The basics

Fretboard diagrams can be used for all fretted instruments including bass, guitar and mandolin.  They give you a quick and easy way of finding notes on an instrument without having to read music.
The diagram below is for guitar.  It shows six vertical lines.  Each of these represents a string on the instrument.  The first line on the left is the 6^th string (the thickest string).  The line on the far right is the 1^st string (the thinnest string).  If this diagram were for bass or mandolin it would have only four vertical lines.

If you were to hold your guitar in front of you with the strings facing towards you and the headstock/tuning pegs towards the ceiling, the fretboard would look a little like this diagram.
The horizontal line at the top is the nut of the guitar near the tuning pegs.  The rest of the horizontal lines are the frets of the guitar.
In this example there is a circle just behind the first fret of the first string.  This means you would place a finger behind the first fret of the first string on your guitar.  It’s simple!
 
 
 

Chords

When playing chords (more than one note at a time) fretboard diagrams often tell you which fret-hand fingers you should use.  Your fretting hand is the one that touches the fretboard.  If you are right-handed then your fretting hand is your left hand.
Your index finger is called the first finger, middle finger is called second, ring finger is the third and pinky is the fourth.  In the diagram below you would put your second finger on the third fret of the sixth string.  Then you put your first finger on the second fret of the fifth string.  Finally you put your third finger on the third fret of the first string. 

Phew!  That’s a lot of words to describe a relatively simple move on the guitar.  You can probably see the value of fretboard diagrams now…
You may have noticed the zeroes on the 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th strings.  This just means that you pick those strings put do not put any fret-hand fingers on them.
 
 
 

Roman Numerals

Sometimes you’ll see a Roman numeral next to the diagram.  The one below has a V (the Roman numeral for five) next to it.  This means that the diagram starts at the fifth fret instead of the first fret.  So in this example the diagram is showing you a note on the first string, fifth fret.

 
And that’s about it!  Now you can read fretboard diagrams.  This will give you a lot of opportunities for learning more about your instrument.
 
If you have any questions or comments about this lesson please email me at info@myOnlineGuitar.com