Finger Notation – How to Read!
Finger notation is important because you can use it to express fingering and understand methods players use to hit complicated patterns.
Use numbers 1 to 4 to express Index, Middle, Ring and Pinky fingers for the left hand, and use numbers 1 to 4 in brackets to express the same fingers, on the right hand. So for instance if you see “(1)” – that means “tap this note with your right hand index finger”. If you see “1234” – that means fret the notes in sequence with your left hand. Sometimes, fret notation, e.g. GRYBO is used instead of numbers. In addition, square brackets are used [like this] when referring to an anchored note.
Example Pattern 1 – A Red/Green Trill
The finger notation for this could be expressed as: (1)121(1)121(1)121(1)121
Broken down; i) start the sequence by tapping the first Red note with your right hand index finger. ii) release to green and then play the next Red note with your left hand. iii) Repeat!
Example Pattern 2 – Descending Triplets and an Orange-Green Trill
The finger notation for this could be expressed as: (21)1 321 (21)1 321 (1)141
Broken down; i) Start the sequence alternating tapping with right hand and playing the next triplet with left hand. ii) tap the first orange note using your right hand, keeping green anchored. iii) fret the following orange note after tapping, pulling off to hit the final green note (still anchored).
Advanced Tapping Tutorial
Dark Caves of lolno WTF Sweeps – courtesy of AbyssionQC (expert GH player!)
“…for some patterns, it is easier to understand by using GRYBO for notation (e.g. the fret colors).”
Example – WTF Sweeps, sliding method
Finger notation can be expressed as: 1(12)234(123)11232(121)23211(321)432(21). “1” at the start implying to anchor green, 11 implying a slide to red, 3211 sliding back to green etc.
Fret notation could be expressed as: [G](RY)RYB(RYB)[R]YBY(BOB)YBYR[G](BYR)BYR(YR).
In this example, by using Fret Notation it is much easier to read and understand the actual pattern. Finger notation is more descriptive of the method used.
More notes from AbyssionQC:
“…saying (OBYB) is a lot more confusing than (3211) when referring to the sliding method while (OBY)RYR[G](RYR)YBOBY(RYR)RYR(YBO) is much easier to understand when breaking down sweeps into a pattern. GYG, RBR and YOY zigs for the ending of Volcano Solo C in Destruction Armageddon is easier to understand than finger notation. Etc etc etc. Both methods are relevant, it just depend of the pattern (and your preference).”
You should include the fact that this is reversed for lefties. (Idiot Proof.)
this is a very great and helpful website 10/10 would pick again thanks for all of the help
Hi, I am new to all this stuff, but i have been playing guitar for 20 years. I don’t know if this finger notation is standar for guitar hero like games, but I’d like to sugest to change the right hando to: P I M A, which is the standar notation to play guitar. ( P= Thumb, I= Index finger, M= middle finger, A= pinky) even thou this notation is mostly to indicate fingering for the right hand in arpegios for example. Just to help people to change to a real guitar if they feel like to or the other way around. I don’t know, maybe it’s a silly suggestion but i just wanted to give you a guitar player opinion.
I understand where you’re coming from, but there are some things that can be done on a guitar hero guitar that simply can’t be done on a real guitar, and we should be able to notate them without much confusion. And if we were to do as you suggest, we wouldn’t need a symbol for thumb, since it is, for all intents and purposes never used in right hand tapping.