Memorize Notes On The Fretboard

Piano vs Guitar 

When we look at the guitar neck, it can be challenging to spot any repeating patterns.

The dots on the fretboard might seem to be guiding us, but there’s no straightforward visual system to follow.

The piano, by contrast, makes things easier to understand.

It’s laid out in a clear, linear way that visually highlights the 12-note pattern used in Western music.

On the piano, we have seven white keys that make up the C major scale: C, D, E, F, G, A, and B.

The black keys represent the notes between most of these white keys, except for the gaps between E and F, and B and C.

This pattern is repeated across the entire piano, marking the different octaves.

To apply this on the guitar, we need to commit it to memory.

Think of each guitar string as a separate piano keyboard, with each fret acting like a key.

It’s helpful to know that the space between notes is measured in semitones, and two semitones make up a whole tone.

So, the distance from E to F is a semitone, as is B to C. In contrast, the distance from C to D is a whole tone.

It might seem a bit tricky, but don’t worry! In the next videos, we’ll break it down step-by-step.

Semitones & Tones 

The Open Strings 

Now we come to the guitar.

The first thing we need to learn are the notes of the open strings, because starting from these notes we’ll find the rest of the notes on the fretboard.

• The open sixth string is the note E
• The open fifth string is the note A.
• The open fourth string is the note D
• The open third string is the note G.
• The open second string is the note B.
• And the open first string is the note E, two octaves higher than the sixth string.

Let’s start from the beginning… E, A, D, G, B, E.

The Notes On the 6th String 

Now that we’re ready to locate all the notes on the fretboard, let’s quickly review what we learned about the piano to ground our understanding.

To play the notes in the C major scale—C, D, E, F, G, A, and B—remember that they mostly have a whole tone (2-semitone) distance between each, except for two critical points: E to F and B to C, which are separated by only a semitone.

On the guitar, the smallest unit of movement is a semitone, which is equivalent to moving one fret.

Therefore, when we want to move a whole tone, we skip a fret, moving up two frets.

For example, playing the 3rd fret on the 6th string and then jumping to the 5th fret on the same string takes us up by a whole tone.

To map out the notes on the 6th string, we’ll start with E as our open string.

Moving up a semitone (1 fret) to the 1st fret, we find F.

Then, to move a full tone, we skip to the 3rd fret, where we find G.

Another whole tone takes us to A on the 5th fret, then B on the 7th.

And here’s where we hit our next exception: moving up just one fret to find C on the 8th fret.

Continuing this way, we’ll notice that at the 12th fret, we land back on E—our starting note, now one octave higher.

The pattern then repeats from here onward.

Interestingly, the 1st string (the high E) follows the same notes as the 6th string, just at a higher pitch.

So, our starting note here is also E, and every note falls on the same fret numbers as they do on the 6th string.

Mastering this layout on the 6th and 1st strings gives us a strong framework for recognizing notes across the fretboard, which we’ll use as a foundation to explore more in the upcoming lessons.

The Notes on the Other Strings 

Now we’re ready to find all the notes on the fretboard, but first let’s remember what we learned about the piano.

If we want to play the notes C, D, E, F, G, A and B, we need to know that we always have a distance of 1 tone, except between E and F and between B and C.

On the guitar, the semitones are the frets.

This means that a distance of 1 tone is a distance of 2 frets.

For example, if I play the 3rd fret of the 6th string and go to the 5th fret of the 6th string, I am moving 1 tone higher.

So if we want to know the notes on the sixth string, we start with the open note E and then find F on the first fret, so a semitone away, then we have G which is a tone away on fret 3, then A on 5, B on 7 and here we come to the other exception which is C which is a semitone away on fret 10.

When we get to the 12th fret, we again have the note E.

Here it all starts over again.

The notes on the first string are the same, but higher.

On this open string we also have the note E.

On the fretboard we find the notes in the same places.

Accidental Notes

Now, what about the notes we haven’t named yet?

These notes are known as accidentals, and they fill the spaces between the main notes we’ve identified.

Accidentals are unique in that each one has two possible names, depending on the musical context.

This concept is known as enharmonics.

For instance, the note between C and D can be called C# (C sharp) if we’re thinking of it as a raised C, or Db (D flat) if we’re viewing it as a lowered D.

Similarly, the note between D and E can be called D# or Eb.

This pattern continues with the other notes that have spaces between them.

Accidentals exist between each pair of natural notes except for E and F and B and C—where there are no spaces between the notes on the fretboard.

Therefore, we won’t encounter E# or Fb, nor B# or Cb because these notes are already next to each other.

Once we add these accidental notes, we complete the set of 12 unique tones used in Western music, each separated by a semitone.

When mapped onto the guitar fretboard, this gives us a complete picture of every note.

This is how the full set of notes appears on the fretboard when we include the accidentals, and having this mental map is crucial for understanding and navigating the instrument efficiently.

Now we can start using this knowledge to find scales, create chords, and approach improvisation more freely.

Octave Patterns

Octave patterns allow us to find the same note an octave higher or lower.

To do this, we need to learn some octave shapes and their variations.

This is the first form:

If we stop on a note of string 6, for example A, we find its octave separated by a string in between, two frets further.

The same happens when we stop on string 5 and play D, for example.

The next D is on fret 7 of the third string.

For the following groups of strings, the octaves are 3 frets apart due to the tuning of the guitar…

For example, this is the note G on string 4 and here we have G in its octave.

So we can find the eighth of the note D on the third string.

The second form of the octaves is the following.

As you can see, it’s separated by two strings and 2 or 3 frets, depending on the string group.

We find the octave of this C of the sixth string at the fifth fret of the third string.

The eighth of this E of the fifth string is at the fifth fret of the second string.

And the octave of this A at the 5th fret of the first string.

So, for example, if we want to find the note A in all its octaves, this is the complete drawing.

It seems complicated, but if you gradually approach the octave patterns, they’ll help you a lot to find notes on the fretboard quickly.

Exercises

To truly absorb this information and confidently navigate the fretboard, it’s essential to dedicate a few minutes each day to targeted practice.

Here are some exercises to help you build this knowledge step-by-step.

Exercise 1: Focusing on One Note

Begin by picking a single note to locate across the entire fretboard, such as A.

Set a metronome at a comfortable, slow tempo and aim to play a different A on each beat.

Start with the 6th string, then move across each string, identifying and playing every A you can find.

Repeat this process daily, choosing a new note each day.

This builds your familiarity with each note’s location and develops your instinct for finding notes quickly.

Exercise 2: Adding a Second Note

Once you’re comfortable with single notes, try working with two notes at a time.

For instance, let’s choose C and F.

Again, set your metronome to a slow, steady beat.

Play one of the notes on each beat, alternating between C and F as you move across the strings.

This helps you become aware of the relationships and distances between different notes.

Over time, try increasing the tempo and working through all pairs of notes to further strengthen your note recognition.

Exercise 3: Creating Your Own Patterns

These first two exercises are just a starting point.

Get creative!

Challenge yourself to invent your own patterns and combinations of notes, or try mapping out scales across the fretboard.

The more ways you can interact with and visualize the notes on the guitar, the stronger your knowledge will become.

With just a few minutes each day, these exercises will gradually transform the fretboard into a familiar, intuitive landscape.

Keep pushing yourself, and soon navigating the notes will feel like second nature.

Last Words

Alright, friends!

I hope you found this course enjoyable and that the fretboard feels less like a mystery and more like a roadmap to musical freedom.

Remember, the key to mastering the fretboard is consistent, daily practice.

Take it one step at a time, and don’t hesitate to experiment with your own exercises to keep things interesting and fun.

The more you practice, the more natural it will feel.

And always remember: music is about exploration and expression, so let yourself enjoy the process.

With patience and a bit of daily dedication, you’ll find yourself moving across the fretboard effortlessly.

Thank you for joining me on this journey—keep playing, keep discovering, and above all, keep having fun.

See you next time!