There are two ways of learning the notes on the guitar fretboard they are
the lateral (across the strings) and linear (along the strings) systems;
when the guitarist is learning to play notes in the open position they are
learning notes in a lateral fashion.
Most guitar systems tend to favor one
method of learning over the other, personally I recommend learning to play
your music both ways.
Our focus today is on learning the notes on the fifth string in the open
position.
The name of the open fifth string is "A".
A--0--- string 5
For the moment we are only interested in learning the names of the
natural (non sharpened and flattened notes), so we will move past the note
on the fifth string, first fret (A#/Bb) and go directly to the note on the
second fret, the note "B"
B--2--- string 5; second fret
The note next to "B" on the fifth string is the note "C", since no
sharpened or flattened note exists between the notes "B" and "C" the note
"C" will be found on the fifth string; third fret.
C--3--- string 5; third fret
Review: fifth string notes
A--0--- string 5 (open)
B--2--- string 5; second fret
C--3--- string 5; third fret
Now would be a good time to start our lateral practice by combining the
notes on the first, second, third and fourth strings together with the notes
we have just learned on string five.
Lateral note system in the open position.
Step 1. play the notes on the fifth string
A - B - C
Step 2. play the fourth string notes
D - E - F
Step 3. combine the fifth and fourth string notes.
A - B - C - D - E - F
Can you see we are already playing a section of our music alphabet; the
notes on the fourth string pick up where they finished on the fifth string.
Step 4. play the third string notes
G - A
combine these two notes with the previous strings.
A - B - C = fifth
D - E - F = fourth
G - A = third
Notice how our musical alphabet continues as a big musical loop as we
move across the strings; remember when we arrive at the end of our musical
alphabet we start all over again
Step 5. play the second string notes
B - C - D
You know what to do next... combine all the strings you have learned so
far.
A - B - C = fifth
D - E - F = fourth
G - A = third
B - C - D = second
Step 6. play the first string notes
E - F - G
Continuing our lateral approach of learning the guitar combine all five
strings you have studied.
A - B - C = fifth
D - E - F = fourth
G - A = third
B - C - D = second
E - F - G = first
The more you practice and review your notes the more confident you will
be playing your guitar.
