Reference
Notes on the fretboard
Standard tuning, fret 0 (open) through fret 12 (octave). After fret 12 the pattern repeats one octave higher.
The natural-note map
Sharps and flats are the half-steps between these. Memorise the natural notes first — the sharps and flats are just "the fret between".
All natural notes — every string, 12 frets
String-by-string table
Open string in the leftmost column. Fret 12 is one octave above the open string and has the same name.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (high E) | E | F | F♯ | G | G♯ | A | A♯ | B | C | C♯ | D | D♯ | E |
| 2 (B) | B | C | C♯ | D | D♯ | E | F | F♯ | G | G♯ | A | A♯ | B |
| 3 (G) | G | G♯ | A | A♯ | B | C | C♯ | D | D♯ | E | F | F♯ | G |
| 4 (D) | D | D♯ | E | F | F♯ | G | G♯ | A | A♯ | B | C | C♯ | D |
| 5 (A) | A | A♯ | B | C | C♯ | D | D♯ | E | F | F♯ | G | G♯ | A |
| 6 (low E) | E | F | F♯ | G | G♯ | A | A♯ | B | C | C♯ | D | D♯ | E |
Octave shapes
Three reliable patterns to find the same note one octave higher without counting frets.
- Strings 6 → 4: up 2 strings, up 2 frets.
- Strings 5 → 3: up 2 strings, up 2 frets.
- Strings 4 → 2: up 2 strings, up 3 frets (because of the B-string tuning).
- Strings 3 → 1: up 2 strings, up 3 frets.
Memorisation trick: learn the 6th string cold (it's the same as the 1st, just two octaves lower), then use octave shapes to find every other note. You'll know the whole fretboard in a week.