7 of these are primary notes called A, B, C, D, E, F,
and G. If we assign them a number in our 12 blocks this
is what it would look like:
The remaining 5 notes are secondary notes. They
have dual names, meaning they can be called sharp
or flat.
Sharps are represented by a "#" and flats are
represented by a "b". Think of a sharp as meaning "go
up one" and a flat as "go down one".
The 5 secondary notes are called G#/Ab, A#/Bb, C#/Db,
D#/Eb, and F#/Gb.
The notes will always follow each other in this order.
Note order: A,A#/Bb,B,C,C#/Db,D,D#/Eb,E,F,F#/Gb,G,G#/Ab
The Language Of Music
You'll notice that there is no B#/Cb or E#/Fb
notes. The reasons for arranging the notes this way can
be explained by looking at a picture of a keyboard. The
white keys are the primary notes and the black keys are
the secondary notes. The language of music was created
with the piano's keyboard in mind instead of the guitar's
fretboard.
Notes On The Guitar
Each fret on a guitar is a note. You can locate any
note on a given string if you know the name of the open
string, because the notes always follow each other in
the same order.
For example, the notes on the A string are as follows:
A(string played open)-A#/Bb-B-C-C#/Db-D-D#/Eb-E-F-F#/Gb-G-G#/AB
The 12th fret always starts the pattern all over again.
It's the same note as the string played open.
Below is a chart that has all the primary notes on the
fretboard. The sharps and flats are not shown here. Sharps
and flats are easy to identify, though. For example,
to find an F#/Gb just find the note between the F and
G.
Remember that there are no sharps
or flats between the notes E and F or between the notes
B and C.
Note order: A, A#/Bb, B, C, C#/Db, D, D#/Eb, E, F, F#/Gb,
G, G#/Ab
Click here
for a printable version of the chart below
>>>Back To Lessons Index
