← Back to lesson indexMonte Carlo simulator →
Lesson 05

Lesson 5: Notes on the Low E String

The low E string is the backbone of many riffs and roots.

Learning the low E string gives you quick access to common roots for riffs, power chords, and many chord shapes.

String order: E B G D A E
Open strings shown in gold

Focus notes

EFGAB

Open-string notes are highlighted differently from fretted notes, and this lesson highlights its key notes in green.

Main ideas

  • Open = E.
  • Fret 1 = F, fret 3 = G, fret 5 = A.
  • Fret 7 = B, fret 8 = C, fret 10 = D.
  • Fret 12 = E again.
  • These are some of the best early landmarks to memorize.

Visual fretboard

open string note
regular fretted note
focus/octave note

Examples

Landmarks: 3rd fret = G, 5th = A, 7th = B, 8th = C.
Quick answer: C on the low E string is fret 8.

Quick self-test

Q1. What note is at the 5th fret of low E?
A.
Q2. What note is at the 8th fret of low E?
C.