Fur Elise is a famous piano solo by Beethoven. In this guitar lesson you will learn to play Fur Elise on your guitar. You don't have to read sheet music notation so let's start!
As I told you we will not use sheet music. Instead we will use guitar tablature.
Tablature is a form of musical notation, often with numbers and letters, which tells the player where to place their fingers on the guitar fretboard rather than which pitches to play.
I will use my own type of guitar tab notation today to make sure that the guitar tab is correctly displayed on article sites. The more common guitar tab staff notation you will find on my site.
The six strings on your guitar is numbered from the one with the highest pitch. This string is called the first string.
Let's start with the first part of the melody with guitar tab:
01 42 01 42 01 02 32 12 23
Now we will take a look at this guitar tab and how to interpret it. You have probably noticed that the numbers are organized in pairs.
The first number in the pair tells you what fret to press down and the second number what string to play.
01 tells you to play the open first string. This means that you play the string without pressing down a left hand finger.
42 indicates that you press down a left hand finger on the fourth fret of the second string. Well, now it's time for you to play the melody. Did you recognize the melody? Good!
This type of guitar tab doesn't indicate the length of the notes. If you sing the lyrics you will probably feel how to play the notes.
What finger should you use when you play with your right hand? In this guitar lesson we will not concentrate on your right hand. I suggest that you play the notes with your thumb or in another way you choose.
Let's play the next guitar tab:
35 24 23 02 24 13 02 12
What about your left hand? You can play the notes with your index finger but I suggest that you assign the notes on the first fret to your index finger, the notes on the second fret to your middle finger and so on.
It means that the 42 note in the beginning of the melody will be played with your little finger. Is it difficult? Yes, it will be difficult but not for long! You will get used to these fingerings if you are persistent!
In the long run you will probably even find it easier to play melodies this way if you get used to this more sophisticated fingering!
Let's continue! The next guitar tab is identical with the first line:
01 42 01 42 01 02 32 12 23
and the next guitar tab nearly the same as the second line:
35 24 23 02 24 12 02 23
A new melodi is introduced:
02 12 32 01 03 11 01 32
and ends this way:
34 01 32 12 24 32 12 02
By now you know how to play this guitar tab notation so let's play on!
01 42 01 42 01 02 32 12 23
35 24 23 02 24 13 02 12
01 42 01 42 01 02 32 12 23
35 24 23 02 24 12 02 23
Now you can play Fur Elise by Beethoven with guitar tab. Congratulations!
I suggest that you memorize the melody one line at a time so that the reading of this guitar tab will not slow you down when you play the melody in public!
This is a nice melody to know by heart as part of your repertoire for example when somebody asks you to play something! Everyone knows this song, don't they!
- Related Videos
- Related Articles
- Ask / Related Q&A
- Christmas Sheet Music: Learn To Play Silent Night With Guitar Tablature
- Guitar Tablature: Learn To Play Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star With Guitar Tab
- Learn Blues Guitar Tablature
- Guitar Tablature Or Sheet Music?
- Reading Guitar Tablature: a Beginner’s Guide
- The beginning Acoustic guitar presented by lessons for guitar
- Learn to Play the Electric Guitar Free Online
- Hints and Strategies For Learning How to Play the Guitar




The Steps to Learn Electric Guitar
By: Mrs Forex | 15/11/2009In this post I could explain ways to learn electric guitar. A lot of guitarists have difficulty learning to do these, but it is's truly an easy strategy. Click here to learn electrig guitar online for free! I'm going to touch on every type of harmonics in an effort to explain how Pinch Harmonics work when you learn electric guitar If your like me you want to add a little expression while playing your guitar, by adding some...
What to look when purchasing guitar chords
By: John Cvetkovic | 15/11/2009Buying a guitar chords isn’t difficult if you know the right vendor to ask for these. You can purchase these guitar chords either from library or a private instructor and the best way is to purchase it from online guitar chords sites. They offer you absolutely free of cost and save your time in searching.
The fundamental of guitar- guitar chords
By: John Cvetkovic | 15/11/2009To learn the guitar chords you must have some basic knowledge of the instrument. You must know which number denotes what and what a fret is and which string to play and what series which you should follow is. To learn to play guitar chords, you will have to first familiarize yourself with these terms and then you are ready to go. Use the free of cost online guitar chords lessons.
Techniques to play guitar chord
By: John Cvetkovic | 15/11/2009Guitar is a musical instrument that is used for solo performances as well as rock bands and other performances like jazz. Guitar chords are the symbols that are used to play guitar. Even when learning online guitar chords, these symbols are used. There are several techniques and skills that are used by the guitarist and the professionals to play guitar chords. Have you ever thought that how these famous guitarists make themselves unique in bands and melodies?
Read guitar chords by tablature
By: John Cvetkovic | 15/11/2009Tablature is nothing but the learning of guitar chords tabs. As we all know that to learn guitar chords, the old technique of sheet music is used to teach beginners but it is also necessary to learn tabs as well and for this tablature is used. For learning to play guitar chords and tabs, first there is need to understand them. You can learn tablature from online guitar chords websites also.
Primary Guitar Chords
By: John Cvetkovic | 15/11/2009Learning guitar is not so difficult but generally people feel have a misconception that it requires years to learn guitar. Especially when you have got online sources, learning guitar has become a lot easier. Guitar chords are the word which is associated with the guitar each time use plays it. You can never think of playing a guitar without its chord. You often play notes.
Prerequisites of guitar chords playing
By: John Cvetkovic | 15/11/2009Guitar is one musical instrument that has its relevance in all the different sects, customs and background of people. Each of them play guitar in a different fashion. Some use the guitar music for soothing the soul and in God’s name while others take it as a mode of entertainment and excitement. But, in short, guitar chords playing are very common and so are its problems. As the guitar chords are a part of a machine, they may also get disturbed seldom.
Play Guitar Chords and make beautiful music
By: John Cvetkovic | 15/11/2009Great music comes from the ability to play guitar chords in harmony. There is no better sound after a long day than the gentle stroking of the chords on a guitar. Before you can play those beautiful harmonies you must first learn the chords. This is the most important factor to learn for beginners. The chords are the glue that holds the music together, and forms the notes in a way that they flow on the page correctly.
Piano Lesson: What To Practice On Your Piano
By: Peter Edvinsson | 14/07/2008 | MusicHow can you decide what to practice among all available choices? Is it possible to find a balance between playing by ear, learning sheet music, finger dexterity and other aspects of piano playing? Let us take a closer look at the art of piano practicing!
Ukulele Chords: Learn To Play White Christmas
By: Peter Edvinsson | 28/06/2008 | MusicIn this ukulele lesson you will learn to read easy tab notation. Even if you cannot read sheet music you will be able to read ukulele chords and melodies with this type of tabs. We will use the Christmas song White Christmas as a learning tool.
Piano Tabs: Learn To Play White Christmas With Keyboard Tablature
By: Peter Edvinsson | 23/06/2008 | MusicThis piano lesson will help you read piano tab notation or keyboard tablature. You will find that this type of notation is easy to understand even if you cannot read music sheets. As an example we will use the Christmas song White Christmas.
Guitar Lesson: Learn To Play White Christmas With Guitar Tabs
By: Peter Edvinsson | 17/06/2008 | MusicIn this guitar lesson you will learn to read a special type of guitar tablature. We will use the song White Christmas as an example. You will learn to play the melody and the chords on your guitar.
Piano Tabs: Learn To Play Fur Elise
By: Peter Edvinsson | 07/06/2008 | MusicIn this piano lesson you will learn to read easy keyboard tablature. Piano tab notation is easy to read even if you do not know how to read sheet music. You will also learn to play an easy piano version of Fur Elise.
Piano Tabs: Learn To Play Happy Birthday To You
By: Peter Edvinsson | 05/06/2008 | MusicPiano tab notation will help you learn melodies without knowing sheet music. In this piano lesson you will learn to read easy piano tabs. You will also learn to play Happy Birthday To You!
Piano Tabs: Learn To Play Yesterday
By: Peter Edvinsson | 02/06/2008 | MusicIn this piano lesson you will learn to read easy piano tab notation. You will also learn to play an easy piano melody with the help of tabs. We will use the popular song Yesterday as an example.
Ukulele Chords: Learn To Play Chord Changes
By: Peter Edvinsson | 26/05/2008 | MusicUkulele is a great instrument to use when you play chords to songs. Your chord playing on your ukulele can be more effective if you apply a few guitar playing principles. In this ukulele lesson you will find out how you can change between chords better and easier!