Practise it with other chord progressions in 4/4 time, until it becomes automatic.

Am

C5

Am

A5

G5

C5

Palm Mute (P.M.)

4
4

When you see the chords written above the staff like this, find an accompaniment
rhythm that suits the melody.
See Appendix 2 for some accompaniment ideas.

C Scale
Here we've added some notes. Follow fingering exactly.
Play using single notes, each note 2 times, and triplets.
Always start and end on the tonic.

Work on playing legato: smoothly, with no spaces between notes.

G7

1
4

Dm

4 2
4 2 4

10

A5

Em

Dm

Dm

1 4
G7

Em

A Minor Pentatonic, or A Rock Scale

G5

E5

D5

A5

Complete C Major Scale

T
This scale is the first of five moveable position scales which you will learn.
As with all of these scales, memorize, and always start and end on the tonic.

After you have it well memorized, play it starting on different frets.

If you start on the fifth fret, it will be a D Major Scale.

1 3

11

12

Am

Em

Dm

14

Am
3

C
2

Dm
1

4 3 3

13

4 3 4

B7

CII 3

Em

1

2
4

G
4

2
4
3 1

Slurs: Hammer-on and pull-off

15

16

3 1

3
Triplets

3

0
0

Thirds

17

3
1
4

0 4

Coastal Canyons
P. Taschuk

1 3
4

1 1 2 4 2 4

3
9
1
4

17

1 3 1 1 4 3
2

2

2


13

1
3

1

4

Part Two

G Major Scale

This is the second of the five moveable scale patterns which you will learn.
Memorize it, then try it in different positions.
4

2
1
4
4

2 1 4
1

4
1
2
4

2
4 1 3 4

3
4

Scale in Thirds

18

4
4

1
4

19

Do some review every day.

2
3 4

2 1 4

P.M.

10

2 4 4 2

20

C add9

D sus

C add9

D sus

Here's a neat little E Rock (E minor Pentatonic) exercise.

Practise each bar separately, repeating slowly until all the notes are clear.

2 4

2 4 1 4

21

2
4
4 2

4
1 4 2 4

Try this exercise with both Straight-eighth and Swing feels.

22

4 3

23

Canon

11

24

25

Suspensions

12
26

4
2

3

4
1 4 1 4 2
3

3 2

27

Em

CIII 2

Am

28

Em

13

Idee Mecanique
P. Taschuk

To Coda

To Coda

2 4 1 4
1 2 4 2
1 2 1


5
4 3 1

4 1 2 1

4
3
1
13
D.C. al Coda
3
4 1
2 1
1

3
3
2

D.C. al Coda

17

14

Part Three
C Major Scale

29

Here we move up into the fifth position.

4
2

2.

2.

30

15

1
1

Blues in A Minor
4 1 4 1
31

1 4 3 1

Am

Dm

Am

Em

Dm

Am

F Major Scale

16

This is the third of the five scale patterns.

Memorize!
Always start and end on the tonic.

3
1

2 4

4
2
3 4 1 4 3 1 4 2
1
4
1
4

32

33

Milonga Argentina

1

3

4
3

4 1

34

3 1

Five-Four Piece

17

4 2
1

4
2 2
1

ritard

Chromatic Study

35

18

A Southern Sketch
P. Taschuk

4 1

3
3 4 1

To Coda

To Coda

13

4 3

15

CII

D.S. al Coda
4

D.S. al Coda

CV
3

19

A Northern Notion
P. Taschuk

CIII

13

2.
17

2.

20

Stainless
P. Taschuk

CIII 3

1 2 4

4

2
4

4
1

1 4 2
2

1

2.

2.

2
4 2 3 4

2

CIII

4
1
3

11

4 3

4 2

V
4

15

19

21

ritard

a tempo

23

27

ritard e decrescendo...

2 3

22

Part Four
D Major Scale

This is the fourth of our five major scale patterns.

Memorize;always start and end on the tonic.

1
4
4 3 1 3
1

36

2
4 1

2
1
4
4

CII
3 4

4 2 1 4 2 Tango

37

3 1

2
3

 1 2 4

38

23

1
2
3

3 1
4 3

1

2 1

2 4

39

1
4

CII

0
0
0

CII

3 1

2
4

3
2
4

1
1

13 2

2
3

C Major Scale

24

41

4
2

Swing

Choro

4
3

2

1 2 2

40

This is the fifth and last of our major scale patterns

4 2 1 2 4

4 3 1

1

3

25

3 4

42

A5

G5

A5

C5

3

1
P.M.

D5

C5

A5

G5

C5

D5

4
1

E5

43

4 3 1 4

A5

1
4
3 1

2 1 2 4 1 1

4
3

26

Rhythm in D
P. Taschuk

Swing

11

4
3
1
4

2.

2.

15

19

4 1

4 1 4

3 4 1 3 1 4 4

23

27

1
2 1
3

28

The Minimum
P. Taschuk

4
1

3 1 3
3 3
1
1
1

3 3 1
1

1
1

13

1
2

17

29

P.M.

21

3
3
3

Nat.

25

3
3
3
3

29

30

Part Five
Bb Major Scale

This is the same scale fingering as the C major on Page 24.

44

CVI 3

45

1

4

2
1 4 2

CIII

43

1
3

CV3

3 1

4 1

CI 3

2
1

46

P.M.

47

3 1
2

G Blues Scale

3 4 1

3 2

3
4

4 2 1

31

32

G Major Scale

3
1
4

This is the same scale fingerng as the F Major on Page 16

1 2

3
1
2 4 1 2 4 1 3 4

48

3
1
4
4

4
3

1 4
2 1

4
3
1
4 2 1

1 4 2 4 1 1
3
3
2
2

P.M.

49

2
4

33

The Lake
P. Taschuk

4 3

Quite Slowly
1

1
9
4
2

17

1
2
3

4
2

2
0

3
3
1
3

3
3
0

4
0

3 3 2 3 3
2
3

4 3

3
3 3 1 3 3 1
1
13

2
2

3
3
3
3
1 3 2
1
1
2
4 1 1

1 3
2
3

1

2
1
1
3
2

2
1

3
1

2
1

34

A Trip to the Interior

P. Taschuk

2 1

1 3

4
3

4
4

13

4 3 1 1

17

35

a tempo

26

ritard...

21

36

Winter Comes
P. Taschuk

1 2 1 2

Swing

D7

C ma7

F m7b5

A m7

3 4 1
1

B7

13

D7

F m7b5

4
1
3

A m7

Em

9
4
2 1 2 1

G ma7

G ma7

B7

C ma7

Em

E7

17
1 4 1 2 3 3 2
4 3 3 4 1

A m7

D7

G ma7

C ma7

F m7b5

B7

Em

25

A m7

21

D7

E7

B m7

37

E7

3 4 1 4 1

29

A m7

D7

33

A m7

D7

G ma7

C ma7

B7

E7

B7

F m7b5

37

G ma7

Em

38

Part Six
Eb Major Scale
This is the same scale fingering as the D Major on Page 22

2
1
4

1 3

1
4
2
CIII 3
2

50

4
3

1 4 2 1


3

51

Isomelody

 4 1 2 1

52

2 4 2

1 2

3
3

4 4

39

1
2

2
1
4

53

4
3 1
4

40

F Major Scale

4
4
1 2

This is the same scale fingering as the previous Eb Major Scale

3
4 1

2 1
4
54
4 2 1 3 2 1 4


1

1 4
3

3

55

2 1 3

Isorhythm

4
4

4
1

56

41

4 4 3 1 2 4

57

A Spanish Idea

4 2 2

42

Into the Mist

P. Taschuk

Slowly

CIII 3

4 4 2 2

13

17

4 2

4 2
1 2

43

21

25

29

repeat and fade...

44

The Stream
P. Taschuk

CV 3

1 3

1

3

13

1

3

2
4

17

29

25

21

ritard...

45

46

Part Seven
A Major Scale

58

CII 3

4 1

P.M.

3
1
4
4 4

59

60

4

1
2

Second guitar repeats this pattern throughout

47

1 4 3 2

CII 3

...

1 3 4 4

48

E Major Scale

62

2 1 2

3
1

4 1

4 2

1 3

3 4

1
4
3
1

4 1 2 4

1 3

4 3 1 3

61

3
3 1

Zamba

4 3 1 4 3 1 3

63

4
2

3 4

4
1
2
2

49

50

So Sue Me
P. Taschuk

1 3

9
3

13
3

17
3

51

21

25

33

29

1

4

52

Shufflin' the Deck

P. Taschuk

4

2

3 2

1 3 4

10

14
3
2
4 1

4 2 1

18

53

22

26

34

30

54

Part Eight
The Seventh Position
C Major Scale

Play some of the earlier exercises and pieces in C Major using this fingering.

G Major Scale

3
4 1
1

2
1
4

Play exercises and pieces in G Major using this fingering.

Next, figure out the scales in other keys in this position, and
play music in those keys.

The developing guitarist should continually be studying all aspects of music.

You should know the basic chords in the most common keys, the principles of chord consruction
and progression, and the cycle of fifths.
Learn the intervals and be able to recognize them, starting with major and minor thirds.
When you are working on a piece, examine the melody, analyzing its intervallic structure and rhythm.
Observe where each phrase begins and ends, and how the phrases relate to each other.
The point of this, of course, is to make the phrases clear to yourself and the listener.
Always play rhythmically, looking for ways to make the meter clear,
through articulation and emphasis.
Play musically! Develop your expressive skills;dynamics, vibrato, rubato,
tone color, articulation. Even technical exercises can be interpreted in a myriad of ways.
Above all, have fun, approach all music openly and with a sense of humor,
and try to develop flexibility in your thinking and playing.

55

Fernando
Taschuk - Sor
2
1
4
4

3 1

2 4
1

4 2

4
2

5

1

4
9
2
3
4
1

13

17

2
4

1

3

4
2
1
4

2 4

3 1

2
1
4

21

3 4

56

No More Blues
P. Taschuk

13

4 2 1

1
4

17

21

ritard...

57

58

Appendix One
The Five Scale Patterns

3
1

T
3

3
1
4

2 4

Scale Pattern 5
1

Scale Pattern 4

2
1

Scale Pattern 3

Scale Pattern 2

4
2

4
1 3

Scale Pattern 1

4
6

59

Appendix Two
Accompaniment Patterns

Strummed Patterns

Fingerpicking Patterns

CD Contents
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36

Exercise 1
Exercise 11
Exercise 16
Coastal Canyons
Exercise 25
Exercise 26
Idee Mecanique
Exercise 29
Exercise 30
Exercise 33
Exercise 34
Southern Sketch
A Northern Notion
Exercise 38
Exercise 39
Exercise 41
Rhythm in D
The Minimum
Exercise 46
Exercise 49
The Lake
A Trip to the Interior
Winter Comes
Exercise 51
Exercise 52
Exercise 55
Exercise 56
Into the Mist
The Stream
Exercise 60
Exercise 62
Exercise 63
So Sue Me
Shufflinthe Deck
Fernando
No More Blues

Many of the tracks are embellished with sections of improvisation,

and some have extra repeats.