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Know Your Notes

The Basics

Notes are named after the first seven letters in the alphabet. In order, theyare:

A - B - C - D - E - F - G

Between any two notes, except B - C and E - F, we also have a sharpand/or flat note.

These are the symbols that are used to denote sharp and flat:

= sharp

= flat

If we list the notes, again, and include the sharps and flats, we get:

A - A#/Bb - B - C - C#/Db - D - D#/Eb - E - F - F#/Gb - G - G#/Ab - A

One important thing to notice is that X#/Xb is one note that has two names(The term used to describe this is ENHARMONIC). For example, A# isthe exact same note as Bb. Sometimes, one name will be used, andsometimes the other name will be used. We will cover this in much greaterdetail in a later lesson. For now, it's only important that you know thenames of the notes.

Another thing to notice is that after G#/Ab We arrive at A again. Thissecond A vibrates exactly twice as fast as the first A, and therefore, theear tends to hear it as another version of the same note. The second A iscalled the OCTAVE of the first A. If we continue after the second A, we

get A#/Bb an OCTAVE higher than the first, B an OCTAVE higher, Can OCTAVE higher etc., etc., until we get to A again. This A is twoOCTAVES higher than the first A. If we keep going, the whole patternjust repeats over and over until we can't get any higher on the instrument.(If you didn't run out of notes, you could keep right on going until thenotes were so high that only a dog could hear them!) The same is true ifyou travel in the opposite direction. The pattern repeats until you run outof notes, or the neighbors call the cops (whichever comes first).

Here's something to help you remember the sharps and flats. If yousharpen a pencil, you raise a point on it. Therefore, if you play A andthen play the next higher note, you would call the second note A#. If youflatten a pop can, you mash it down. Likewise, if you play B and thenplay the next lower note, you would call the second note Bb. Rememberthat A# and Bb are the exact same note or ENHARMONIC.

This may be a bit confusing but, you'el get used to it.

All you have to remember is A through G of the alphabet and a #/b note inbetween every two notes except B - C and E - F (There's no such note asB# or Cb, likewise, E# or Fb. There is an exception to this but, that's waydown the road!).

The Fingerboard

Here's what the notes look like covering the fingerboard:

I've left the sharps and flats off to make the chart easier to read, but thatdoesn't mean that you should ignore sharps and flats.

Now, let's take a closer look at how the notes are organized:

1. The open strings and the 12th fret are identical:

2. The low E-string and the high E-string are identical:

3. Octaves:

4. Adjacent notes:

The Practice

Go to this page, and print about 2 billion copies.

Now, every time that you think you don't have anything to do, grab one ofthe sheets you just printed out and fill in the names of the notes on eachneck diagram. It really doesn't matter if you write in the notes one string ata time or across the strings or in any other manner you can come up with.Writing those notes out on the diagrams is gonna help you to start seeing

them. That is the whole point of doing the exercise.

Another good practice is to pick a note per day, and for that day, youpractice locating that note on your guitar neck. The next day, pick adifferent note. This exercise can be extended to include practicing chords,scales, modes, arpeggios (you name it) from your selected note.

A third exercise is for when you don't have your guitar near you (maybeyou are waiting at the bus stop or riding the subway). Pick a chord or ascale or even a lead lick that you know and visualize exactly where youwould play it on the guitar neck. Then try to figure out what notes youwould be playing. The more clear you are in your mind about what fretsand strings you would be playing, the greater the benefit you will receivefrom this exercise.

Lastly, anytime while playing the guitar that you can remember to do this,stop and ask yourself what notes you are playing. If you don't know whatnotes you are playing, figure it out.

There's no real short-cut to learning to see the notes up and down thefingerboard. It simply takes a desire and willingness to learn and practice.It also helps if you can see a potential value in acquiring the skill.

Best of luck!

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