Meet the six strings

Learn to recognise the six open-string pitches by name, notation, order, and sound.

Lesson · step 1/3

Six strings, six starting notes

In Standard tuning, the open strings sound E, A, D, G, B, E from the thickest string to the thinnest. We call them Low E, A, D, G, B, and High E. The two E strings share a letter name but sound two octaves apart: Low E is E2 and High E is E4.

All six open positions are highlighted and labelled from the thickest string to the thinnest.

String 6, fret 0: E2
String 5, fret 0: A2
String 4, fret 0: D3
String 3, fret 0: G3
String 2, fret 0: B3
String 1, fret 0: E4