Course Content
Guitar Anatomy
This module will teach you the basic anatomy of the guitar, which is essential for communicating with tutors, other players and for understanding which bits do what on the guitar.
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Guitar Anatomy – What are the parts called?
Guitar Parts Quiz
Understanding the strings
Scale Shapes & Major Chords
Scales on the guitar are more difficult to visualise that scales on the piano because they are not obviously linear. I.e. They don't appear in the same sequential way that keys on the piano appear. This module will help with finding your way around the fretboard, visualising chords, remembering scale shapes and learning how to apply this all to your playing. This module will help you see vast improvement in your playing very quickly if you apply yourself.
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Guitars Scales – Position 1
What is a scale?
Beginner Guitar Lessons

The Physics of Pitch: How Strings Make Sound

The core principle of a stringed instrument is simple: changing the effective length of a string changes the pitch of the sound it produces.

  • Vibration Creates Pitch: When you pluck a guitar string, it vibrates back and forth rapidly. This vibration creates waves in the air that our ears perceive as sound. The speed of this vibration, known as frequency, determines the pitch. A faster vibration produces a higher pitch, while a slower vibration results in a lower pitch.
  • Shortening the String: When you press a string down on a fret, you are shortening the portion of the string that is free to vibrate (the length between the fret and the bridge). This shorter length causes the string to vibrate faster, producing a higher note. This is the fundamental action you take when playing different notes on a guitar.
  • The Ancient Discovery of Intervals: This relationship between string length and musical pitch isn’t a modern discovery. It was the ancient Greek mathematician Pythagoras who is credited with first discovering the mathematical principles of musical harmony around 500 B.C. Using a single-stringed instrument called a monochord, he found that simple whole-number ratios of string length produced consonant, pleasing sounds. For example, he observed that halving the length of a string produced a note that was in perfect harmony with the open string—a sound we now call an octave.

Guitar Tuning: The Standard and Its Variations

To create a consistent system for playing chords and melodies, guitars are tuned to a specific set of notes. The most common of these is known as Standard Tuning.

From the thickest string (the 6th string, closest to you when holding the guitar) to the thinnest (the 1st string, closest to the floor), the order is:

E – A – D – G – B – E

This tuning is the foundation for the vast majority of popular music, from rock and pop to blues and folk. Its prevalence makes it the go-to choice for musicians who want to collaborate, as it ensures everyone is working from the same harmonic palette. While standard tuning is dominant, it is not the only option. Many guitarists use alternate tunings like Drop D (D-A-D-G-B-E) or Open G (D-G-D-G-B-D) to make certain chords easier to play, facilitate slide guitar techniques, or create a different mood.

String Types, Gauges, and Windings

Guitar strings are not one-size-fits-all. Their material, thickness (gauge), and construction have a significant impact on both the tone of the guitar and how it feels to play.

  • Gauges (Thickness): String thickness is measured in thousandths of an inch. A “set of 9s” means the thinnest string is 0.009 inches.
    • Lighter Gauges (e.g., .009, .010): These are thinner, easier to bend, and require less finger pressure. They are very popular for electric guitars, especially in lead playing styles.
    • Heavier Gauges (e.g., .012, .013): These strings are thicker and produce more volume and sustain. They are the standard for most acoustic guitars and are also used by electric guitarists seeking a bigger tone, common in jazz and blues.
  • Winds (Construction): The lower strings (E, A, D, and sometimes G) are “wound,” meaning a wire is wrapped around a core wire.
    • Roundwound: This is the most common type. They have a ribbed texture and produce a bright, detailed tone.
    • Flatwound: These have a smooth, polished surface. They produce a darker, more mellow tone with less string noise, making them a favorite among jazz and soul guitarists.

Remembering the Fretboard: EADGBE and the 12th Fret

Remembering the notes of the open strings is crucial for navigating the fretboard. A common way to memorize E-A-D-G-B-E is with a mnemonic acronym. Popular choices include:

  • Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie
  • Elephants And Donkeys Grow Big Ears
  • Eat All Day, Go Bed Early

This pattern holds two important keys to understanding the whole fretboard:

  1. The 12th Fret is the Octave: The 12th fret (usually marked with two dots) is the exact halfway point of the string’s vibrating length. The note at the 12th fret is the same as the open string, but one octave higher. Therefore, the notes on the 12th fret, from thickest to thinnest string, are also E-A-D-G-B-E.
  2. The Pattern is Your Map: While the specific notes change on every fret (for example, the notes at the 1st fret are F-A#-D#-G#-C-F), the relationship between the strings remains constant. Knowing the EADGBE open string notes allows you to figure out any note on the neck, making it an essential pattern to remember.
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