Learning Guitar Notes
A, B, and C on the Fifth String in First Position
"Snake Charmer"

When I was young, first starting school, and first learning to read, I learned my ABC's. It was several years later, when I was a teenager, that I learned A, B, and C in first position on the fifth string of the guitar.

First position is the part of the guitar fingerboard that includes the open notes and the first four frets of all six strings. In general, a position on guitar is the fret that your first fretting finger is prepared to play. If your first finger is prepared to play the second fret, you are in second position. If it is prepared to play the fifth fret, it is in fifth position.

A, B, and C are located in first position on the guitar in the following locations. Notice the fretting hand fingerings, with the second finger fretting B and the third finger fretting C. Although different contexts will require alternate fingerings, it is best to learn these notes with these fingers at first because they are the most common ones.

The music below will give you an opportunity to play the notes A, B, and C on the fifth string and hopefully have some fun doing so! You might recognize this piece as the traditional "Snake Charmer" melody, with a little bit of a twist. Be prepared to be immersed in the sounds of India as you play this piece. You will have to count carefully so that you start playing on the third beat of the second measure.

An audio accompaniment track of the piece is found below the music, with the guitar part recorded on the right channel and the accompaniment on the left. If you are listening in stereo, you can turn the balance all the way to the right to hear just the guitar part, and all the way to the left to hear only the accompaniment. Leave the balance in the middle to hear both parts. There are three versions, slow speed, medium speed, and normal speed. Use these to gradually learn the tune at your own pace. (Going slow first is the fastest way to get fast!)

I truly hope you have fun playing this piece!

Jeff Anvinson, owner/operator of JLA Music

(Click here to get a PDF version of this music. Please don't distribute this PDF by photocopying or posting it on the internet. You may print out one copy for your own use. If you know someone who wants a copy, simply refer them to this website. Please help me protect my intellectual property by respecting my rights.)