Guitar fretboard notes
The open guitar strings are E A D G B E from thickest to thinnest. Each fret raises a note by a half step, so the notes follow the musical alphabet with a sharp between every pair except B–C and E–F. At the 12th fret the pattern starts over.
Swipe sideways to see all 12 frets.
How the notes are laid out
Every string starts on its open note and climbs one half step per fret. The musical alphabet has seven letters, A to G, and there is a sharp (or flat) between each pair except B–C and E–F. So along any string you get twelve different notes, and fret 12 is the open note again, one octave up. Frets 13 and higher repeat frets 1 onward.
Take the low E string: E (open), F (fret 1), G (fret 3), A (fret 5), B (fret 7), C (fret 8), D (fret 10), E (fret 12). Notice the one-fret step from E to F and from B to C, and the two-fret steps everywhere else.
Natural notes on each string
| String | Natural notes, fret numbers in brackets |
|---|---|
| 1st string (E4) | E (0) · F (1) · G (3) · A (5) · B (7) · C (8) · D (10) · E (12) |
| 2nd string (B3) | B (0) · C (1) · D (3) · E (5) · F (6) · G (8) · A (10) · B (12) |
| 3rd string (G3) | G (0) · A (2) · B (4) · C (5) · D (7) · E (9) · F (10) · G (12) |
| 4th string (D3) | D (0) · E (2) · F (3) · G (5) · A (7) · B (9) · C (10) · D (12) |
| 5th string (A2) | A (0) · B (2) · C (3) · D (5) · E (7) · F (8) · G (10) · A (12) |
| 6th string (E2) | E (0) · F (1) · G (3) · A (5) · B (7) · C (8) · D (10) · E (12) |
The two E strings have exactly the same note names at every fret, two octaves apart. Learn one and you know both.
Landmark frets: 5, 7, 9 and 12
Most guitars have dot inlays at frets 3, 5, 7, 9 and 12. Learning the notes at those frets gives you anchors, and anything else is one or two frets from an anchor.
| String | Open | Fret 3 | Fret 5 | Fret 7 | Fret 9 | Fret 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st string (E4) | E | G | A | B | C♯ | E |
| 2nd string (B3) | B | D | E | F♯ | G♯ | B |
| 3rd string (G3) | G | A♯ | C | D | E | G |
| 4th string (D3) | D | F | G | A | B | D |
| 5th string (A2) | A | C | D | E | F♯ | A |
| 6th string (E2) | E | G | A | B | C♯ | E |
The 5th fret and 7th fret rules
Neighboring guitar strings are tuned so that the 5th fret of one string gives the same note as the next string open, with one exception: on the 3rd string (G) it's the 4th fret that matches the open B. That is how the 5th-fret tuning method works.
- 6th string (E2), fret 5 = A, the same as the next string open.
- 5th string (A2), fret 5 = D, the same as the next string open.
- 4th string (D3), fret 5 = G, the same as the next string open.
- 3rd string (G3), fret 4 = B, the same as the next string open.
- 2nd string (B3), fret 5 = E, the same as the next string open.
The 7th fret works the other way: it matches the open string below, one octave higher. 5th string fret 7 = E; 4th string fret 7 = A; 3rd string fret 7 = D; 2nd string fret 8 = G; 1st string fret 7 = B. The same B string exception shows up again, which is why the 2nd string needs fret 8.
Octave shapes: find any note on every string
Once you know a note on the low strings, you can find it an octave higher with a fixed shape: skip one string and move up the neck.
- From the 6th string (E2): go two strings up (to the 4th string) and 2 frets higher.
- From the 5th string (A2): go two strings up (to the 3rd string) and 2 frets higher.
- From the 4th string (D3): go two strings up (to the 2nd string) and 3 frets higher.
- From the 3rd string (G3): go two strings up (to the 1st string) and 3 frets higher.
The shape changes from 2 frets to 3 once it crosses the B string, the same quirk as above. Try it on the fretboard: tap A on the low E string at fret 5, then fret 7 on the D string. Same letter, one octave apart.
A practice plan that works
- Week 1: the natural notes on the low E string. Say each name out loud as you play it, up and back down.
- Week 2: the A string. These two strings hold the roots of every barre chord and power chord, so they pay off right away.
- Week 3: use the octave shapes to find each note on the D and G strings.
- Week 4: the B string, then notice the high E matches the low E.
- Every day, a couple of minutes on the quiz below. Pick one note (say, every G) and find it on all six strings as fast as you can.
Quiz: name the note on the fretboard
A fret is marked with a question mark. Pick its letter; you will hear the note either way. The quiz uses natural notes on every string, open to fret 12.
A fret is marked. Pick its letter. You'll hear it either way.
Press Start.
When the names come quickly, use them: every chord on the guitar chord pages labels its notes, and scales show the same fretboard with the scale notes lit. Starting out? The first guitar chords page is the place to begin. Bass and ukulele players have their own maps: bass fretboard notes and ukulele fretboard notes.
Guitar fretboard questions
What are the notes of the open guitar strings?
From the thickest string to the thinnest: E2, A2, D3, G3, B3, E4. Many players remember E A D G B E with "Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie".
How many notes are on a guitar fretboard?
There are only 12 different notes, repeated. Each fret raises a string by a half step, so after 12 frets every string is back to its open note one octave higher. The 12th fret has the double dot for that reason.
Is there a sharp between B and C or between E and F?
No. B to C and E to F are half steps, so they sit on neighboring frets. Every other pair of natural notes has a sharp/flat fret between them.
What is the fastest way to learn the fretboard?
Learn the natural notes on the 6th and 5th strings first (that is where barre chord roots live), then use octave shapes to find the same notes on the other strings. Five minutes a day with the quiz below beats an hour once a week.
Are the notes the same for left-handed guitar?
Yes. A left-handed guitar is strung in mirror image, but each string and fret gives the same note. Turn on the left-handed view from any chord page to flip the drawings.
Updated September 2026.