Learning and Remembering Guitar String Notes
Starting anything new can seem daunting at first. This is particular true when you must remember information as well as the placement of your hands and fingers. Playing music is both a physical and mental exercise, and like any such activity it’s good to pace yourself, and go at your own speed. Everyone who has learned to play the guitar can attest to the fact, that you will feel “fumble fingered” at times, but there are ways to learn the mental part of playing music which will make the rest of your practice easier. I've found Guitar Made Easy a very good way to start, you can find my review here.
Differences in Guitar String Notes
If you are working with the acoustic or classical guitar the notes will be the same as those of an electric guitar. The bass guitar notes are a bit different, but these too are easily learned, and most people start with the classical notes first then move on to learning the different bass guitar string notes.
Starting Out Right
When learning the notes the best position is holding the guitar in your lap. Don’t concentrate on playing at this point. With the guitar in this position the First string is the thinnest one at the bottom. This is the high string or the E string. If you strum this string lightly it gives a high open note. Take a few seconds to orient yourself. A good method of remembering the notes is in looking down at the guitar and keeping in mind this thin string is the first, and the rest follow upward toward the lowest notes. This can be confusing at first for the beginner since most of us think of the first string as the closet to the top, but once you become accustom to seeing it from thinnest to fullest, then it starts to make more sense.
Following the Strings
The second string is naturally the next one up from the first string. This is the open B string. You are moving from E to B. The third string of the guitar is the open G string. The next and fourth string is the open D string. The fifth one up is the open A string. The sixth string, the final string on what you might still consider the “top” of the guitar is the low open E. If you strum the high or first string, then strum the low E or sixth string you will hear the difference in the sound. The thickness of this last string creates the deeper richer sound.
A Little Complex
The top 3 guitar strings D, A, and low E are referred to as wound rounds as these strings are thickest strings on the guitar. Those on the bottom are called plain guitar strings. The three on top, which render the lowest sounds, are also called the bass strings.
On the bass guitar all the strings are wound, and the top four strings are tuned to the same top 4 as classical guitar or E, A, D, and G. The tuning of a bass guitar is low B, E, A, D, and G.
It should also be mentioned that when you are playing some electronic guitars there is no variation in the thickness of strings. Instead, when you play bass or slide guitars with pedals the sound doesn’t come from the thickness of the strings. The notes are still played in the same way. In fact, in moving between electric, acoustic, and classic guitar you will see that some people have different preferences in strings, but the names of the notes stay the same.
Remembering the Notes
You will find those times when you look at music notes and then at your guitar and draw a complete blank. This happens to everyone who plays and it can be caused by the pressure of learning to play, playing in front of an audience, or because it’s been a while since the last time you played. Even those who have played for years have these seconds of confusion once in awhile. In order to avoid the temptation to drop the guitar and run away to hide it’s a good idea to find some memory tricks so even in moments of panic or stress you can remember.
Looking the guitar string notes from high to low or from first to the sixth string you see it as E, B, G, D, A, and E. Remember the sixth is the low E. A way to hold this in memory is to a mnemonic or memory trick such as “Every Body Goes Down An Elevator”. You can think of the image of a “body” going to down the elevator to hold the idea of the sixth E being the lowest string.
Should the elevator mnemonic not work for you, then think of your own rhyming mnemonic that helps for you best. The more it means to you, the better it will come easily and quickly to your mind when you need it.
Differences in Guitar String Notes
If you are working with the acoustic or classical guitar the notes will be the same as those of an electric guitar. The bass guitar notes are a bit different, but these too are easily learned, and most people start with the classical notes first then move on to learning the different bass guitar string notes.
Starting Out Right
When learning the notes the best position is holding the guitar in your lap. Don’t concentrate on playing at this point. With the guitar in this position the First string is the thinnest one at the bottom. This is the high string or the E string. If you strum this string lightly it gives a high open note. Take a few seconds to orient yourself. A good method of remembering the notes is in looking down at the guitar and keeping in mind this thin string is the first, and the rest follow upward toward the lowest notes. This can be confusing at first for the beginner since most of us think of the first string as the closet to the top, but once you become accustom to seeing it from thinnest to fullest, then it starts to make more sense.
Following the Strings
The second string is naturally the next one up from the first string. This is the open B string. You are moving from E to B. The third string of the guitar is the open G string. The next and fourth string is the open D string. The fifth one up is the open A string. The sixth string, the final string on what you might still consider the “top” of the guitar is the low open E. If you strum the high or first string, then strum the low E or sixth string you will hear the difference in the sound. The thickness of this last string creates the deeper richer sound.
A Little Complex
The top 3 guitar strings D, A, and low E are referred to as wound rounds as these strings are thickest strings on the guitar. Those on the bottom are called plain guitar strings. The three on top, which render the lowest sounds, are also called the bass strings.
On the bass guitar all the strings are wound, and the top four strings are tuned to the same top 4 as classical guitar or E, A, D, and G. The tuning of a bass guitar is low B, E, A, D, and G.
It should also be mentioned that when you are playing some electronic guitars there is no variation in the thickness of strings. Instead, when you play bass or slide guitars with pedals the sound doesn’t come from the thickness of the strings. The notes are still played in the same way. In fact, in moving between electric, acoustic, and classic guitar you will see that some people have different preferences in strings, but the names of the notes stay the same.
Remembering the Notes
You will find those times when you look at music notes and then at your guitar and draw a complete blank. This happens to everyone who plays and it can be caused by the pressure of learning to play, playing in front of an audience, or because it’s been a while since the last time you played. Even those who have played for years have these seconds of confusion once in awhile. In order to avoid the temptation to drop the guitar and run away to hide it’s a good idea to find some memory tricks so even in moments of panic or stress you can remember.
Looking the guitar string notes from high to low or from first to the sixth string you see it as E, B, G, D, A, and E. Remember the sixth is the low E. A way to hold this in memory is to a mnemonic or memory trick such as “Every Body Goes Down An Elevator”. You can think of the image of a “body” going to down the elevator to hold the idea of the sixth E being the lowest string.
Should the elevator mnemonic not work for you, then think of your own rhyming mnemonic that helps for you best. The more it means to you, the better it will come easily and quickly to your mind when you need it.