How do I know which position to play it?

[Mikeman9412@gma]

Hey guys, I have a book of Led Zeppelin sheetmusic/tabs and I was wondering, How do I know which position to play in? I could look at the tabs but I like learning a song by reading the sheet music? Any ideas?

[Malcolm]

Didn't we go down this road awhile back. If you play from standard notation, I'd suggest first position.

[Mikeman9412@gma]

So then when should you play in other positions?

[Malcolm]

So then when should you play in other positions?
Yep we did go down this road once before.

When should you play in other positions? When you are improvising and using scale/mode patterns. Now, when you are playing from standard notation and using lead sheet music and playing what is written on the sheet music you should be using first position only. Look at the chart I attached in my OP. Every note on the staff has a specific place it is to be played on the fretboard. Accept that - it makes it so much simpler.

Have you even looked at what I attached? The attachment shows two people have opened it - both of those were me.

[Mikeman9412@gma]

OK, Can you play higher though?

[Malcolm]

OK, Can you play higher though?


Yes just keep going up the 1st string till you run out of frets. That should take you deep into the 4th octave. Our guitars are only a 4 octave instrument so you have not lost any range by using first position.

[Mikeman9412@gma]

OK that's what I'm wondering so you can play every note on the guitar in 1st position (other than the high E?) and also what if its awkward to play a chord or multiple notes in first position what would you do? And why have I seen guitarists playing higher? Is there any advantage?

[JonR]

OK that's what I'm wondering so you can play every note on the guitar in 1st position (other than the high E?) and also what if its awkward to play a chord or multiple notes in first position what would you do? And why have I seen guitarists playing higher? Is there any advantage?Of course. Malcolm is right that every note is available in open position, and then running up the top E to get higher than that.
But that's not always (or even very often) practical.
If a lot of the notes you need are somewhere up that top E string, combined with other lower ones (but not VERY low ones), then it will probably be easier to find a position higher up the neck. Ideally, you want a position/pattern/set of chord shapes where you hardly have to move your left hand up or down at all, just your fingers across the neck.
This is what governs positional choice when playing.

Eg, if you have a piece (or section of a piece) where the highest note you need is the D at 10th fret top E (2 ledger lines above staff), and the lowest is no lower than the B 1 ledger line down, then you may find a 7th position pattern is good. That low B is then on 7th fret 6th string, so everything between there and that top D is well within reach - almost certainly every note is between frets 7-10, with maybe the odd stretch to 6 or 11, depending on key.
Of course, the relative quantity of high or low notes may dictate another (higher or lower) position, simply to make certain phrases easier. Some phrases are easier with one finger pattern (or on one set of strings) than another. With specific single notes, you may prefer a higher fret on a lower string because it gives a warmer tone, or is easier to bend, or whatever.
In addition, some passages may be easier at higher frets because the frets are closer the higher you go.

All these things contribute to why you might choose a higher neck position - even if all the notes you need are available lower down.

[fingerpikingood]

imo you just play in the position where what you're playing is easiest for you. always.

except let me add a little side note on that particularly that i boldicized it.

what's easiest for you is not necessarily what's easiest for you if you know what i mean.

because something may be difficult because your hands aren't used to it.

you need to imagine what would be easiest for you if your hands were perfectly practiced, and then practice that easiest thing, which i think has basically come to be called "proper" technique.

but there are limitations on hand size and stuff like that.

basically lack of flexibility or ability to move fingers qcuikly shouldn't factor into your "what's easiest for you" observation.