The guitar has 6 strings tuned to specific pitches in standard tuning. From thickest (lowest pitch) to thinnest (highest pitch), the open strings are:
A common mnemonic: Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie
Each adjacent pair of strings is tuned a perfect 4th apart (5 semitones), with one exception: the interval from G to B is a major 3rd (4 semitones). This tuning is a compromise that makes both chords and scales reasonably comfortable to play.
| From | To | Interval | Semitones |
|---|---|---|---|
| E | A | Perfect 4th | 5 |
| A | D | Perfect 4th | 5 |
| D | G | Perfect 4th | 5 |
| G | B | Major 3rdthe odd one out | 4 |
| B | E | Perfect 4th | 5 |
Why does this matter? Because of the 4ths tuning, most scale and chord shapes can be moved across strings with the same fingering pattern. The G-to-B exception is why shapes "shift" by one fret on the B and high E strings compared to the lower four strings.
Click any position on the fretboard to hear the note and see its name. Toggle the switch below to show all note names at once.
Unlike the piano, where each note exists in only one place per octave, the guitar has the same note in multiple positions across different strings. Select a note below to see every position where it appears on the fretboard.
Notice the patterns: The note C appears in multiple positions across the fretboard. Learning these patterns means you can always find the note you need, no matter where you are on the neck. Two common octave shapes: same string +12 frets, or two strings up and two frets over (adjusting for the G-B offset).
The fastest way to learn the fretboard is to learn the 7 natural notes first (C, D, E, F, G, A, B). Once you know where these are, sharps and flats are simply "one fret higher" or "one fret lower" than the natural note.
Remember: B and C are adjacent frets (no sharp between them), and so are E and F. Every other pair of natural notes has a sharp/flat between them.
Once you know C is at fret 8 on the low E string, you instantly know C# is at fret 9 and Cb (B) is at fret 7. Naturals are your anchors.
Certain frets have special relationships to the open strings. These landmarks act as navigation points that help you quickly orient yourself on the fretboard.
On any string (except G), the note at fret 5 is the same pitch as the next higher string played open. This is the basis for standard tuning and how most guitarists tune by ear.
The G string is the exception: fret 4 on G = open B (because G to B is a major 3rd, not a 4th).
Expand each string below to see the natural notes along it. Click any note to hear it. Focus on one string at a time until you can name any fret without looking.
Test your fretboard knowledge! Find the requested note on the fretboard. Try to answer without looking at note names.