The major scale in positions – free guitar course

A position is where the fretting hand sits, named after the index finger's fret (position II = index on fret 2). Within a position you play four or five frets without moving the hand, following “one finger per fret”.

C major in first position

You already know it: the reference scale, with its open strings.

M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=72
K:C clef=treble-8
C D E F G A B c | d e f g f e d c | B A G F E D C2 |]

G major: a movable shape

In position II, G major can be played with no open strings, starting from G on string 6 (fret 3, finger 2). Since there are no open strings, this shape is movable: slide it up two frets and you get A major, one more fret B♭ major, and so on.

String	Notes (position II)	Fingers
6	G A	2 4
5	B C D	1 2 4
4	E F♯ G	1 3 4
3	A B C	1 3 4
2	D E	2 4
1	F♯ G	1 2

M:4/4
L:1/8
Q:1/4=66
K:G clef=treble-8
G, A, B, C D E F G | A B c d e f g2 | g f e d c B A G | F E D C B, A, G,2 |]

The tab shown uses open strings (lowest position); also play it in position II with the table above: same sound, different fingering, and a shape you can move anywhere.