Learning to play guitar is tough, and even tougher on your own. That is why I have collaborated with Kathy Unruh of ABC Learn Guitar.com to bring you this series on "How to Play Guitar" for beginners.
The guitar fretboard, or neck, is divided by metal strips called frets. The NUT, is the white plastic strip found at the base of the headstock.
The metal strip that is located on the neck just above the NUT, is the FIRST FRET, next is the SECOND FRET, then THIRD, etc... as seen below:
It is important for you to realize that when you play guitar you are moving FORWARD on the guitar fretboard both numerically and alphabetically as the sound gets higher and BACKWARD in the same manner as the sound gets lower.
Let's look at the fifth string (open A) as an example:
As you can also see from the example above, when you move from the open A on the 5th string to B on the 2nd fret, you must SKIP ONE FRET. This distance is referred to as a WHOLE STEP. If you continue up the 5th string you will notice the distance between each letter of the MUSICAL ALPHABET is a whole step EXCEPT:
B|C and E|F
In music these tones, B|C and E|F, are always a HALF-STEP apart. All the other letters are a WHOLE STEP apart.
In the previous lesson you learned that the letters of the MUSICAL ALPHABET are:
A B C D E F G
These letters represent NATURAL tones and correspond to the WHITE keys on a piano.
The frets in between the NATURAL tones relate to the BLACK keys on the piano and are known as SHARPS (#) or FLATS (b).
Whenever a NATURAL tone is raised a half-step it becomes a SHARP tone.
Whenever a NATURAL tone is lowered a half-step it becomes a FLAT tone.
If you begin with the open A on the 5th string for example, and move up the guitar fretboard to the 1st fret you have raised the A NATURAL to an A Sharp.
If you begin with B on the 2nd fret and move down to the 1st fret you have lowered the B NATURAL to Bb.
--0-|--1st--|2nd|
--A-|A#-Bb|-B-|
Now you may be wondering what on earth all this has to do with playing the guitar. Well, NATURAL, SHARPS, and FLATS, are a fundamental part of all music. Knowing how they apply to the guitar fretboard will enhance your understanding of scales, chord structure, reading standard notation, and playing lead guitar.
"WALK-UP" THE GUITAR FRETBOARD
Assuming that you are right handed, the fingers of your left hand will be used to press the strings down on the guitar fretboard. Your right hand will be used to strum or pick the strings. The fingers of your left hand are numbered like this:
1 = first finger 2 = second finger 3 = third finger 4 = fourth finger
When playing notes on the guitar in FIRST POSITION:
Your FIRST FINGER plays the notes on the First Fret (the space between the First Fret and the Nut.)
Your SECOND FINGER plays the notes on the Second Fret (the space between the First Fret and the Second Fret.)
THIRD FINGER/THIRD FRET
FOURTH FINGER/FOURTH FRET.
EXERCISE:
1. Strike the first string with the thumb of your right hand. This is the OPEN E string.
2. Now place the first finger of your left hand on the first string behind the first fret. Press down. Strike the string again with the thumb of your right hand.
3. Next, move to the second fret with your second finger and repeat the process. Continue moving up the first string until you have used all four fingers.
4. After you’ve reached the fourth fret, move to the second string and repeat the exercise. Practice this on each string.
E = 0 |1----|2----|3----|4---- B = 0 |1----|2----|3----|4---- G = 0 |1----|2----|3----|4---- D = 0 |1----|2----|3----|4---- A = 0 |1----|2----|3----|4---- E = 0 |1----|2----|3----|4----
I call this the Walk-Up Exercise and it’s a great way to build strength and coordination skills. It will also help develop the necessary calluses for the fingers of your left hand. In musical terms this exercise is referred to as a CHROMATIC SCALE, which is just another way of saying HALF-STEPS! You should practice it slowly everyday trying to get a clear sound from each fretted note. Be sure to keep the first knuckle (the one closest to the nail of each finger) bent. Push directly down on the string, being careful not to bend it. Your fingernails should be short enough to allow you to push the strings down without interfering.
LESSON OBJECTIVE:
1. Know the difference between half-steps and whole steps on the guitar fretboard.
2. Memorize where half-steps and whole steps occur in the MUSICAL ALPHABET.
3. Use the Chromatic Scale to develop left and right hand coordination skills, finger calluses, and strength.
PRACTICE:
1. Play the Walk Up Exercises on the guitar fretboard everyday. Go Forward and backward. Focus on clarity of tone (sound) with an even tempo (speed).
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