Have you just begun your journey with the guitar? Need to learn the guitar string names? As a beginner guitar player, learning the names of the guitar strings should be at the top of your list of things to do. Learning the names of the open(unfretted) strings is one of the most important things you can do! Completing this task will help you succeed with the guitar in the future.
Many things you will learn as you progress will build upon knowing the names of the open strings. So, “How do I learn the guitar string names?” you might ask. You don’t need to look elsewhere. This guide has what you need! In this post, you will learn the string number and letter name.
Yes, you can name them in two different ways. But don’t worry, it’s not complicated. Let’s assume your guitar is tuned to standard tuning (A440). If you don’t know what A440 is, read this. We will also assume that you are using a standard six-string guitar. The naming convention will be the same for a twelve-string guitar.
A Little Refresher Before We Start
Before we get started with guitar string names, we will go back to look at some basics. We name notes after the first seven letters of the alphabet. The first seven letters are A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. On the keyboard, these would be the white keys. These seven notes are called natural notes. Natural notes are notes that contain no “accidentals”.
That’s a fancy way of saying they don’t contain sharps or flats. We use natural notes to name the open guitar strings. The guitar has only six strings. No accidentals are used to name the open strings in standard tuning. If you have never heard the term “accidental”, then you might consider reading this article.
Two guitar strings have the same name…E. So we only need five letters (E, A, D, G, and B) to name all the strings on a guitar.
Guitar String Names: A Number and a Letter
The guitar strings themselves have two names, a number and a letter. To get started, let’s begin with the string numbers. The guitar strings are numbered 1-6. They start with the bottom (skinniest) string going up to the sixth (fattest) string.
Now that you’ve got the number names in your head, let’s move on to the letter names. We use the first seven letters of the alphabet(A, B, C, D, E, F, and G)to name notes. For the open strings, only five of the letters are needed…E, A, D, G, and B.
There are some things to know that can help you remember the string names. Notice that string 1 and string 6 have the same letter name. They are both E. We call string 1 the high E. It is higher in pitch.
We refer to string 6 as the low E. It is lower in pitch. The fifth string is A. Consider the following phrase. Ed-Guh- Buh. Where Ed = EAD, Guh = G, and Buh = BE.
Ed Guh Buh = EADGBE
String 1. E (High E)
String 2. B
String 3. G
String 4. D
String 5. A
String 6. E (Low E)
Memorizing the Names
It’s important to memorize the letter and number names quickly. A good way to do this is to pick one string at a time and say its name aloud as you play each string. Start from the top string (low E) and play each string. Say the letter name out loud as you play each string. Next, try starting from the bottom string (high E) and going up through the strings similarly.
Do this every time you pick up your guitar. Continue the exercise until you are comfortable with the names of all the strings. In addition to the previous exercise, think about the following phrases. They may prove helpful in memorizing the names. Pick your favorite and say it over and over!
- Edgar And Donna Got Busted Eloping
- Elephants And Donkeys Grow Big Ears
- Every Adult Dog Growls Barks Eats
Conclusion
Most of the time, when learning guitar, you will likely refer to the string by its number. The number names are just faster to pick up on. They are also more useful if you are learning Tablature. I would encourage you to put just as much emphasis on the letter names as well, especially if you intend to learn music notation at any time.
After learning the guitar string names, you can move on to the first position notes. Check out Guitar Notes in First Position – The Best Quick Guide. Another useful skill is knowing how to build the major scale. I hope this article helps you increase your understanding of guitar string names. Many people learn these guitar basics faster through a structured method book.
Younger students may find “Guitar Method” book 1 by Hal Leonard the most helpful. If you are looking for a college-level method book “Mastering The Guitar” by Mel Bay is among the best. I give tips for making your guitar practice more productive in this blog post. Bookmark this page for easy future reference. And don’t forget to share this article or leave a comment. I can’t wait to hear from you!
