Abstract: Apparatus providing instructional assistance to a student playing a stringed musical instrument. The apparatus instructs the student of proper finger placement on the instrument's strings and includes a finger placement sensor for identifying which strings are in contact with a fingerboard and the locations at which such strings are in contact with the fingerboard relative to the length of the fingerboard. The finger placement sensor generates electrical position signals representative of the identified strings and locations. A signal processing circuit electrically connected to the finger placement sensor receives and processes the position signals. The apparatus also includes an indicator electrically connected to the signal processing circuit for receiving the processed position signals and providing an indication to the student of which strings are in contact with the fingerboard and the location at which such strings are in contact with the fingerboard relative to the length of the fingerboard.