Naming the Notes on the 6th String

Lesson Goals:

♦ Learn the note positions for the whole notes on the 6th string
♦ Be able to easily identify the notes using position markers

In this lesson we will learn the names of the notes on the 6th string up to the 5th fret.

Look at the picture on the right. We already know from earlier discussions that the open 6th string is an E note.

The relationship between notes on any instrument can be described in terms of half steps and whole steps. On the guitar, half steps and whole steps are simply this:

Half Steps = 1 fret

Whole Steps = 2 frets

For example - looking at the picture on the right you will see that the open 6th string, as we mentioned before, is an E note. The note on the 1st fret, which is a half step (1 fret) up from E, is the F note.

Consequently, the note that is a whole step (2 frets) up from F is a G note. The note that is a whole step (2 frets) up from the G is an A note.

Although we could get into a deep discussion on music theory and the relationship between notes in various scales, our only real goal in this lesson is to be able to identify the main notes on the 6th string so that we can quickly expand our knowledge of the fretboard without having to memorize every note on the guitar neck.

In addition to knowing that half steps = 1 fret and whole steps = 2 frets, another very important point to note is that there is always a half step between the notes E & F, and B & C. This is a standard rule of music theory that applies not only to guitar, but to any instrument.

In other words, anywhere on the guitar neck that you encounter an E note, the next note 1 fret up (half step) is always an F note.

Also, anywhere on the guitar neck that you encounter a B note, the next note 1 fret up (half step) is always a C note.

All other whole notes are separated by a whole step (2 frets). The diagram below of a C major scale will demonstrate this.

 

 

You can probably see now, with what you have just learned, how easy it would be to name all the notes all the way up the neck of the 6th string! Armed only with the knowledge that the open 6th string is an E, and that there is always a half step (1 fret) between E & F and B & C - and all other main notes are separated by a whole step (2 frets), you should be ready to give it a try.