Learning the acoustic guitar string notes is not hard, but it takes a lot of practice and perseverance. Although most of the people find the task boring since they learn through poor or frustrating methods, using the right procedures can make the process rewarding and enjoyable at the end.
We advise to avoid using the shortcut methods and learn the fretboard by incorporating different ways of remembering the string notes. This article presents extensive information on how you can learn the acoustic guitar string notes in the least duration possible as well as make the process enjoyable and productive at the end.
Open Guitar String Notes
They are six in number and arranged according to their thickness. The first string contains note E which is the thinnest. If you work your way up the guitar (towards the sky) the high E string is followed by B, G, D, A, and low E string which is the thickest i.e.
This is basic information you should know and will come in handy for all sorts of things, from learning the notes to buying a replacement string for your acoustic guitar. Also, knowing the name of a string will assist you to use a guitar tuner. The open string notes are E-B-G-D-A-E
It is an important thing to understand the note names of an open string on your acoustic guitar. The string notes are mainly used in describing finger replacement (e.g. place your first finger on the second fret of A string) as well as turning the guitar into another instrument such as the piano.
Although it may be difficult for some to remember the notes, you can use a few handy mnemonics to recall the strings as long as you always start from the Low E string:
Eddy
Ate
Dynamite
Good
Bye
Eddy
and…
Every
Adult
Dog
Growls
Barks
Eats
and…
Every
Acid
Dealer
Gets
Busted
Eventually
5 Tips for Learning Guitar Notes
Learning to play an acoustic guitar can be a very rewarding experience especially if you have the zeal to learn the notes and work a little extra. However, many never learn notes because they may seem difficult and they do require patience and a bit of memorization.
The need for learning the scales of playing the guitar are more or less universally accepted, but the need for learning to understand the notes is equally necessary. If you are beginner and want to learn all the notes within the shortest time possible, here are simple learning tips that will guide you.
1. Learn the ‘open string notes.’’
Here you will acquaint yourself with a primary reference to refer to especially when you move from simple tunes to complex chords and melodies. Begin with the low string and play every subsequent string starting from low to high, make sure not to put the fingers on the ‘fretboard.’
Say the names of the strings loudly as you tune them. If you’re starting out, it is good to repeat the exercise severally in a day from low to high (E-A-D-G-B-E) and vice versa (E-B-G-D-A-E). Use the mnemonics we list above to help out!
2. Keep the notation chart handy
As you progress to further phases of guitar learning, it is of great importance to be well equipped.
Keep a chart handy that shows the position of the notes as well as something you can refer to especially when checking for the accuracy as you play. You may use symbols such as ‘#’ to indicate a sharp note and ‘b’ to indicate a flat note.
3. Start with the notes.
The first assignment here will be to master the first 12 frets of the guitar. This is of the vast essence since you can easily remember the notes from A through G.
The main thing to note here are the two notes without flats and sharps. The notes E and B do not have ‘#’ sharps while C & F don’t have ‘b’ flats. Therefore, if you can recall that A, D, and G have sharps and flats, it simplifies your learning.
4. Learn to recognize the octaves.
The goal here is to identify every instance on the specific note on a fret board. You can start very slowly and work to the place where you begin noticing the positions where notes start to repeat themselves on a fret board.
Next, start by playing all the notes in a pattern, but try to play every instance of all the notes on a fret one at a time. As you begin attaining precision plus accuracy, you’ll be on the right track to mastering the fretboard.
5. Learn to play the guitar scales
Imagine a guitar neck is broken into frets of 4 blocks. Whichever key you need to play, your fingers will position on that particular fret block.
Two octaves of each pitch of the scale is placed in the four fret block on a guitar neck. Besides, it’s worth mentioning that, major scales are not a hard task on acoustic guitar since every scale depends on its footnote.
The Final Note
Mastering the acoustic guitar string notes might seem like slow and tedious work, but it does open up pathways towards understanding the art of playing the guitar fluently. Therefore, the painstaking process is definitely worth it. And while you’re here, check out the rest of our guitar lessons!