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Guitar fretboard notes
Every note on the guitar neck up to the 12th fret. Choose the tuning, highlight a note to find all its places, or show only the natural notes.
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How the notes are laid out
Each fret raises the string by one half step. In standard tuning the open strings are E A D G B E, from the lowest (6th string) to the highest (1st): E2, A2, D3, G3, B3 and E4. At the 12th fret every string plays its open note one octave higher, and from there the pattern repeats.
Guitar music is written one octave higher than it sounds, so the open low E is written on the staff as E3.
Tuning by ear with the 5th fret
In standard tuning, the 5th fret of each string plays the same note as the next open string, except on the G string, where it's the 4th fret that gives B. The exception is there because the B string is a major third above G, not a perfect fourth like the other pairs.
Other tunings
- Drop D: the 6th string lowered a whole step to D (D A D G B E).
- Half step down: every string a half step lower (E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭).
- Open D: D A D F♯ A D — the open strings play a D major chord.
- Open G: D G D G B D — the open strings play a G major chord.
- DADGAD: D A D G A D.
Frequently asked questions
What are the notes of the guitar strings?
In standard tuning, from the thickest string to the thinnest: E, A, D, G, B and E.
Where is middle C on the guitar?
C4, middle C, is on the 1st fret of the B string, the 5th fret of the G string and the 10th fret of the D string.
Why do the notes repeat after the 12th fret?
Because 12 half steps make an octave: the 12th fret plays the open string's note one octave higher.