Each of the six strings on your guitar has a name so that you
can easily identify it. These strings are identified below. The naming
conventions will make more sense once we get to the additional
lessons, but for now aim to memorize their names; this information
will serve as a stepping stone to getting the sound you want out of
your guitar, so it is important to master the material.
- High E String. The high E string is the thinnest
string that produces the highest pitched sound. It is the string that
is closest to the ground when you are holding your guitar properly.
Many guitarists will also refer to this as the 1st string.
- B String. The B string is the string directly above
the high E string. It is also referred to as the second string.
- G String. Likewise, this is the string directly
above the B string. It is also referred to as the third string.
- D String. Located directly above the G string, the D
string is also known as the fourth string.
- A String. By now you may be sensing the pattern. The
A string is located above the D string, and is also known as the
fifth string.
- Low E String. The final string, the one furthest
from the ground when the guitar is held properly, is the low E
string. This string produces the same musical note as the high E
string, but does so at two octaves lower. Octaves, as well as the
distance between notes, will be discussed in greater detail in the
music theory section.
The strings have some clear patterns with respect to their
naming conventions and their positioning on the guitar: The strings
are numbered one through six starting with the bottom string. Starting
from the low E string to the high E string, each string gets thicker
and produces a deeper sound. In particular, the 4th, 5th, and 6th
strings are referred to as the bass strings, as they produce a deeper,
fuller sound. Here's a video that runs through this same topic.