new to the guitar

[chosen]

I've just decided to start learning the guitar.  I already play keyboard so I understand music theory.  Can anyone help me understand a couple of things?  What are frets?  How do I know where the position of the keys are.  I am trying to learn scales.  Can anyone help me?

[JayP5150]

Hey,

That's great that you are learning a new instrument.  There are a ton of posts here that will cover your questions, just scroll down the list (actually, someone else was making the keys-guitar transfer, so that will be really helpful to you).

The frets are those silver things on the neck, BTW.

Just a little tip--you may want to slow down just a bit--get a chord book and get a feel for the instrument, then get on with the scales and stuff (it's a bit backwards from learning piano, I know, but it's easier this way).  I was playing for 2 years before I got into scale theory.  You don't really use scales to their full extent until you are playing leads.

Good luck.  God bless.

[uriahsmusic]

Some Guitar Basics!..PART ONE
Bass in general has 6 strings.  They come with more strings bust we will discuss the 6 string version!

The strings for the thickest (or the lowest sounding) string to the thinnest (or the highest sounding string are named E- A- D - G – B - E

THE GUITAR IS NOT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER INSTRUMENTS IN HOW THE NOTES ARE LAID OUT!

IF YOU PLUCK THE TOP STRING (THE THICKEST ONE) WITH OUT TOUCHING THE NECK YOU ARE PLAYING AN OPEN “E”
(OPEN MEANS YOU ARE NOT TOUCHING ANY FRETS ON THE NECK! )

AS YOU PASS TO THE OTHER STRINGS YOU CAN PLAY
AN OPEN “A” WHICH IS THE 2ND STRING FROM THE TOP

AN OPEN “D” WHICH IS THE 3RD STRING

AN OPEN “G” THE 4TH STRING!

AN OPEN “B” WHICH IS THE 5TH STRING

AN OPEN HIGH “E” WHICH IS THE 6TH STRING

HOW DO I FIND THE NOTES AS I GO UP THE STRINGS?
NO MATTER WHERE YOU START THE RULES ARE THE SAME!

THE MUSICAL ALPHABET IS :
A B C D E F G A!  (NOTICE IT REPEATS! ABCDEFGABCDEFG OVER AND OVER!)

THERE ARE SHARPS OR FLATS BETWEEN EACH NOTE EXCEPT “B” AND “C”
AND “E” AND “F”  EVERYTHING ELSE HAS A SHARP OR FLAT BETWEEN IT!
CHECK OUT THE MUSICAL ALPHABET WITH THE SHARPS !

A  A#  B  C  C#  D  D#  E  F  F#  G   G#   A

HERE ARE FLATS!

A  Bb  B  C  Db  D  Eb  E  F  Gb   G   Ab   A

A SHARP MEANS THAT YOU GO HIGHER UP THE NECK ½ STEP OR 1 FRET!
NOTE!!!FRETS ARE THE SPACES THAT YOU SEE ON THE BASS NECK!

A FLAT MEANS THAT YOU GO LOWER DOWN THE NECK( OR TO THE LEFT!)


Guitar Basics Part Two!!!

So. How do I find the notes on the neck?

Let’s say you start on the E string.
If you just pluck that string with out touching the neck you have played an “E” note!
Yipeee!

Now put your index finger firmly on the first fret!  That is the first space on the neck ,
That is an F note!
Now go up the neck, higher and higher (toward the body of the bass)

You can name the notes by the musical alphabet!..
Since the E string starts at E we will start the musical alphabet from E to make it easy to see!
Stay on the E string for now!!!
Open string= E
1st fret on the E string = F
2nd = F#       3rd = G       4th = G#      5th = A      6th= A#     7th= B     8th= C       9th= C#     10th= D      11th=  D#     12= E!

****NOTICE THAT TH OPEN STRING AND THE 12TH FRET HAVE THE SAME NAME!......THIS IS CALLED AN OCTAVE!

Now go to the D string and follow the same rules to find notes!....

It doesn’t matter where you start…the musical alphabet repeats over and over!

A   A#  B  C  C#  D  D#   E   F   F#   G   G#   A   A#   B  C    C#  D   D#  E  F  F#  G  G#   A   etc. over and over!

Remember !!!! NO SHARPS OR FLATS BETWEEN ‘B’ AND ‘C’     OR   ‘E’ AND ‘F’
EVERYTHING ELSE CAN HAVE A SHARP OR FLAT!

[chosen]

thanks for your help I will take the answers and practice.

[katstrat]

I agree with Jay. I recomend you learn the easy chords first. Learn these four open chords,G,C,D,and Em,you will be able to play some old style favorite hymns with these simple chords.