Note Positions on Guitar

To learn the guitar's note positions at a basic level, begin with the natural notes in the first three frets. These notes form the C major scale. As you study harmony, you will discover many other scales and different ways of playing them on the guitar. For now, C major in the first three frets is a suitable starting point.

Once we know the natural notes, accidentals help us find all the other notes.

Accidentals

#: Sharp: raises a note by a semitone. On guitar, move one fret higher than the natural note.

♭: Flat: lowers a note by a semitone. On guitar, move one fret lower than the natural note.

The diagrams below show the natural notes in the first three frets without staff notation. Circled numbers above indicate strings; plain numbers below indicate fret and finger numbers.

Onur Severgün
Rekor Sanat – Guitar Teacher