A continuation of Reading Music: Part 1. Learn the notes on the staff, including how to read notes on the open strings and the first four frets of the guitar. Learn how sharps, flats, and natural signs and how to read notes on the staff and find them on the guitar.

The Music Staff and The Treble Clef 

Before we can start to learn how to play the guitar, we must first learn how to read and understand the musical examples found in the following exercises and lessons. Music notation may seem tricky at first, but with patience and perseverance, you will discover that it is much easier than you originally thought. 

Standard Notation 

Standard Notation uses a group of five lines called a Staff to notate the movement of pitch (unlike tablature which only shows the fretboard location) of the music. The staff is divided into measures, which contain a set grouping of notes determined by the Time Signature. Each measure is separated by a barline.  

Treble Clef 

The Treble Clef tells us which note each line and space on the staff represents. Notice the Treble Clef looks like the letter G. This is because the 2nd line where the clef curls around and ends indicates that the second line represents the note G.  

Notes On The Treble Clef

The Treble Clef tells us which note each line and space on the staff represents. Notice the Treble Clef looks like the letter G. This is because the 2nd line where the clef curls around and ends indicates that the second line represents the note G.  

Notes 

A Note is a marking on the staff, usually with a round circle with a stem attached to it that indicates a specific pitch. The higher the note is placed on the staff, the higher the sounding pitch of the note, The lower the placement on the staff, the lower the sounding pitch of that note. We use letters to name the notes, which are A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. Each note is located on the staff on one of the five horizontal lines of the staff, or one of the four spaces in between the staff lines.

Because of the Treble Clef, we are able to determine which note each line or space represents in reference to the 2nd line, which we know is the note “G”. 

Ledger Lines 

We can also add lines to extend the range of the staff for notes above and below the standard 5 lines. These are called Ledger Lines. Many of the notes we will learn on the guitar will extend above and below the staff.  

Open Strings in Standard Notation

Each open string on the guitar is represented by a note on the treble staff. By learning to recognize these notes and connect them to the open strings, we will be able to learn how to connect open position notes on the guitar to their location on the treble staff. For the 6th and 5th strings, we add ledger lines, which are additional lines added to the staff in order to accommodate the extended lower range of those strings.  

The next few exercises will focus on two open strings at a time. Play each note with a downstroke, and Memorize the name and placement of each note. 

Open Strings Reading Exercises

The next few exercises will focus on two open strings at a time. Play each note with a downstroke, and Memorize the name and placement of each note. 

Open Strings With Alternate Picking 

The following exercises are designed to make alternate picking, the combination of downstrokes and upstrokes, easier in order to play melodies and solos quickly and efficiently. Make sure to carefully watch your picking hand to make sure you are alternating the pick for each note. A majority of your guitar playing will incorporate alternate picking, so study it well! These exercises are to help you concentrate on your picking hand by playing the open strings. 

Use a metronome at a slow tempo so you have control over your hand at all times. Try not to look at your hand as you play these exercises, as you will not be able to look at both of your hands and the music at the same time.

Open Position Notes On The 6th (Low E) String

The Open Position contains the notes on the open strings of the guitar as well as the notes on the first four frets of the guitar. The first notes we will learn on the guitar are the notes on the 6th string (our lowest pitched string). The note E is our open 6th string. the note F on our first fret, and the note G on our third fret. We will use our 1st finger to play the F, and our 3rd finger to play the G.

Practice the following exercises to memorize the notes on the 6th string in the open position. Use a metronome at a slow tempo so you have control over your hand at all times. The goal with these exercises is to memorize the location each note on the staff so it is easily recognizable and can be found quickly when reading music.

Open Position Notes on the 5th (A) String 

The next notes we will discuss are the notes on the 5th string. The 5th string is tuned to the note A, (we have already practiced the open A string in the last chapter). We will add two notes to our A string, the note B on our second fret, and the note C on our third fret. We will use our 2nd finger to play the B, and our 3rd finger to play the C. 

Practice the following exercises to memorize the notes on the 5th string in the open position. Use a metronome at a slow tempo so you have control over your hand at all times. The goal with these exercises is to memorize the location each note on the staff so it is easily recognizable and can be found quickly when reading music.

Open Position Notes on the 4th (D) String

The next notes we will discuss are the notes on the 4th string. The 4th string is tuned to the note D, (we have already practiced the open D string in the last chapter). We will add two notes to our D string, the note E on our second fret, and the note F on our third fret. We will use our 2nd finger to play the E, and our 3rd finger to play the F.

Practice the following exercises to memorize the notes on the 4th string in the open position. Use a metronome at a slow tempo so you have control over your hand at all times. The goal with these exercises is to memorize the location each note on the staff so it is easily recognizable and can be found quickly when reading music.

Open Position Notes on the 3rd (G) String 

The 3rd string only contains two notes in the open position, the open G string, as well as the note A that is played on the 2nd fret. We will use our 2nd finger to play the A on the 2nd fret. 

Practice the following exercises to memorize the notes on the 3rd string in the open position. Use a metronome at a slow tempo so you have control over your hand at all times. The goal with these exercises is to memorize the location of each note on the staff so it is easily recognizable and can be found quickly when reading music.

Open Position Notes on the 2nd (B) String 

The next notes we will discuss are the notes on the 2nd string. The 2nd string is tuned to the note B. We will add two notes to our B string, the note C on our first fret, and the note D on our third fret. We will use our 1st finger to play the C, and our 3rd finger to play the D. 

Practice the following exercises to memorize the notes on the 2nd string in the open position. Use a metronome at a slow tempo so you have control over your hand at all times. The goal with these exercises is to memorize the location of each note on the staff so it is easily recognizable and can be found quickly when reading music.

Open Position Notes on the 1st (High E) String

 The 1st string of the guitar is tuned to the note E, as is the 6th string. The note F is located on our first fret, and the note G is located on our third fret. We will use our 1st finger to play the F, and our 3rd finger to play the G.

Practice the following exercises to memorize the notes on the 2nd string in the open position. Use a metronome at a slow tempo so you have control over your hand at all times. The goal with these exercises is to memorize the location of each note on the staff so it is easily recognizable and can be found quickly when reading music.

Open Position Notes Review

Review all of the open position notes using the exercises below. The goal is to have all of the notes memorized, so you can recognize the note on the staff and play these exercises without having to reference the location of the notes from previous lessons. Use a metronome at a slow tempo so you have control over your hand at all times.

Sharps and Flats and Natural Signs

Notes can be altered (raised or lowered in pitch) using symbols called Sharps and Flats. A sharp raises a note up a half-step (the distance of one fret) while a flat will lower a note one half-step. Sharps and flats lower or raise the note for the duration of the measure. In the next measure, the note returns to its natural sound. Notes can either be spelled with a Sharp or a Flat, which means that F# and Gb are the same note. Therefore, a Sharp or Flat can look different in standard notation even though it is played in the same position on the guitar. 

Sharps

If you see a note with a Sharp (#) next to it, the sharp will raise the note up by a half- step, which is the distance of one fret on the guitar. For example, if you see an open 3rd string G note on the staff, a sharp would raise the pitch to G#, which is found on the first fret of the 3rd string.

Using Sharps and Flats 

There are some important rules to follow when writing Sharps and Flats. The first rule is when a note is altered with a Sharp or Flat, that note will last for an entire measure without having to re-write the sharp.

The second rule when writing sharps or flats is that a sharp or flat will return to its normal pitch in the subsequent measure. If you want to have a sharp last for multiple measures, you will need to either re-write the sharp in each measure, or use a key signature, which we will discuss in a future lesson.

Sharps and Flats Review 

To review, a sharp will raise the note one half-step and a flat will lower a note one half-step from its natural position. In the example below, we can see how the note A on the 3rd string, 2nd fret, can be raised with a sharp to A# on the 3rd fret and lowered with a flat to Ab on the 3rd string, 1st fret.

Natural Signs 

When we use sharps and flats frequently, we will want to be able to cancel out a sharp and return a note to its original pitch. To do this, we use a Natural sign, that will return a note to its original pitch regardless if it was previously played as a Sharp or Flat note. 

In the example below, the note G# is followed by a G natural, which returns the note to the original pitch G. The Gb in the 2nd measure can also be returned to a G natural by using a natural sign. 

Sharps and Flats on the 6th (Low E) String

In addition to the notes E, F, and G on the 6th string (Low E) in the open position, the notes F#/Gb and G#/Ab also exist in the open position. The diagram below shows the location of these sharp and flat notes and how they are written on the staff and in tablature.

The following reading exercise demonstrates the use of sharps and flats on the 6th string. Use a metronome at a slow tempo so you have control over your hand at all times. The goal with these exercises is to memorize the location of each note on the staff so it is easily recognizable and can be found quickly when reading music.

Sharps and Flats on the 5th (A) String

In addition to the notes A, B, and C on the 5th string (A) in the open position, the notes A#/Bb and C#/Db also exist in the open position. The diagram below shows the location of these sharp and flat notes and how they are written on the staff and in tablature.

The following reading exercise demonstrates the use of sharps and flats on the 5th string. Use a metronome at a slow tempo so you have control over your hand at all times. The goal with these exercises is to memorize the location of each note on the staff so it is easily recognizable and can be found quickly when reading music.

Sharps and Flats on the 4th (D) String

In addition to the notes D, E, and F on the 4th string (D) in the open position, the notes D#/Eb and F#/Gb also exist in the open position. The diagram below shows the location of these sharp and flat notes and how they are written on the staff and in tablature.

The following reading exercise demonstrates the use of sharps and flats on the 4th string. Use a metronome at a slow tempo so you have control over your hand at all times. The goal with these exercises is to memorize the location of each note on the staff so it is easily recognizable and can be found quickly when reading music.

Open Position Sharps and Flats on the 3rd (G) String 

In addition to the notes G and A on the 3rd string (G) in the open position, the notes G#/Ab and A#/Bb are also found in the open position. The diagram below shows the location of these sharp and flat notes and how they are written on the staff and in tablature.

The following reading exercise demonstrates the use of sharps and flats on the 3rd string. Use a metronome at a slow tempo so you have control over your hand at all times. The goal with these exercises is to memorize the location of each note on the staff so it is easily recognizable and can be found quickly when reading music.

Sharps and Flats on the 2nd (B) String 

In addition to the notes B, C, and D on the 3rd string (G) in the open position, the notes C#/Db and D#/Eb are also found in the open position. The diagram below shows the location of these sharp and flat notes and how they are written on the staff and in tablature.

Practice the following exercises to memorize the notes on the 2nd string in the open position. Use a metronome at a slow tempo so you have control over your hand at all times. The goal with these exercises is to memorize the location of each note on the staff so it is easily recognizable and can be found quickly when reading music.

Sharps and Flats on the 1st (High E) String 

In addition to the notes E, F, and G on the 1st string (E) in the open position, the notes F#/Gb and G#/Ab are also found in the open position. The diagram below shows the location of these sharp and flat notes and how they are written on the staff and in tablature.

Practice the following exercises to memorize the notes on the 1st string in the open position. Use a metronome at a slow tempo so you have control over your hand at all times. The goal with these exercises is to memorize the location of each note on the staff so it is easily recognizable and can be found quickly when reading music.

Sharps, Flats and Natural Signs Review

Review all of the open position notes using the exercises below. The goal is to have all of the notes memorized, so you can recognize the note on the staff and play these exercises without having to reference the location of the notes from previous lessons. Use a metronome at a slow tempo so you have control over your hand at all times.