Lesson 2: Fretboard basics II

In the first part of this lesson, we learned about the notes used in music and what notes that represent each string on the guitar.

In this lesson we will try to get a bit more familiarized with the notes on the fretboard.

We will start off by learning the notes on the 6th and 5th string only.

We know that the top string (6th string) is an E note. Let's take a look at our list of notes, we learned about in the first part of this lesson:

A - A#/Bb - B - C - C#/Db - D - D#/Eb - E - F - F#/Gb - G - G#/Ab - A

If we rearrange these to start with an E note, we get the following order:

E - F - F#/Gb - G - G#/Ab - A - A#/Bb - B - C - C#/Db - D - D#/Eb - E

So let's start by plucking the open E string. That is of course an E note. If we place our finger at the 1st fret on the E string, we now have an F note. 2nd string will be a F#/Gb, 3rd string a G note etc.

Take a look at the picture below. The bottom E (according to the picture) is the top string on your guitar. Try to familiarize yourself with all the notes on the top E string, starting from the open E to the 12th fret. 

Once you reach the 12th fret, you have played all the notes found in an octave (more on octaves later). The open E and the E on the 12th fret is the same note. The only difference being that the E on the 12th fret is in a higher pitch than the open E. 

Now let's take a look at the 5th string (A string). The notes in order starting from an A note are as following:

A - A#/Bb - B - C - C#/Db - D - D#/Eb - E - F - F#/Gb - G - G#/Ab - A

Repeat the steps you did on the 6th string, starting by plucking the open A. If you place your finger at the 1st fret you will have an A#/Bb note. 2nd fret will be a B note and so on.

Try to do this with all the strings. Don't expect to remember all the notes at once, but if you do remember some that's fine. If you don't, that's also fine. You will get to know them sooner or later.

If you have any questions or suggestions to this lesson, leave a comment and I'll reply as soon as possible.

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