Free · Guitar, bass, and ukulele
Interactive guitar fretboard
See every note on the neck, map scales and chord tones in any key, and train yourself to name notes fast. Left-handed view included.
Swipe the neck sideways to see frets up to 15.
Tap any fret to hear its note.
Notes on the guitar fretboard
Every note from the open strings to the 12th fret in standard tuning, thinnest string on top. Natural notes are in bold; the others have two names, sharp and flat, for the same sound (C♯ is D♭). Past the 12th fret the pattern repeats an octave higher.
| String | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | F | F♯ G♭ | G | G♯ A♭ | A | A♯ B♭ | B | C | C♯ D♭ | D | D♯ E♭ | E |
| 2 | B | C | C♯ D♭ | D | D♯ E♭ | E | F | F♯ G♭ | G | G♯ A♭ | A | A♯ B♭ | B |
| 3 | G | G♯ A♭ | A | A♯ B♭ | B | C | C♯ D♭ | D | D♯ E♭ | E | F | F♯ G♭ | G |
| 4 | D | D♯ E♭ | E | F | F♯ G♭ | G | G♯ A♭ | A | A♯ B♭ | B | C | C♯ D♭ | D |
| 5 | A | A♯ B♭ | B | C | C♯ D♭ | D | D♯ E♭ | E | F | F♯ G♭ | G | G♯ A♭ | A |
| 6 | E | F | F♯ G♭ | G | G♯ A♭ | A | A♯ B♭ | B | C | C♯ D♭ | D | D♯ E♭ | E |
How to learn the notes on the fretboard
- 1
Start with the two lowest strings
The roots of most chord shapes and riffs sit on the 6th and 5th strings. Learn their natural notes first: E F G A B C D on the 6th string and A B C D E F G on the 5th.
- 2
Remember the two half steps
Between most natural notes there is one fret holding a sharp or flat. The exceptions are B to C and E to F, which sit on neighbouring frets.
- 3
Use the landmarks
The dots at the 5th, 7th, and 12th frets are there for a reason. The 12th fret repeats the open string an octave up, and the 5th fret of each string matches the next open string, except on the G string, where it is the 4th fret.
- 4
Find octaves by shape
From a note on the 6th or 5th string, the same note an octave up is two strings higher and two frets up. From the 4th or 3rd string, go two strings higher and three frets up, because the B string is tuned a semitone lower than the pattern.
- 5
Say the note as you play
Naming each note out loud while you play a scale ties the sound, the shape, and the name together. It feels slow for a week and then it sticks.
- 6
Test yourself every day
Use the Trainer above for a few minutes a day. Start with natural notes only, then add sharps and flats once you answer without counting frets.
Guitar scales on the fretboard
The scales in the fretboard tool, with their formulas and their notes in A. Select Show to see a scale across the whole neck, then change the key above.
| Scale | Formula | Notes in A | Show |
|---|---|---|---|
| Major (Ionian) | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 | A B C♯ D E F♯ G♯ | Show |
| Natural minor (Aeolian) | 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7 | A B C D E F G | Show |
| Major pentatonic | 1 2 3 5 6 | A B C♯ E F♯ | Show |
| Minor pentatonic | 1 ♭3 4 5 ♭7 | A C D E G | Show |
| Blues | 1 ♭3 4 ♭5 5 ♭7 | A C D E♭ E G | Show |
| Dorian | 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 ♭7 | A B C D E F♯ G | Show |
| Phrygian | 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 ♭7 | A B♭ C D E F G | Show |
| Lydian | 1 2 3 ♯4 5 6 7 | A B C♯ D♯ E F♯ G♯ | Show |
| Mixolydian | 1 2 3 4 5 6 ♭7 | A B C♯ D E F♯ G | Show |
| Locrian | 1 ♭2 ♭3 4 ♭5 ♭6 ♭7 | A B♭ C D E♭ F G | Show |
| Harmonic minor | 1 2 ♭3 4 5 ♭6 7 | A B C D E F G♯ | Show |
| Melodic minor | 1 2 ♭3 4 5 6 7 | A B C D E F♯ G♯ | Show |
Learning songs by ear?
Upload a recording and Tabtify turns it into tab, so you can see where each note sits on the neck and play along.
Fretboard FAQ
How many notes are on the guitar fretboard?
Twelve different notes, repeated. Each string runs through all twelve between the open string and the 12th fret, then starts again an octave higher. A six-string guitar with 22 frets has 138 places to play, but only 12 note names.
What are the notes of the open strings?
In standard tuning, from the 6th string to the 1st: E, A, D, G, B, E. Pick another tuning in the tool to see how every note on the neck moves with it.
Why is there no sharp between B and C, or E and F?
Those pairs are only a semitone apart in the musical alphabet, so they sit on neighbouring frets. Every other pair of natural notes has a sharp or flat between them.
Are C♯ and D♭ the same note?
They sound the same. Which name is right depends on the key: a scale uses each letter once, so E♭ major has A♭ rather than G♯. In Scales, the tool spells every note the way that key writes it.
How do I use the fretboard to learn scales?
Choose Scales, pick a key and a scale, and every note of it lights up across the neck, with the root in brown. Switch Labels to Intervals to see each note's degree, and press Play scale to hear it.
Can I use it for bass, ukulele, or a left-handed guitar?
Yes. Choose Bass or Ukulele for those necks and their tunings, and tick Left-handed to flip the neck so the nut is on the right.
How long does it take to learn the fretboard?
With a few minutes a day, most players can name the natural notes on the two lowest strings within a week. Knowing every note without counting usually takes a few months of regular practice with a trainer.