Now when we play the 4th fret G#, it could also be called an Ab because it is one fret above a G and one fret below an A. So to play a G# on the low E string, you would play the 4th fret. A sharp note is just the opposite, go up one fret. So if you’re playing a G note (3rd fret – low E string), you would play the 2nd fret for a Gb. When you flat a note, you bring it down a half step from whatever letter name you’re on. A sharp is represented by the number sign or hashtag symbol #, as seen in the chords G# major or C# minor. This is where flat and sharp notes come into the equation.Ī flat note is represented by a lower case b, as seen in the chord Bb Major or Ab minor. You may have noticed that we’re skipping some notes because there are whole steps between most of the letters in the musical alphabet. So what are the notes in between the whole steps?Īh yes. Here are the distances between all the notes in the musical alphabet shown below on a guitar fretboard in relationship to a piano keyboard (the keyboard had to be distorted a bit to line up with the fretboard) : The easiest way to remember the order is that there are whole steps between all the letters with the exception of half steps between B and C and between E and F. There is either a whole step (2 frets) or a half step (1 fret) between each of these notes of the musical alphabet. If you already know your standard open chords, you’ll already recognize a lot of these letter names from those chords. So it includes letters A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. After G it simply goes back to A and repeats again. The musical alphabet starts with A, just like the regular alphabet. Once you know that order, you’ll be able to figure out any note on the guitar. The musical alphabet also has an order of whole steps and half steps. So if you’re playing that same note on the 3rd fret – low E string, a whole step up would be the 5th fret and a whole step down would be the 1st fret.Īll scales have an order of whole steps and half steps which repeat over and over again. Keep in mind that the distance between an open string and the 1st fret is a half step.Ī whole step is equivalent to the distance of two half steps. If you’re playing the 3rd fret – low E string, a half step up would be the 4th fret and a half step down would be the 2nd fret on the same string.
On the guitar, the notes are determined by what fret you’re holding when you pick the string, unlike the piano where each note is represented by pressing a different key.Ī half step is the shortest distance you can go, so on the guitar it is the distance between one fret and the next fret up or down. ( 6 ) Every ( 5 ) Apple ( 4) Does ( 3) Go ( 2) Bad ( 1) Eventually What are whole steps and half steps?
Here’s a little pneumonic device for remembering the string names from lowest to highest: The strings are numbered 1-6 from highest to lowest, however, most people will order them from lowest to highest. From Low to High the note names of the guitar strings are E, A, D, G, B, E. The good news is that this is extremely easy as long as you know three things:ġ) the names of the strings on the guitarĢ) the difference between whole steps and half stepsģ) the pattern of the musical alphabet The names of the strings on the guitarĪs you can see, the two outside strings are both E notes, called Low E (the thickest string) and High E (the thinnest string). While it’s easy to memorize what chord or scale you’re playing when there are only a few in open position, when you start moving these shapes around the guitar, it becomes imperative to know your root notes and letter names. The root note is the letter name which appears at the beginning of the scale or chord symbol (A major scale or C7 chord). Each scale and chord has a root note that they are built from. Knowing what note you’re playing on the guitar will help you to determine what scales and chords you’re playing up and down the neck.
Guitar notes how to#
However, knowing how to figure out what note you’re playing on the guitar is absolutely necessary if you want to go beyond strumming the standard open chords. And while there are definite benefits to learning how to read notes, unless you’re playing Jazz or Classical, it’s not necessary to become an accomplished guitar player. Learning to read standard notation is something many guitarists will never do.