Learn the notes on the A string: guitar requirement

Just like with the Low E string, you really need to learn the notes on the A string guitar in hand. The A string acts as a base for many chords. It also helps you find other notes across the fretboard. Generally, it gives you a comfortable piece of solid ground to land on in your learning and your playing. Thankfully, it’s as easy to learn the A-string notes as those on the E string.

What are the notes on the A string: guitar?

Just as does every string on the guitar, the A string holds all 12 notes of the chromatic scale. As the name indicates, the open string sounds the note A. It has a frequency of 110 Hz. Holding fret 1 sounds the note A#/Bb. Eevery successive fret from there raises the pitch by one semitone. Fret 12 sounds another A note one octave higher at 220 Hz and the note sequence repeats from there.

Why is it important to learn the notes on the A string?

As I said above, becoming intimately familiar with the A string holds many benefits. Because the A string sounds out some of the lowest tones on the guitar, it serves as an important bottom end for many chords.

Even if you just consider open major chords, the chords A, B (most notably B7), and C all have their roots on the A string. And those three chords play critical roles in literally millions of songs.

Add to that all of the minor and other variations of the major chords, and you have many chords that root on the A string.

Beyond chords though, the A string serves as a reference point for learning the notes on other strings too. For instance, two frets higher on the G string holds the same note (one octave higher) as the fret you play on the A string.

So, if you know the notes on the A string, guitar becomes far less mysterious because you can nearly instantaneously identify the notes on the G string too. Add this to your knowledge of the notes on the E string. Now you have the keys to quickly identifying any note on any fret of the guitar.

And that is an impressive and worthy skill to possess!

If you haven’t read about a simple pattern that helps you find all of the notes on the guitar, then read:

The notes on a guitar exist in a simple pattern

Use the C major scale as your guide

Well, it doesn’t tell you much to say that the A string holds all the notes of the chromatic scale. That’s actually pretty obvious, and that knowledge doesn’t help you learn the notes on the A string guitar or no guitar.

So how can you learn the notes? Just as with the E string, it helps to use the C major scale to guide you through the notes on the A string. Or, if you prefer, think of them as the notes of the A minor scale. But here, I’ll speak in terms of C major.

To understand this discussion more effectively, it might help to read about the notes on the E string:

How to easily learn the notes on the E string

Since the C major scale contains no sharps or flats, you can use it to identify all of the natural notes on the A string. The accidental notes fall into place once you know the locations of the naturals.

In the C major scale there’s a whole step between the notes A and B. That tells you that to get from the open A string to the note B you’ll have to push the string at fret 2. Then it’s a half step–one fret–to C at fret 3.

Fret 5 for D, then fret 7 for E. Fret 8 for F and fret 10 for G. And finally, back to A an octave higher at fret 12.

Use the fret markings as landmarks

Now, you can work the notes out every time. Just follow the procedure I just outlined above. Or sit down and study until you’ve memorized the note names and fret numbers.

Or, do it the smart way, and let the design of your guitar help you. In the article I referenced above on learning the notes on the E string, I explained in detail how the fret markings identify important notes. Those same fret markings conveniently also identify important notes on the A string.

For instance, most guitars have their first mark on fret three. That identifies the note C on the A string.

The next fret marker at fret 5 marks the note D on the A string. The mark at fret 7 identifies E on the A string.

So on most guitars, if you simply memorize C, D, and E as corresponding with the first three fret markers, you’ve come a long way. And how can you easily remember that? Those are the first three notes in the C major scale. So, the first three marks correspond with the first three notes. That’s tidy!

The next mark falls as fret 10. Just as on the E string, this mark falls in between the next two natural notes. So, you can see the marker at fret 10 and instantly locate the note F at fret 9 and the note G at fret 10.

And as usual, the fancy marker (usually double dots or something similar) marks the octave A.

Everything repeats starting at fret 12

Of course, once you hit fret 12, you’re at the octave. From there, everything repeats. That includes the notes as well as the fret markings.

So, the next mark sits at fret 15, and that’s the note C. Fret 17 marks the note D. And on it goes.

Don’t forget about relationships

I talk a lot about the various relationships on the guitar that can help you learn the notes and many other things. You can use your knowledge of standard tuning as an alternate learn-the-notes-on-the-A-string guitar hack.

Remember, the notes on the A string always sit a perfect 4th above the notes on the Low E string. If you know the notes on the E string, and you know the 4th for each note, then you can easily name the notes on the A string. Guitar music theory for the win!

Don’t know what I mean when I talk about the A string being a 4th above the E string? Then read:

Let’s talk more deeply than just how to tune a guitar

Conclusion

With the notes on the A string guitar knowledge under your belt, you have an important key to unlocking the fretboard.

The A string acts as an important reference because of its importance in chords which use root notes from it. Additionally, you can use the A string as a jumping off point to easily identify notes on the G string.

When you add knowledge of the notes on the E string to the notes on the A string, guitar becomes far less daunting. You can begin to master the notes across the entire fretboard.

The fret markings on most guitars provide valuable signposts for the notes at various frets on the A string.