Knowing the notes on the fretboard only helps when they come to you the moment you look, not after counting up from the nut. Learn two rules and a handful of landmarks, and the rest is just repetition for speed.
Two rules to start with
First, there are seven natural notes, and most of them are two frets apart. The note names A B C D E F G repeat in a cycle. Neighboring notes are usually two frets (a whole step) apart, except B to C and E to F, which are only one fret (a half step). These are the same two spots on a piano where there's no black key in between.
Second, everything starts over at the 12th fret. The 12th fret has the same note name as the open string, and from the 13th fret on, the pattern repeats from the 1st. Learn frets 0–12 and you know the whole neck.
The open strings, from thickest to thinnest, are E A D G B E. The 6th and 1st strings are both E, so once you learn the 6th string, the 1st comes for free.
Start with the 6th and 5th strings
Trying to memorize every string at once takes a long time and things blur together. Start with the 6th and 5th strings for two reasons: most power chord and barre chord roots sit on these two strings, and you can find notes on the other strings by moving over from them.
Rather than memorizing the whole picture, use the fret markers (3, 5, 7, 9, 12) as landmarks.
- 6th string: G at 3, A at 5, B at 7, E at 12. Lock in the marker frets first, then fill in the gaps (F at 1, C at 8, D at 10).
- 5th string: C at 3, D at 5, E at 7, A at 12. It's always a fourth above the same fret on the 6th string.
Expanding to the other strings
Once the 6th and 5th strings come within a second or two, add the 4th and 3rd. Moving over from strings you already know is faster than memorizing from scratch. A note on the 6th string shows up again two strings over, two frets higher on the 4th string. For example, G at the 3rd fret of the 6th string has the same name as G at the 5th fret of the 4th string. The octave shapes guide covers these shapes in detail.
The 2nd string (B) is tuned differently from its neighbors, so its shapes shift by one fret. It's worth giving the 2nd string some extra time on its own. Use open B, C at 1, D at 3, E at 5, G at 8 and A at 10 as landmarks.
Sharps and flats live in between
Once you know the natural notes, you don't need to memorize the other five separately. If the 3rd fret of the 6th string is G, the 4th fret is G♯, which is also called A♭. Finding the natural notes quickly comes first; sharps and flats are simply the frets right next to them.
Recall, don't count
At first everyone counts up from the open string: "E, F, skip, G…". It gets you the answer, but it's far too slow to use while playing. The goal of practice is to turn that calculation into memory.
- If you don't know it, look at the answer right away. Marking it as missed and seeing the answer sticks faster than counting for five seconds to get it right.
- Say the note names out loud. When your eyes, hands and voice work together, it lasts longer.
- Start with a narrow range. The 6th and 5th strings, frets 0–12, are plenty for one session. Add one string at a time as they get comfortable.
Practicing with the trainer
In Fret Drill, these settings follow the order of this guide.
- In Settings, set strings to 5–6 and frets to 0–12.
- Turn on Focus on weak spots. Spots you missed or answered slowly will come up more often.
- Start with Basic training: see a spot, name the note. Once it's comfortable, mix in Reverse (see a note, find the spot).
- Check the Fretboard heatmap in Records for slow spots, and practice those the next day.
A few minutes a day is enough. For how to split up your practice, see the 10-minute daily routine.