As guitar players, we need to understand our fretboard so we can navigate it with ease. The problem is, most guitar players neglect this step, which eventually causes their loss of interest. But we can change that, because learning the fretboard can allow you to know what you are playing, and not just mindlessly noodle with your guitar; you will have a purpose to what you are playing.
As you may already know, there are six strings on a guitar. The most common tuning is E A D G B E, but what does it mean? Well, these letters are actually notes. They follow a sequence of A-G with accidentals (we’ll get into more of this in a later lesson). So here’s the sequence: A, A#, B, C, C#, D, D#, E, F, F#, G, G#. For example, if we start on the low E string, we just have to continue the sequence which in this case would be F(first fret), and then F# (second fret), etc. If you follow this formula, you can figure out where notes are on the neck with no problem. Here’s a chart for your convenience.
When starting off, I recommend learning and memorizing the low E and A string. Once you’re comfortable with that, you can move onto the following strings.
Guitar: A Divergent Path 