Master the Guitar Fretboard: An Interactive Guide to Notes and Tunings

Understanding the guitar fretboard is fundamental for any guitarist, whether you’re just starting out or looking to deepen your musical knowledge. Our interactive guitar fretboard tool provides a visual and auditory way to learn the notes across the fretboard in standard tuning and various alternative tunings.

Visualize the Guitar Fretboard in Multiple Tunings

This tool displays the guitar fretboard as you would see it when holding your guitar, making it intuitive for practice and learning. By default, it’s set to standard tuning (E A D G B E), with the low E string at the bottom and the high E string at the top, mirroring your perspective. However, the power of this tool lies in its versatility to show you the fretboard in other popular tunings. Explore how the notes change across tunings such as:

DADGAD: A tuning favored in folk and Celtic music, offering a rich, open sound.
Drop D: Lowering the 6th string to D, popular in rock and metal for heavier riffs.
Open G: Tuning to a G major chord, ideal for blues and slide guitar.
Drop C: Lowering all strings by two semitones and then dropping the 6th string further to C, common in heavier genres.
Double Drop D: Dropping both the 6th and 1st strings to D, expanding the bass range.
Open C: Tuning to a C major chord, used in various styles including folk and experimental music.

Interactive Features for Effective Learning

To enhance your learning experience, the interactive fretboard includes several key features:

Note Highlighting: You can selectively highlight specific notes on the fretboard. This is incredibly useful when learning scales or modes, allowing you to visually isolate the notes you need to focus on.
Scale Highlighting: Choose from a variety of guitar scales, and the tool will highlight the notes of that scale directly on the fretboard. This feature helps you visualize scale patterns and understand their construction.
Auditory Feedback: Click on any note on the fretboard to hear its sound. You can choose between electric, acoustic, or nylon guitar samples to get a realistic sense of the note’s tone. This auditory reinforcement is invaluable for ear training and associating visual positions with sounds.
Left-Handed Mode: If you play left-handed guitar, simply toggle the switch to flip the fretboard display, making it comfortable and relevant for your perspective.

Fret numbers are clearly displayed below the fretboard, with the 12th fret specially marked as the octave. For users on smaller screens, the fretboard intelligently flips vertically to ensure the entire fretboard is easily viewable and accessible.

Explore More Guitar Resources

Once you’ve mastered the fretboard, take your guitar learning further with our related tools:

Guitar Scales Tool: Dive deeper into scales and modes with detailed diagrams and patterns.
Guitar Chords Tool: Explore a vast library of guitar chords and learn their fingerings.
Online Tuner: Keep your guitar perfectly in tune with our accurate online tuner.
Guitar Tuning Chart: Reference different guitar tunings and their note arrangements.

For bass players and ukulele enthusiasts, we also offer dedicated fretboard tools: