Understanding the names of your guitar strings is fundamental when you start learning guitar. Like knowing the alphabet before writing words, knowing your Guitar Strings Names unlocks a world of chords, scales, and melodies. Most guitars, especially standard acoustic and electric guitars, come equipped with six strings. These strings aren’t just numbered; they each have a name corresponding to the musical note they produce in standard tuning. This article will guide you through everything you need to know about guitar string names and their importance.
What Are the Guitar Strings Names?
The standard tuning for a 6-string guitar, and therefore the names of the strings, is E-A-D-G-B-E. This sequence is always read from the thickest string to the thinnest.
- 6th String: This is the thickest string, located at the top when you hold the guitar in playing position. It’s tuned to E and is often referred to as the Low E string because it produces the lowest pitch note on the guitar in standard tuning.
- 5th String: The next string down from the thickest is tuned to A. This is simply known as the A string.
- 4th String: Moving further down, the string is tuned to D, and is called the D string.
- 3rd String: This string is tuned to G, and unsurprisingly, it’s the G string.
- 2nd String: The second thinnest string is tuned to B, known as the B string.
- 1st String: Finally, the thinnest string, at the bottom when playing, is tuned to E. This is often called the High E string because it’s the highest pitched string in standard tuning, an octave higher than the Low E string.
Therefore, reading from the thickest (6th) string to the thinnest (1st), the guitar string names are E, A, D, G, B, E. It’s crucial to memorize this order as it’s the foundation for almost everything you’ll learn on the guitar.
Why This Standard Tuning and These String Names?
The EADGBE standard tuning wasn’t arbitrarily chosen. It evolved over centuries, stemming from earlier stringed instruments and continuous experimentation. By the 16th century, a tuning similar to the top five strings of modern guitar (A-D-G-B-E) was already in use. The addition of the low E string solidified the modern six-string guitar around the mid-1800s, along with the now-standard EADGBE tuning.
This particular tuning represents a balance that makes the guitar versatile and relatively easy to play for a variety of musical styles. It’s a compromise that optimizes several key aspects of guitar playing:
- Chord Playing: Standard tuning makes playing chords across the fretboard manageable. The intervals between the strings are arranged to allow for common chord shapes that are ergonomically friendly for the hand. If the intervals were larger, forming chords would require uncomfortable stretches.
- Melody Playing: While optimized for chords, standard tuning still allows for fluid melody playing. Scales and melodic lines can be navigated without excessive hand movements.
- Open String Usage: EADGBE tuning allows for a wide range of keys and chords to utilize open strings. Open strings provide resonance and sustain, and are fundamental in many guitar techniques and musical styles.
- String Tension and Flexibility: The tuning ensures a balanced tension across the guitar neck. It also provides a good level of string flexibility, essential for techniques like string bending, which is common in many genres, particularly blues and rock.
In essence, EADGBE tuning is a time-tested system that offers the best compromise for playability and musicality on the six-string guitar.
Memory Tricks: Acronyms to Learn Guitar String Names
Memorizing the guitar string names in order is one of the first hurdles for a beginner. Luckily, there’s a popular and effective trick: using acronyms! These are memorable phrases where the first letter of each word corresponds to the string names.
Starting from the thinnest (1st or High E string) to thickest (6th or Low E string), the order is E-B-G-D-A-E. Here are a few example phrases:
- Every Boy Gets Dessert After Eating
- Elephants Bounce Gracefully Down All Escalators
Alternatively, starting from the thickest (6th or Low E string) to thinnest (1st or High E string), the order is E-A-D-G-B-E. Here are some acronyms for this direction:
- Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie
- Every Average Dude Gets Better Eventually
The best way to make this stick is to create your own memorable phrase! The sillier or more personal, the better you’ll remember it. Try to come up with a phrase that resonates with you to solidify those string names in your memory.
String Names and the Guitar Fretboard
Knowing the string names is just the first step. The fretboard, or fingerboard, is where you bring these string names to life. It’s the wooden strip on the guitar neck where you press down the strings to change their pitch. Understanding the string names combined with the fretboard layout is crucial for learning scales, chords, and ultimately navigating the guitar.
As you progress, you’ll learn the notes on each string at each fret. This knowledge, starting with the fundamental string names, will empower you to play melodies, understand music theory on the guitar, and communicate with other musicians.
Start by memorizing those string names – EADGBE from thickest to thinnest. Use acronyms, practice saying them aloud, and soon, knowing your guitar string names will become second nature, paving the way for your guitar playing journey.
