Want to know about Guitar Strings Names ? Well you have landed on the right article. The guitar is one of the most popular musical instruments that learners choose. When any new learner starts their guitar journey, one of the primary things that bother them are the string names and the chords.
Before even going to play chords, understanding the string names is necessary to tune, play, and master the skill. This article is all about helping you identify the strings easily, remember them, and master them helping you become better at tuning and playing the guitar.
What are guitar strings and why are they important?
99% of the time, the guitar use the traditional tuning method. There are 6 strings on the guitar and the standard string names are E, A,
D, G, B, and E. These are also referred to by numbers 1,2,3,4,5,6; 6 being the thickest string and 1 being the thinnest string.
These are called “Open string” notes in standard tuning. These names are common across all types of guitars (classical, electric, acoustic, electro-acoustic ones)
An open string is a string that is not being pressed. If you are not holding a string on the fretboard but pluck it (to play) - it means that you’re playing an open string. The opposite is not true though. I mean, we don’t have a closed string on the guitar.
Guitar Strings Names & Identification
When you hold the guitar in position, the string that’s nearest to you is the string number 6 and the farthest to you is the string no.1 So, it goes like this
6th string name - Tuned to E - Referred to as the Low E String - Thickest string
5th string name - Tuned to A - Referred to as the A string
4th string name - Tuned to D - Referred to as the D string
3rd string name - Tuned to G - Referred to as the G string
2nd string name - Tuned to B - Referred to as the B string
1st string name - Tuned to E - Referred to as the high E string - Thinnest string
Now that you know about each string names, we need to go into how we can recognize these strings easily which will help us in our guitar learning journey to easily read the charts, play the chords, and become more and more versatile with the instrument.
Some tricks & methods to remember:
There is no one way or right way of remembering the string names of the guitar. Across the globe, different mentors & learners develop their strategies. Despite all that is around us, one strategy that seems to work for almost everybody is using Mnemonics.
The sillier it gets, the easier it is to remember and the better you play. Presenting some fun mnemonics here. Pick the one that ticks the most or takes inspiration from here and create your mnemonic.
Eddie Ate Dynamite & Good Bye Eddie
Elephants And Donkeys Grow Big Ears
Eat All Day & Go to Bed Early.
Eleven Angry Dogs Get Burgers Everyday
And so on… If you observe, each word begins with the names of the above-mentioned open strings. The board on which the strings are placed on the guitar is called the fretboard or the fingerboard.
This board supports the strings which are usually made with a long strip of wood and the strings run over between its two edges which are called the bridge and the nut.
On the fretboard, when you press the individual strings at different frets and play the strings, it changes the vibration and accordingly the pitch of the play.
Bass Guitar Vs Standard Guitar
While the string names remain the same for most of the guitars, the bass guitar only has 4 strings and these also mirror the lowest 4 on the standard guitar. So, a bass guitar string names look like this: E, A, D, G (from thickest string to thinnest string).
Can we tune in otherwise?
Yes. Despite having a standard tuning, there are multiple different ways you can tune your guitar based on your requirement and skill level. It is recommended that a beginner always goes with standard tuning until they reach a certain proficiency level.
Usually, players tune it otherwise for two reasons, 1. To make it easier to play chords or to change the keys and 2. Tuning changes the character and the voicing of the chords so it sounds different and unique.
Conclusion
If you’re a beginner, we highly recommend you first understand the different parts of the guitar, the standard string names, and the standard tuning and develop some funny mnemonics to make life simpler.
Post that it is highly recommended to start with simple chords and take it from there. Chords are the easiest way one can learn and you just have to put an ample amount of mind and heart into it.
Once you’ve mastered the names and you start playing the chords, it requires you to press the strings hard for the notes to play clearly, it is very common to get fingertip dents, don’t worry about them.
Like any other skill, mastering guitar also needs lots of practicing and you’ll keep getting good at it. I hope you liked our article on guitar strings names , if you have any comments or suggestions do share them in the comments below.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What are the names of the 6 guitar strings?
A1. As discussed in this article, any standard guitar has 6 strings and they represent 6 notes. These are E,A,D,G,B,E or can also represented by numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
Q2. What are the names of each guitar string?
A2. Each of these 6 strings is named based on their notes E, A, D, G, B, E. Each one is named based on its note and they are called respectively The low E string, The A string, The D string, the G string, The B string, and The high E string.
Q3. How do I remember guitar strings?
A3. The best way to remember the names of guitar strings is by using mnemonic references. The sillier and more creative you can get in making the mnemonic, the better you’ll be able to remember the name.