Notes On The Fingerboard

The Fingerboard of a Guitar -- Unadorned.   If you were to position your guitar for playing (this assumes you play right-handed, by the way -- sorry, lefties), then lay it down on your lap, this is what the fingerboard should look like to you.  Of course, there will be more stuff on your lap -- like the rest of the guitar -- but you get the idea.

 

E String.  Eventually, you should learn all of the notes on the E strings.  Obviously, both are the same.  Just learning where the first 4 natural notes are found -- E - F - G - A -- will give you a good start.  Always start with the open note named for the string.

 

A String.  There's only one A string, so again just focus on where the naturals are up to the 5th fret (A - B - C - D).

 

D String.  By now, you should be getting the routine.  The naturals are D - E - F - G.

G String.  The naturals are G - A - B - C.

B String.  And finally, on the B string the naturals are B - C - D - E.

All of the Natural Notes.  But just up to the 5th fret.  Have you noticed that each string gives you 4 natural notes from the open string to the 5th fret?

Note that there are 2 half-steps between every natural note, except E/F and B/C.  This is one of the unchanging features of the 12 note chromatic scale.

All of the Natural Notes.  All the way to the 12th fret.  Of course, all of the empty frets are really occupied by all of the sharps and flats.

All of the Notes.  All the way to the 12th fret, now including all of the sharps and flats.  I think it's easier to learn the fingerboard from string by string, using natural notes as guideposts.