1st String
As noted on the Guitar Parts page, the 1st String in standard tuning is an E, and it is the thinnest string, with the highest pitch. Because the lowest-pitch, thickest string is also tuned to E, we often call the first string the high E string (referring to pitch, not string number). Holding the guitar in normal position, it is furthest from your face, and easiest for the left-hand fingers to reach.
E--0--1--3--5--7--8--10-12-- E F G A B C D E
Here are all the notes in the C major scale on the first string up to the 12th fret. In the C major scale, E is the third note. Remember the C major scale is comprised of the following whole-half tone pattern: whole, whole, half, whole, whole, whole, half (w w h w w w h). The 1st string begins with the semitone (or half-step) between the 3rd and 4th note - that's the -0--1- sequence. Now we're on the 4th note, F. From here there are 3 whole tones: -1--3--5--7-, which represent the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th notes of the scale; in this case, F G A B. The 8th fret gets us back to C. C D E (-8--10--12-) shows the first two whole steps of the C major scale. And this gets us back to our original note, E.
Notice that the 12th fret is the octave of the open string. All the patterns for the fretboard from open position to the 12th fret will repeat from the 12th fret to the 24th. Remember that each fret's pitch is a half step higher than the last fret. There are 12 notes in the chromatic scale, represented by frets 0 - 11. The 13th note, or 12th fret, is the octave, twice the pitch of the original note and having the same note name.
Contents
PreReqs
Working up the Fretboard
When we shift position to a higher numbered fret, this is often called moving up the fretboard, particularly when we do so inside a single lick or run. Similarly, shifting positions downwards is moving down the fretboard. In this sense, up or higher means towards the bridge, or towards the higher frets. Down or lower means towards the nut, or towards the lower frets.
Let's do a little exercise:
E--0-1-3----1-3-5----3-5-7----5-7-8----7-8-10----8-10-12----10-12-13-- E F G F G A G A B A B C B C D C D E D E F open first third fifth seventh eighth tenth
This has you playing 3 notes per position ascending in the C major scale. The position is written under the tab, and each group of notes is spread out for clarity. Let's analyze how to play each position. As you work through these exercises, say the note name out loud for every fret you play - it will really help you to associate the strings and frets with the correct note names.
Open Position
E--0--1--3- E F G o i r
This should be simple enough. The first note is open. Then fret the first fret with your index finger and third fret with your third finger.
First Position
E--1--3--5- F G A i m p
This will be the most difficult for you as a beginner. Your pinky will be weak, and it will be difficult to stretch your index and middle fingers to transition cleanly from the first to third frets. Just rough through it. If need be, it may be simpler to position your hand as though it is in 2nd position, then use the index finger to reach back to the first fret, rather than comfortably fretting the first fret, then stretching for the middle and pinky fingers. Also, at this point, don't be overly concerned about keeping your left hand perfectly in a particular position; let it slide up the fretboard a little as you play the notes. Also, don't get discouraged if it's difficult to get your pinky to fret the string with good technique as described in the basic technique lesson. Just move on for now - it will take time to develop good technique.
Third Position
E--3--5--7- G A B i m p
This is a repeat of first position basically. But notice how the fret spacing is already quite a bit smaller, and it is easier to play.
Fifth Position
E--5--7--8- A B C i r p
We're back to something a bit easier: index, ring, pinky over a span of only 4, not 5, frets. Notice how the 8th fret C resolves the tension from the previous two positions.
Seventh Position
E--7--8--10 B C D i m p
Another easy one: index, middle, pinky over 4 frets.
Eighth Position
E--8--10-12- C D E i m p
Another repeat of the fingerings/stretches from 1st and 3rd position. Now it's much easier being so high on the fretboard. 5 frets here are less space than 4 frets in 4th position. Still, focusing on getting your fingers in the best spots on the frets may be a bit awkward. That's ok - practice makes perfect.
Tenth Position
E--10-12-13 D E F i r p
A repeat of fifth position - nothing too special here.
Patterns
3 Note Finger Patterns
You'll notice you only encountered 3 whole-step/half-step patterns for each group of 3 notes:
- |o|-|o|-|o| - whole-whole (w-w). I sometimes call this one stretch, because it requires you to stretch a bit.
- |o|-|o|o|-|, - whole-half (w-h). I sometimes call this one ring, because it is most comfortable using the ring finger on the middle note.
- |o|o|-|o|-|, - half-whole (h-w). I sometimes call this one middle, because it is most comfortable using the middle finger on the middle note.
Breakdown on E String
In the major scale, these are the only patterns you'll encounter. There are 2 middle, 2 ring, and 3 stretch patterns.
| Position | Pattern | Alt Name | w-w | w-h | h-w | Notes | Tab |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | half-whole | middle | x | (E F G) | -0--1--3-- | ||
| 1 | whole-whole | stretch | x | (F G A) | -1--3--5-- | ||
| 3 | whole-whole | stretch | x | (G A B) | -3--5--7-- | ||
| 5 | whole-half | ring | x | (A B C) | -5--7--8-- | ||
| 7 | half-whole | middle | x | (B C D) | -7--8--10- | ||
| 8 | whole-whole | stretch | x | (C D E) | -8--10-12- | ||
| 10 | whole-half | ring | x | (D E F) | -10-12-13- |
whole/half |-h|--w--|--w--|--w--|-h|--w--|--w--| note name E F G A B C D E fret 0 1 3 5 7 8 10 12 whole-whole 3-----5-----7 8-----10----12 whole-half 5-----7--8 10----12--13 half-whole 0--1-----3 7--8-----10 whole-whole2 1-----3-----5
Breakdown in Major Scale
The 4-note whole-whole-half tetrachord is present twice in the major scale (C D E F, G A B C). This combines a whole-whole pattern ((C D E) and (G A B)) and a whole-half ((D E F) and (A B C)). The first tetrachord is connected to the second with a whole tone (F G). This gives us a half-whole pattern (E F G). If we reverse the order of tetrachords (G A B C, C D E F), they share the tonic note as an ending/starting point (C C). Since the tonic note to the 2nd note in the scale is also a whole tone, this gives us the same pattern of half-whole (B C D).
All that remains is the initial whole tone that bridges the two tetrachords (F G A). This is represented by "whole, whole2" above. If we reverse the order of tetrachords (G A B C, C D E F) we notice they overlap on the C - there is no whole or semitone between them - one goes right into the other. Thus, there is no additional 3 note pattern ((C D E) is already covered in the first tetrachord).
We have 2 middle, 2 ring, and 3 stretch patterns for all positions inside one octave of the scale.
| Pattern | Tetrachord 1 | Tetrachord 2 | Tetrachord bridge |
|---|---|---|---|
| whole-whole | (C D E) | (G A B) | (F G A) |
| whole-half | (D E F) | (A B C) | |
| half-whole | (E F G) | (B C D) |
Here's the same tables, but starting on C.
| Position | Pattern | Alt Name | w/w | w/h | h/w | T1 | T- | T2 | Notes | Tab | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8,20 | whole-whole | stretch | x | o | (C D E) | -8--10-12- | |x|-|o|-|o| | ||||
| 10 | whole-half | ring | x | o | (D E F) | -10-12-13- | |o|-|o|o| | ||||
| 0,12 | half-whole | middle | x | o | (E F G) | -0--1--3-- | |o|o|-|o| | ||||
| 1,13 | whole-whole | stretch | x | o | (F G A) | -1--3--5-- | |o|-|o|-|o| | ||||
| 3,15 | whole-whole | stretch | x | o | (G A B) | -3--5--7-- | |o|-|o|-|o| | ||||
| 5,17 | whole-half | ring | x | o | (A B C) | -5--7--8-- | |o|-|o|x| | ||||
| 7,19 | half-whole | middle | x | o | (B C D) | -7--8--10- | |o|x|-|o| |
whole/half |--w--|--w--|-h|--w--|--w--|--w--|-h| note name C D E F G A B C fret 8 10 12 13 15 17 19 20 alt fret 0 1 3 5 7 8 whole-whole 8-----10----12 3-----5-----7 whole-half 10----12-13 5-----7--8 half-whole 12-13----15 7--8-----10 whole-whole2 13----15----17
Note how when I start on the 8th fret C, I quickly get to 12+ frets. I include their 0-12 fret equivalent on the line below. Notice any fret +/- 12 frets is the same note. For example, 1st string, 3rd fret is G. 15th fret is its octave, also G.
What Does this Mean?
In terms of music, not a whole lot. And right now, it seems like unnecessary complexity. However, over time, it actually helps to understand scales and memorize fretboard maps for all over the fretboard for any scale. For example, if I told you to play a 3-note per string C major scale in 8th position (this is hypothetical - don't attmept this yet!), then the same scale in 5th position, both fretboard maps are below:
|-|-|o|-|o|o| w-h - ring |-|-|o|-|o|x| w-h - ring |-|o|o|-|o|-| h-w - middle |-|o|x|-|o|-| h-w - middle |o|-|o|-|o|-| w-w - stretch |x|-|o|-|o|-| w-w - stretch 8
|-|-|o|x|-|o| h-w - middle |-|o|-|o|-|o| w-w - stretch |x|-|o|-|o|-| w-w - stretch |o|-|o|-|o|-| w-w - stretch |o|-|o|o|-|-| w-h - ring |o|-|o|x|-|-| w-h - ring 5
In the first chart, we have 2 stretch, 2 middle, and 2 ring patterns, going from the 6th to 1st string. In the 2nd, we have 2 rings, 3 stretches, and 1 middle. If you know where any root note is for that position, you can derive the scale. Using the 3-note per string patterns, you can quickly build it out. This is far easier to implement than trying to step through the scale as whole and semitones, and far easier to memorize than every note in every map.
Here's the same table from above, but this time ordered so the notes keep ascending the scale in sequence. So the first (C D E) notes are -8-10-12-. The next row is for the notes (F G A), which is -13-15-17- or, shifting down one octave, -1-3-5-. Since we have 3 notes per string, each row in the table is basically moving up a 4th (C to F is a fourth). Since the guitar is tuned in 4ths, this basically tells us what pattern to play on the next string to keep ascending the scale.
| Position | Pattern | Alt Name | w/w | w/h | h/w | T1 | T- | T2 | Notes | Tab | Starting Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | whole-whole | stretch | x | o | (C D E) | -8--10-12- | 1 | ||||
| 1,13 | whole-whole | stretch | x | o | (F G A) | -1--3--5-- | 4 | ||||
| 7,19 | half-whole | middle | x | o | (B C D) | -7--8--10- | 7 | ||||
| 0,12 | half-whole | middle | x | o | (E F G) | -0--1--3-- | 3 | ||||
| 5,17 | whole-half | ring | x | o | (A B C) | -5--7--8-- | 6 | ||||
| 10 | whole-half | ring | x | o | (D E F) | -10-12-13- | 2 | ||||
| 3,15 | whole-whole | stretch | x | o | (G A B) | -3--5--7-- | 5 |
In other words, if we use 3 notes per position (or string), starting on the root note, we use the following patterns in order:
- whole-whole
- whole-whole
- half-whole
- half-whole
- whole-half
- whole-half
- whole-whole
And then we repeat. Look at the 8th position C major scale in figure 5 above. Patterns 1-6 in the ordered list above match the patterns of each string ascending from 6th string to 1st string.
First Song: Hot Cross Buns
Ready for your first song?
1 2 3 4 |1 2 3 4 |1 n 2 n 3 n 4 n|1 2 3 4 | q q h |q q h |e e e e e e e e|q q h | E-4---2---0--(0)-|4---2---0------|0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2|4---2---0------| r i o |r i o |o o o o i i i i|r i o |
This is a tab representation of "Hot Cross Buns", possibly the worst song ever. However, it will help us be able to read tab, understand rhythm, count time, and familiarize us with the major scale.
The vertical bars indicate the end of a measure.
The top line is couting the beat. The tune is in 4/4, which means 4 beats per measure and a quarter note = 1 beat. To keep time, we count "1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4" with each number falling on a beat. Use a metronome. If you don't have one, try google for a free software version. Start with a low tempo, even as low as 60 bpm. Don't turn up the tempo until everything feels natural and comfortable.
Most tab will not display each beat number - it is rather basic and implied. Usually you only see it pop up for complex rhythms where the tab without it has difficulty demonstrating how each note lines up to the beat.
The second line names the duration of each note. q = quarter note, h = half note, and e = eighth note. In n/4 time, a quarter note lasts one beat long, a half note lasts 2 beats, and an eighth note lasts 1/2 beat. Like the top line, tab usually does not have this line, unless the rhythm gets particularly complex. Normally the spacing in the tab is enough to determine the note duration.
Notice the 'n's on the first line in the 3rd measure. This is the way to count eighth notes. "1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and " ('n' = "and"). When counting this, make sure your 1,2,3,4 line up directly on the beat, with the "and"s falling directly in between each beat.
The 3rd line is the common tablature. The 'E' in front indicates we are using the E string. This is the only string we need for this tune. Notice the (0) in the first measure - this indicates to sustain the 0 from the third beat. This is more common for tab that has more than one string, where one note is intended to be sustained on one string while a new note is intended to be plucked on a different string. I include it here just to develop familiarity. However, it is also implied by the "h" above for half note, which spans 2 beats.
It may be a little confusing to see only one line of tab. Here's what it would look like with all the strings...look at all that wasted space:
1 2 3 4 |1 2 3 4 |1 n 2 n 3 n 4 n|1 2 3 4 | q q h |q q h |e e e e e e e e|q q h | E-4---2---0--(0)-|4---2---0------|0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2|4---2---0------| B----------------|---------------|---------------|---------------| G----------------|---------------|---------------|---------------| D----------------|---------------|---------------|---------------| A----------------|---------------|---------------|---------------| E----------------|---------------|---------------|---------------| r i o |r i o |o o o o i i i i|r i o |
The last line is the left-hand fingering to use. The whole song can be played with the ring and index fingers, in addition to the open E.
Notice, we are using the 2nd and 4th frets on the 1st string - these are not notes inside the key of C! So what key are we in? Strictly given the notes being played: E, F♯, G♯, we could be in A, E, or B major - all these scales have those notes. However, since the direction of the melody tends towards E, and A and B aren't even in the melody, it is safe to conclude this tune is in the key of E major. I hate to start moving into other keys this early, but we need to play some actual music! And Hot Cross Buns is so simple, it's not really confusing.
Homework
- Learn all the notes on the 1st string for the key of C Major.
- Practice playing all the C Major notes in groups of 3 by position ascending and descending. Play without a metronome at first. Focus on the most difficult parts, but never strain yourself to the point of pain. This will most likely be using the pinky, stretching the index and middle fingers, and stretching the middle finger and pinky.
- Say the note names out loud as you play. This adds extra muscles and senses to the process, helping you to learn them more quickly.
- Try to hold the stretches, fretting both notes simultaneously. This will help develop the flexibility in your hand. "Jumping" will eventually hurt your ability to sustain notes properly and be obvious to listeners - it will sound sloppy.
- Try to maintain good technique, using the tips of your fingers to fret and most importantly fretting right behind each fret.
- Work on synchronizing your right and left hands, plucking the string at the same time as you fret. Try to sustain each note until you play the next one.
- Learn the 3 fingering patterns of whole-whole, whole-half, and half-whole (or stretch, ring, and middle).
- Don't worry about learning all the information in the tables above yet, but be aware that the major scale always contains 2 of each pattern, plus an extra whole-whole.
- Try to keep the understanding of tetrachords in the back of your head and how they relate to fingering patterns as you learn the instrument.
- Practice the song Hot Cross Buns.
- Try to get through it first without worrying about keeping time.
- Now try to get through while maintaining good technique, still without worrying about timing.
- Play it again against a metronome, being sure to play in-time. If you can't do so without making a mistake, turn down the tempo on the metronome. If you do make a small mistake, try to keep going, instead of stopping and replaying the note(s).
- Once you can play it without making a mistake while playing in time against a metronome, start turning up the tempo. See how fast you can get before you start to get sloppy. Try to improve each practice session.