Locating the various notes on the Fingerboard

The horizontal lines are the guitar strings - E (Thickest String) , A ,D ,G ,B ,E (Thinnest String).

The vertical lines are the frets - The thick metal wires placed at equal intervals along the length of the neck.

If you hold the guitar and look at the image, you will see that the guitar has the Thick E at the top and the above diagram has the Thick E at the bottom. Guitar tabs will always follow this structure. So don't get confused - you'll get used to reading it upside down :)

E-A-D-G-B-E on the left side are the notes for the open string.

Elephants And Donkeys Grow Big Ears (E-A-D-G-B-E).

If you pluck the thickest string without pressing on the fretboard, you get the E note. The same thing applies to all the other strings. These are called the open notes.

Now if you press the E string on the fretboard and pluck it you get the F note.

Refer to the above pic and try the various notes. Don't try to memorize it - You'll eventually get it.

In the next post, we'll talk about how to tune your guitar.

Rock On!