A finger guide plate includes a fret plate; a circuit board coupled to a bottom of the fret plate; and a support plate including fret relief notches coupled to a bottom of the circuit board. A learning apparatus for a stringed instrument includes a replacement fret board designed to rest between an existing fret board and a plurality of strings of the stringed instrument; a controlling mechanism for controlling an indicator coupled to the replacement fret board; wherein the indicator displays which of the plurality of strings of the stringed instrument is to be played.