What EXACTLY is a "position" ?

[jojogunn]

I've seen scale patterns referred to by their position in all kinds of lessons. Dan's included. But I never really REALLY got it.
I would like to think that first or second etc positions refers to the string or finger that the root falls on. Not so.

Is it simply"that's what this particular pattern is called" and the first plugs into the second and the second into the third and so on ?

[peter11]

Good question, be nice to have some comments, maybe with an answer.

Take Care Peter.

[Ross James]

Try this. If you play C major scale in the first position, you play : C,D,E,F,G,A,B starting on the 8th fret.

If you play second position you play D,E,F,G,A,B,C starting on the 10th fret. If you play 3rd position you play E,F,G,A,B,C,D which you can do on the 12th fret, or open string etc.

I picked C as an example as there's no sharps of flats.

Make sure you remember at least where the root note is for each position (in this case C)

If you want to do the same in a different scale (eg A) just start at the appropriate fret (5th)

I suggest you name each note as you play it.

When you know all the positions you can transfer from one to the other (in the same scale). By the time you've learnt the major, minor, pentatonic minor, pentatonic minor with flat 5th etc you're really having fun. I've only managed the last two of these so far.