Appendix A: Notes on the fretboard

Locating the natural notes on the fretboard, with attention to distinguishing between octaves.
In this chapter:

Octaves and scientific pitch notation

To distinguish between the same note in different octaves, “scientific pitch notation” adds an octave number to the note name.

C4 is “middle C”, the C in between the bass and treble clefs, and near the middle of a piano keyboard.

B4 is the B above middle C, and B3 is the B below middle C.

The lowest note on a guitar in standard tuning is E2 (the open low E string), and the highest is around E5 (the 12th fret on the high E string).

C notes

C notes on fretboard in standard tuning.
C notes on fretboard in standard tuning.
C3 on guitar staff.
C3 on guitar staff.
C4 on guitar staff.
C4 on guitar staff.
C5 on guitar staff.
C5 on guitar staff.

D notes

D notes on fretboard in standard tuning.
D notes on fretboard in standard tuning.
D3 on guitar staff.
D3 on guitar staff.
D4 on guitar staff.
D4 on guitar staff.
D5 on guitar staff.
D5 on guitar staff.

E notes

E notes on fretboard in standard tuning.
E notes on fretboard in standard tuning.
E2 on guitar staff.
E2 on guitar staff.
E3 on guitar staff.
E3 on guitar staff.
E4 on guitar staff.
E4 on guitar staff.
E5 on guitar staff.
E5 on guitar staff.

F notes

F notes on fretboard in standard tuning.
F notes on fretboard in standard tuning.
F2 on guitar staff.
F2 on guitar staff.
F3 on guitar staff.
F3 on guitar staff.
F4 on guitar staff.
F4 on guitar staff.
F5 on guitar staff.
F5 on guitar staff.

G notes

G notes on fretboard in standard tuning.
G notes on fretboard in standard tuning.
G2 on guitar staff.
G2 on guitar staff.
G3 on guitar staff.
G3 on guitar staff.
G4 on guitar staff.
G4 on guitar staff.
G5 on guitar staff.
G5 on guitar staff.

A notes

A notes on fretboard in standard tuning.
A notes on fretboard in standard tuning.
A2 on guitar staff.
A2 on guitar staff.
A3 on guitar staff.
A3 on guitar staff.
A4 on guitar staff.
A4 on guitar staff.

B notes

B notes on fretboard in standard tuning.
B notes on fretboard in standard tuning.
B2 on guitar staff.
B2 on guitar staff.
B3 on guitar staff.
B3 on guitar staff.
B4 on guitar staff.
B4 on guitar staff.

All natural notes

All natural notes on the fretboard in standard tuning.
All natural notes on the fretboard in standard tuning.
Next:
Appendix B: Reading music for guitar
Previous: Scales › Chapter 20.
Specialty scales