Fretboard

Tenor Tuning<<<< <<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Plectrum Tuning

C 4th	G 3rd	D 2nd	A 1st	<--Open Strings-->	C 4th	G 3rd	B 2nd	D 1st
Db	Ab	Eb	Bb	Note the Letters in Red. C-E-G This triad is a C Chord.	Db	Ab	C	Eb
D	A	E	B	If you print out this page and circle every C, G, and E, on either fretboard	D	A	Db	E
Eb	Bb	F	C	you will find all possible C chord position .	Eb	Bb	D	F
E	B	Gb	Db	Once you know the spelling of a chord, you can quickly find its position using	E	B	Eb	Gb
F	C	G	D	this technique.	F	C	E	G
Gb	Db	Ab	Eb	You will quickly note that certain positions repeat. The Eb chord in	Gb	Db	F	Ab
G	D	A	E	green is the same fingering as the C chord in red. This is called a	G	D	Gb	A
Ab	Eb	Bb	F	moveable chord position. Every chord has several different possible positions	Ab	Eb	G	Bb
A	E	B	Gb	The C chord in the blue frets for example is another moveable position.	A	E	Ab	B
Bb	F	C	G	Learning the various positions of the chords on the keyboard is the first	Bb	F	A	C
B	Gb	Db	Ab	step to becoming a good backup player and to learning chord melody.	B	Gb	Bb	Db
C	G	D	A	Notice that the chord positions repeat after 12 frets.	C	G	B	D
Db	Ab	Eb	Bb	If you find the four string chords hard to reach, use 3 string chords	Db	Ab	C	Eb
D	A	E	B	Three string chords become very important in playing chord melody	D	A	Db	E
Eb	Bb	F	C	Two or three sting chords played on strings 2,3,& 4 are called inside chords	Eb	Bb	D	F
E	B	Gb	Db	If you look at the various formations of C-E-G, you will note three different	E	B	Eb	Gb
F	C	G	D	positions. Standard practice over the years has been to name these positions	F	C	E	G
Gb	Db	Ab	Eb	after the note on the first string. In the C scale CDEFGAB, C=1 E=3 G=5	Gb	Db	F	Ab
G	D	A	E	Thus the moveable position in orange with C on the first string is the I Position	G	D	Gb	A
Ab	Eb	Bb	F	The position in violet with E on the first string is the III position	Ab	Eb	G	Bb
				and of course, the position with G on the first is the V position	A	E	Ab	B
				Thus the Eb chord in Green is a I position chord named after the note on the first string	Bb	F	A	C

This system was the basis of Macneil's tenor and plectrum banjo method which are considered by many to be the definitive works on the four string banjo. The System will work with any stringed insrument as far as chords go.