EGS Lesson Six Developing our understanding of the fingerboard — 6th and 5th string geography
EGS Lesson Six Developing our understanding of the fingerboard — 6th and 5th string geography
As you can see, the notes go from the open string to the twelfth fret in alphabetical order, so that the sixth strings notes are from the open E:
Open E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E.
The fifth string notes are from the open A:
Open A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A.
This is convenient for working out unknown notes and chords, but can be a hindrance, in terms of memorising the notes, as the student often falls back on working the notes out alphabetically rather than learning where the notes are. In a real life musical situation, a guitarist is expected to know where all the chords are immediately not after working it out!
As this has more to do with memory and the brain rather than guitar playing, it is helpful to practise naming the notes without the guitar. For example, be able to state that on the sixth string, G is on the third fret, B is on the seventh, D is on the tenth etc.
The majority of this learning can be done without the guitar:
Once learned, move on to the higher frets.
