Why Are There Position Markers on the Guitar?

Most guitars and bass guitars have position markers on them to show the player what fret they are on. They are like sign posts for the player to quickly glance at as your hand moves up and down the fretboard. The marks can occur on the side of the neck or on the fretboard or on both places.

What frets have position markers?

Typically, frets 3, 5, 7, 9 and 12 have an indicator such as a dot, a rectangle, or a fancy design on them. The 12th fret often has double dots in that position to show that the notes repeat an octave higher than the open string.

For me, as a guitar player for many years, the position markers mean much more than just fret locations. When I look at position markers, I see positions that outline major keys so that the notes of the key fall directly under your fingers in each position. For example,

·      Fret 3 position is great for playing in the keys of Ab, Bb and Eb major.

·      Fret 5 position is great for playing in the keys of Bb, C and F major.

·      Fret 7 position is great for playing in the keys of C, D and G major.

·      Fret 9 position is great for playing in the keys of D, E and A major.

·      Fret 12 position is great for playing in the keys of F, G and C major.

What frets are the position markers at on your guitar past fret 12?