notation

Here are the salient features:

• numbers above notes are the fingering, 1 for index, 4 for pinky

• the numbers are displaced vertically to denote which string (relative to previous string)

• the Roman numerals show which fret finger 1 is on at that time

• an exclamation! after a number denotes an upward stretch of one fret from the fret you'd expect for that finger relative to the note that just proceeded it

• an !exclamation before a number denotes a downward stretch of one fret from the the expected fret

For example, here's a major scale, as John plays it in chapter 1 of his DVD:

• the first note is played on fret 8 (VIII) with finger 1

• you do have to know standard notation enough to know it's a C and therefore on the bottom E string

• the 2nd note D on fret 10 would "naturally" be played with the 3rd finger, but John stretches with finger 2, hence the 2! notation

• the 3rd note E on fret 12 now "naturally" falls on finger 4, so no exclamation

• the 4th note F with finger 1 is up a string hence the vertical displacement of the text

• finger 1's "natural" position after finger 4 on fret 12 would be fret 9, but this note is a stretch down to 8, hence !1 notation

• the 7th note B does naturally fall on fret 9 so no exclamation, and now the Roman numeral indicates finger 1 is at fret 9

Also,

• two exclamations denotes a stretch or jump of two or more frets

• a hypen denotes a slide, e.g. 3 - 3! is an upward slide of one fret by finger 3

The notation does suck for chords so I'll generally switch to tablature for extended chordal passages.

But when chords do show up, a finger's notation is relative that finger's previous note.

In the clip below fingers 1 and 2 are one fret lower than in the previous chord; finger 3 remains on same fret.