how to learn the guitar fretboard
There are many methods for how to learning the guitar fretboard, so let's try and make it really simple.
First DO NOT BUY A CHART
Make your own on a piece of cardboard as large as possible. Mark it off with strings and up to about the 15 th fret, and put the dots in the right place. You will then use this to mark on the notes as you learn them. The reason why we say this is because by writing and drawing this out for yourself you're helping yourself memorise it, and that means you'll learn better than just looking at someone else's diagram. As you follow through the below, mark the notes you learn on your chart.
Learn the basics
Before you can learn the fretboard you need to know some basics:
• The music notes these are simply the first 7 letters of the alphabet (we said it was easy!) ABCDEFGABCDEFG etc
• The strings the string furthest away, (thinnest/highest sounding) is the 1 st string. The thickest, lowest-sounding and closest one is the 6 th string. They run 1 to 6 towards you.
• Names of the open strings 6=E, 5=A, 4=D, 3=G, 2=B, 1=E (notice there are 2 E strings, so the bottom one is often called fat E)
• What the fretboard looks like the fretboard has dots or inlays on frets 3, 5, 7, 9, and 2 dots or often a larger inlay on 12. This makes it really easy for you to count frets!
The Golden rule
The notes all have 2 frets between them, EXCEPT B to C and E to F, which only have one. So, A to B = 2 frets. B to C = 1 fret. C to D = 2 frets. D to E = 2 frets. E to F = 1 fret. F to G = 2 frets. G to A = 2 frets. Get it?
Playing Up the fretboard
So if we start with the A string, you can now play a simple scale moving up the string on the fretboard.
A = open
B = fret 2
C = fret 3
D = fret 5
E = fret 7
F = fret 8
G = fret 10
A = fret 12
So long as you remember the one fret, two fret rule you can play scales already! If you start on say the 2nd string (B), it goes like this:
B = open
C = fret 1
D = fret 3
E = fret 5
F = fret 6
G = fret 8
A = fret 10
B = fret 12
So now you can play notes/ scales moving up the fretboard. There are no short cuts, you'll need to memorize and play until you've got them in your head and can play them fluently.
Playing across the fretboard
Let's look at moving across the fretboard it's more complicated but you'll soon get it with the help of your chart! Let's start with the lowest string, the 6 th (E). Remember how the strings are sequenced upwards 6 to 1, (thick to thin, low notes to high): EADGBE.
To play a scale across the fretboard, simply move to the next string when you get to it's note, always remembering the one/two fret rule. So from the bottom E:
E= 6 th string, open
F = 6 th string, fret 1
G = 6 th string, fret 3
A = 6 th string, fret 5 OR move up to 5 th string, open. (try playing scales both ways while you learn your way round the fretboard)
B = 5 th string, fret 2
C = 5 th string fret 3
D = 5 th string, fret 5 OR move to 4 th string, open.
E = 4 th string, fret 2
F = 4 th string, fret 3
G = 4 th string, fret 5 OR 3 rd string, open
A = 3 rd string, fret 2
B = 3 rd string, fret 4 OR 2 nd string, open
C = 2 nd string, fret 1
D = 2 nd string, fret 3
E = 2 nd string, fret 5 OR 1 st string, open
F = 1 st string, fret 1
G = 1 st string, fret 3
A = 1 st string, fret 5
Etc etc.
Where you find a note the same as an open string, e.g. E = 2 nd string, fret 5 OR move up to 1 st string, open, mark this in colour on your chart (red is ideal) so it's easy to see and remember.
This is basically how to work your way round the fretboard both up and down and side to side. Sharps and flats are played on the frets that we've left out, so if F = fret 1, G = fret 3, fret 2 would be F# - but that can wait until you've got to grips with the basics!