Guitar for the Absolute Beginner #3: Every Anglican Does Get Baptized Eventually, and other tricks to memorize string names
Hopefully by this point, you’ve committed to a practice schedule and you’re ready to dive in. Before we really get into the nuts and bolts of playing, we’re going to memorize the string names and learn how to tune your guitar properly.
Why? Well, when we get going and I say “play the third fret on the A string”, and you don’t know what that is, it will be a little tough now won’t it?
Also, one goal a new guitarist needs to have is knowing the names of all the notes on the guitar. The best way to start is by learning a few “anchor points”, so you’re always only a couple of frets away from a note you “know”. We’ll get to this soon, but for now, we’re doing something very simple:
Every Anglican Does Get Baptized Eventually
That’s the mnemonic we’re using to memorize the string names. I just made it up - you like it? (I have no idea how this lines up with Anglican theology - I assume that Anglicans get baptized at some point during their spiritual formation, so I guess it’s true.)
So, the string names, from the lowest pitched string to the highest are E A D G B E.
If you don’t like my mnemonic, use the popular Every Acid Dealer Gets Busted Eventually. Or any any from this list. Bottom line -before you get going on playing guitar, memorize the string names.
One other thing: the strings have numbers. The high ‘E’ is considered the “first string” and then they’re numbered from there. So here’s what it looks like:
high E (this is the thinnest, highest pitched string): 1st string
B: 2nd string
G: 3rd string
D: 4th string
A: 5th string
E: 6th string
So there you go. Get to memorizing them. Next I’ll show you how to tune your guitar…
If you enjoyed this post you might like these:
- Guitar for the Absolute Beginner: How to play guitar in 30 days
- A guide to guitar tuners
- Acquiring a guitar: your questions answered
- What was your first guitar?
- Links for Friday 1/30
