Learn Electric Guitar · Part 4
Most guitarists try to memorize six strings and 20-plus frets at once, get overwhelmed, and give up. The faster path is to memorize the low E (6th) and A (5th) strings first — because these are the strings that carry the root note for power chords and barre chords. Everything else builds outward from there.
The first chords most beginners run into are power chords and barre chords. Both share one thing in common: their root note — the note that names the chord — sits on either the low E string or the A string.
For example, fretting the low E string at fret 5 gives you an A5 power chord; putting the root on fret 3 of the A string gives you a C barre chord. Once you know the notes on the low E and A strings, you can instantly find the root of any chord.
Every note on a guitar fretboard is built from 7 natural notes (A B C D E F G) plus the sharps and flats between them. Natural notes are normally a whole step (two frets) apart — except for E-F and B-C, which are only a half step (one fret) apart. Memorizing these two exceptions is the key to learning the fretboard.
| Interval | Pair | Fret gap |
|---|---|---|
| Half step (exception) | E → F | 1 fret |
| Half step (exception) | B → C | 1 fret |
| Whole step (normal) | A→B, C→D, D→E, F→G, G→A | 2 frets |
Keep these two exceptions in mind as you scan the fretboard, and you'll cut down calculation mistakes dramatically.
Most guitars have inlay dot markers at frets 3, 5, 7, 9 and 12 (fret 12 usually gets a double dot). Memorizing the notes at these marker frets first makes it much easier to work out everything else.
| Marker fret | Low E string (open E) | A string (open A) |
|---|---|---|
| Fret 3 | G | C |
| Fret 5 | A | D |
| Fret 7 | B | E |
| Fret 9 | C# | F# |
| Fret 12 | E (octave) | A (octave) |
| Fret | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Note | E | F | F# | G | G# | A | A# | B | C | C# | D | D# | E |
Learn the natural notes (no sharps) first: E(0) F(1) G(3) A(5) B(7) C(8) D(10) E(12). Notice E-F is one fret apart, and so is B-C.
| Fret | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Note | A | A# | B | C | C# | D | D# | E | F | F# | G | G# | A |
Natural notes only: A(0) B(2) C(3) D(5) E(7) F(8) G(10) A(12). Same rule as the low E string — only the open-string note is different.
Fret 12 is exactly one octave above the open string. That means fret 13 repeats the same note as fret 1, fret 14 repeats fret 2, and so on. Fully memorize frets 0-12 and you've covered the entire fretboard.
Repeat A B C D E F G in order, then also practice starting from E: E F G A B C D E. The low E string starts on E, so this order matters.
F sits right next to E (one fret away), and C sits right next to B (one fret away). Those are the only two exceptions — every other pair is a two-fret gap. Repeat this until it's automatic.
Low E string: fret 5 = A, fret 7 = B, fret 3 = G. A string: fret 5 = D, fret 7 = E, fret 3 = C. Learn these anchor notes first, then use the half-step rule to work out the notes on either side.
Working outward one fret at a time from the anchor frets, fill in the remaining notes. Mistakes tend to happen around the half-step exceptions, so double-check around B (fret 7 B → fret 8 C) and E (open E → fret 1 F, fret 11 D# → fret 12 E).
Use the same method on the A string. Only the open-string note (A) and the anchor points differ — the half-step rule is exactly the same. Move to the A string once you've nailed the low E string.
Confirm the low E string's fret 12 is E and the A string's fret 12 is A. If either is wrong, you made a calculation error somewhere around the E-F or B-C half step — find it and fix it.
Practice with prompts like "low E string, fret 8?" or "A string, fret 10?" and answer instantly. Use the fretboard trainer tool's random quiz mode on the low E and A strings for effective practice.
🎸 Test yourself with the fretboard trainer →Once you've learned the note positions, confirm them right away with a random quiz. Focusing on the low E and A strings and answering quickly is the most effective way to lock it in.
🎸 Open the fretboard trainer → See all electric guitar practice tools →