Guidelines for composing for guitar

I. Basics
a. On a standard guitar there are six strings. Standard tuning is in fourths between all
strings except the second and third strings. This generates the pitches, from lowest to
highest- E, A, D, G, B, and E for the open strings. The lowest string in pitch is actually
the highest physically in relation to the floor.
(Open strings in standard tuning- Note that the guitar is written an octave higher than it sounds)
b. Each fret represents one-half step, and the pitch rises as the string is cut off at a
higher fret. The frets near the headstock are called the lower frets and the frets closer to
the soundhole and the bridge are called the higher frets. Since the strings are tuned in
4ths the pitches repeat after the fifth fret on the next lowest string. In other words, you
can play an A-flat (written a m6th above middle C, but sounding an octave lower, see
below) on the first fret of the G string, on the sixth fret of the D string, on the 11th fret of
the A string, etc. At the 12th fret, all the pitches in open position repeat an octave higher.
(This is because the 12th half-step would be an octave higher than the open string.)
(Roman numbers indicate fret position, numbers in circles indicate string number)
II. Left Hand
a. Every finger on the left-hand except for the thumb is involved in fretting notes (in
special circumstances, the thumb will fret a bass note, but this is awkward and is very
rare). There are several ways in which the left-hand finger can fret a note. Single note
lines are fretted by individual fingers executing different combinations of fingerings
(similar to string instruments). Chords are fretted by different fingers on different strings
(two notes fretted on the same string will result in only the higher note sounding.)
(Numerals not enclosed in a circle indicate left hand finger, 1 for index through 4 for pinky)
Chords with notes on different strings but the same fret will often be played with a barre.
This technique involves one finger fretting across a few different strings, which are not
necessarily consecutive. Usually barres are played by the first finger, and can be played
over any number of strings, from 2-6. Under special circumstances, other fingers can
execute a barre, most notably the fourth finger. Many players do not have the flexibility
to do a barre with the second or third fingers, especially when there are other fingers
involved in fretting the chord. Barres are notated with a C to indicate capo, or barre,
and the roman numeral of the barred fret. If a more specific notation is desired, the
number of strings to be barred can be indicated by a fraction of 6 (ie. 1/6, 2/6, etc)
before the C.
b. Big stretches must be written with care. As a general rule, the largest stretch that
most players can play comfortably is a five fret span between the first and fourth fingers.
Stretching between the other fingers is limited based on the anatomy of the hand -
stretches between the first and third finger are easier to play than stretches between the
second and third finger, for instance. Since the frets are closer together higher on the
neck, the range of possible frets to stretch increases as you pass the 7th fret.
c. Traditional piano voicings are often difficult to play on the guitar, because the intervals
are too closely spaced. For instance, playing a major 7 9th chord in closed position is
pretty much impossible unless there are open strings involved. Problems arise when a
chord contains too many consecutive intervals equal to or smaller than a major 3rd
where open strings are not involved. When in doubt, consult the fingerboard.
d. Shifting between nearby positions can be achieved fluidly, with little or no trace of
break in the legato. Larger left hand shifts, ie from 12th position to 1st position, can be
difficult to execute quickly, but are by no means impossible. (Left hand technique is
oriented based on the fret that the first finger is playing on- if the first finger is on the 10th
fret, it is said that the player is in 10th position, and the other fingers would line up fret by
fret above the first finger. Of course, a good portion of time is spent with the hand in
extension or contraction of a position, because of the shape of a chord or the demands
of a passage. Also, there are usually a few different position options for fingering a
passage- sometimes as many as four or five. Where a passage is fingered strongly
affects its timbre and character. Nevertheless, these decisions are often left to the
performer.)
e. Slurs are executed by either hammering on or pulling off one note to another with the
left hand. Since the left hand is producing the sound, it will not have the same dynamic
or timbre as notes that are actually struck by the right hand. However, slurs will lend
rhythmic clarity to a passage because of the way in which they define a grouping. In
order to write a slur, use a phrase marking between two notes under the notes if they are
stemmed upwards and over if they are stemmed down. If you also want to indicate a
phrase marking in the same passage, it may be clearest to use a dotted line for the
phrase marking.
f. If you would like notes of an arpeggiated chord to sustain past their written duration,
either write l.v., let vibrate, let ring, or simply attach indefinite tie markings into the next
measure or rest. Keep in mind that notes will not be able to sustain if there are other
notes on that string called for in the following material.
III.Right Hand
a. The strings are plucked by the thumb (p), the index (i), the middle (m), or the ring (a).
The pinky is usually reserved for flamenco strumming (see rasqueados) , but in rare
cases can be involved in plucking a string either individually or in a chord, though it
probably will not have as round a tone as the other fingers. It is not necessary to include
right hand fingerings, this is primarily the purvue of editors and performers.
b. All fingers pluck into the hand, so the thumb and fingers are plucking in opposite
directions (towards each other, like closing the hand). Striking the strings with a
movement away from the palm of the hand with the back of the nail is more of a
strumming effect.
c. The thumb often plays on the bass strings (6,5,4) because it has a full sound
and has more facility than the individual fingers. Bass and chordal textures
are usually achieved with the thumb playing bass and the fingers moving in
opposing fashion plucking chords.
d. The thumb can either play only one string, or sweep across consecutive
strings more or less with rhythmic simultaneity. This is helpful in six note
chords, where the thumb can play the bass strings and the fingers play the
trebles. The fingers can execute the sweep technique as well, but not as
successfully.
e. Chords can be plucked all at once or rolled in any number of
combinations (top to bottom, bottom to top, etc....) Thumb and fingers can
pluck any combination of strings, either plucking one string per finger or
employing sweeps (see d.)
f. Arpeggio passages are very common in guitar, and the pattern possibilities are
numerous. In addition, arpeggios can be played as a sound effect, or melodies can be
brought out in the arpeggio either in the treble, bass or inner voice of the arpeggio. It
can be difficult however, to bring out inner voices in a virtuosic arpeggio.
e. Single note scales tend to be played by alternating fingers, and can be played with
any number of articulations, dynamics, or string crossing patterns. It can be difficult to
skip over groups of non-consecutive strings back and forth in the middle of a virtuosic
scale passage, but it is not impossible. (Somewhat similarly to the left hand, the right
hand has three basic positions, based on what string the a (or ring) finger is playing on.
For this reason, it can be difficult to play a virtuosic arpeggio which calls for a
combination of all the fingers on the top strings and immediately shifting to the bottom
strings.) The technique used to pluck the string affects the articulation: for instance, the
rest stroke involves the finger plucking the string and coming to rest on the next string
below and produces a meaty, thick sound, whereas in the free stroke the finger floats in
the air without coming to rest after the note is plucked. Rest Strokes are far more
common in single line passages because they require a slight adjustment of right hand
position. In most cases, the performer will decide whether or not to use rest or free
strokes.
f. Contrapuntal lines tend to be played with the thumb versus fingers. Equally as
common is voices of different rhythmic values simultaneously- ie one faster line in
conjunction with two slower lines.
g. Any given voice can be muted, thereby stopping the natural sustain of the sound. In
the bass, this is usually done by the thumb stopping the string. In fast passages,
however, it may prove to be cumbersome to add a lot of muting to an already
complicated right hand fingering. Likewise, any one voice can sustain past others. For
instance, it is common to have a melody note last for 2 beats while the bass and inner
voices play an eighth note and dotted quarter rests. When sustaining specific pitches
over others, consider the notes natural decay time- basses and open strings will tend to
sustain longer than fretted notes, especially those on the higher strings. See Vc.
IV. Special Effects
a. Alternate tunings- the most common alternate tuning is 6th string to D, but many
others have been employed, ie. 6th to D and 5th to G, 3rd to F#, 5th to G, etc....Retuning
does take a minute or two in performance, and sometimes breaks the flow between
movements. The harmonic possibilities of scordatura tunings are worth exploring
because they allow for the resonance and prominent overtones of the open strings within
a different pitch structure than the E minor heavy standard tuning.
b. Rasgueado is a flamenco term for a whole system of strumming, mainly with the back
of the nail of the thumb and fingers. It can be continuous or as short as one strum.
Continuous rasgueados tend to be across at least 4 or 5 string consecutive strings (most
classical players can't control the rasgueado to play it continuously on fewer strings.)
Shorter rasgueados can be on specific smaller string sets. For a shorter rasgueado
followed by sustained tones, write the rhythm of the strum, and then tie to the sustained
value.
c. Every note on the guitar has harmonics associated with it. There are natural
harmonics which sound clearly at the 5th, 7th, 12th, 17th frets 3rd, 9th, and past the
fretboard. The 12th fret harmonic generates a pitch an octave above the open string, the
5th fret harmonic generates two octaves above the open string, the 7th fret generates a
twelfth above the open string, the 4rd and 9th frets generate an octave plus a tenth
above the open string, among others. Natural harmonics are notated in myriad ways, but
the clearest notation is to write the sounding pitch 8va higher than it sounds (just like
other guitar music) with a 0 next to the notehead and an indication of the appropriate fret
and string. See the below example for the relationship between an open string and
various harmonics, this relationship remains constant for every open string, no matter
what pitch it is tuned to.
e. Artificial harmonics can be generated for any note by lightly plucking and touching the
string 12 frets above (or the equivalent of 12 frets or splitting the string in half if this is
above the fretboard) the fretted note. They are soft and bell-like and will not be heard
above an ensemble. They are also technically fairly involved, and usually can't be played
with more than one other note simultaneously. Harmonics may also be generated
similarly to how they are executed on string instruments, by fretting the note and lightly
touching the fret 3 or 4 frets above on the same string.
f. Tremolo is an effect where the thumb plays a bass line and the fingers rapidly melody
notes above to create the illusion of a continuous line. It is a virtuoso technique, but one
that most guitarists have experience with, whether or not their tremolos are extremely
even rhythmically. Usually the tremolo is in groups of fours, thumb, then three fingers,
then thumb on another bass note, etc....., though a five note tremolo is also possible.
The melody note will switch in between the grouping, not during.
g. The palette for percussion effects is unlimited, and the body of the guitar can create
many different sounds in different spots. Create a key if using several different
percussive sounds, and notate them with X noteheads on different pitches in the staff.
h. Pizzicato on the guitar is an effect that involves muting the strings with the right hand
while plucking. Notate it with the word pizz., using a dotted line for the effects duration,
and then indicating normal articulation with normale. Bartok pizz is similar to on any
string instrument, but since the guitar strings have more slack, more of a slapping sound
is produced, akin to slap funk bass. It is notated with a 0 that has a line through it,
accompanied by the word, pizz.
V. Some tips
a. There are many different timbres and colors that can be achieved on the guitar. The
brighter nasal sounds that are usually produced by plucking near the bridge with a
straight nail attack are called ponticello sounds. Softer mellow sounds usually produced
by plucking nearer the fingerboard are called tasto sounds. Guitarists will often use color
to create the illusion of dynamic even of the decibel level is not actually louder. For this
reason, if you want a piano ponticello sound, notate it specifically, otherwise guitarists
may not choose ponticello. Ponticello will accentuate the overtones of a note more than
a tasto sound.
b. Factors such as range of pitches and number of notes in a chord will have a
significant effect of dynamics. For instance, it is much easier to achieve a true fortissimo
when a note on the 5th or 6th string is involved, whether in a chord or a single note.
Dynamics on guitar are largely relative anyway, but the bass strings propel the sound
more than the trebles. That said, a fortissimo arrival on a double stop in the high register
can be a very effective gesture, even if it is not necessarily louder in decibels.
c. The C and C# at the 8th and 9th frets on the high E string are wolf tones on many
guitars, and may have reduced sustain.
d. One of the most fascinating aspects of the guitar is the discrepancy between the
pitches of natural harmonics versus fretted notes. This is because the natural harmonics
sound based on the pure harmonic series, while the frets are set up in a very close
approximation of well temperament. Add to this that guitarists frequently bias the tuning
of their instrument by tuning to certain chords in first position or chords that appear
frequently in a piece, and you get some delightful idiosyncracies. For instance, if you
tune the guitar to an G major chord in first position, the G# harmonic on the 4th fret of
the low E string will be a few cents off from the fretted G# on the 4th fret of the high E
string, and the fretted G# on the 9th fret of the 2nd string, etc. If you try and line these
up, the G major chord will be out of tune. Whether or not you decide to exploit these
characteristics, they are worth thinking about and understanding, because they are
fundamental to the sound of the instrument.
e. The range of articulations are available on the guitar, including staccato, accent,
tenuto, etc Of course there is a limitation to what guitarists can do to a note once it has
been struck, but this should not discourage composers from being creative about
articulations which are concerned with the duration or ends of notes.
VI. Other Notation Tips
a. Guitar music is almost always written in one treble clef staff. The exception of writing
the part in treble and bass staves is only necessary if the notation would become
crowded in one staff, or if there is a clear reason to want to delineate two voices in that
fashion. Occasionally, ensemble music will be written for the guitar at pitch, switching
between bass and treble clefs, but this remains difficult for many guitarists, and might
jeopardize the chances for more frequent performances.
b. Stemming is used to delineate melody from bass and inner voice textures.
Durations and rests should be indicated within the range of a particular voice, and for
each voice. The guitar is capable of many variations of duration for individual voices,
which dont need to be simultaneous with the other voices.
c. Natural harmonics are notated with a circle above the notehead, which should be
written one octave above the actual sound, just as with regularly executed notes.
Artificial harmonics that are intended to be executed with both the right and left hands
are notated with a diamond note head on the sounding pitch, not the fretted pitch.
Artificial harmonics which are intended to executed with just the left hand, as in violin
harmonics, are written with the fingered note and lightly touching note above it in
parentheses, while the sounding note is written with a diamond notehead above the
parentheses. It can be helpful to write in fret numbers next to natural harmonics to avoid
confusion.
d. For notation of slurs and phrases, see II c
e. Remember that a crescendo can only happen on guitar if notes are being struck, once
a chord is struck, it begins decaying almost immediately, and any shape of that chord is
created by vibrato. Therefore, it is also not necessary to write a diminuendo on one
chord, unless you merely want this intention to surface in the interpretation.
f. Write timbral indications as sul tasto, sul ponticello, etc