Welcome back. In our last lesson, we focused on establishing a solid physical foundation by learning the correct posture and hand positions. This ergonomic groundwork is crucial for comfortable, injury-free playing and will support every technique you learn from here on.
Now that you're holding the guitar correctly, it's time to learn the language we use to describe its most fundamental parts: the strings. This lesson is dedicated to a simple but essential task: memorizing the standard string names and numbers. This knowledge is non-negotiable for any guitarist; it's the basis for tuning your instrument, reading music in any form (like tablature), and communicating with other musicians.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to recite the string names and numbers from memory, from the thickest string to the thinnest.
Part 1: String Numbers and Names
While sitting in the correct posture you learned, take a look at the strings on your guitar. You'll notice they vary in thickness. This is our starting point for identifying them. On a standard six-string guitar, we have a specific convention for numbering and naming.
The convention for numbering can seem counter-intuitive at first:
- The thickest string, the one closest to the ceiling, is the 6th string.
- The thinnest string, the one closest to the floor, is the 1st string.
The strings in between are numbered accordingly: 5, 4, 3, and 2.
Each of these strings is tuned to a specific musical note when played "open" (without pressing down on any frets). This note gives the string its name. From the thickest (6th) to the thinnest (1st), the standard string names are:
E - A - D - G - B - E
You can see we have two 'E' strings. To tell them apart, we often refer to the 6th string as the low E (because it has a lower, deeper pitch) and the 1st string as the high E (with a higher pitch).
The following short reading from StringKick reinforces this information clearly.
Guitar String Names, Notes & Order (+ Free Practice Game) | StringKick
This article provides a concise overview of the string names and numbering system.
Please read the first two sections: What are the guitar string names by letter? and What are the guitar string names by number?. This will solidify your understanding of the E-A-D-G-B-E sequence and the 6-to-1 numbering.
Part 2: Memorization with Mnemonics
Simply reading the string names won't be enough to commit them to memory for quick recall. The most common tool for this is a mnemonic device—a memorable phrase where the first letter of each word corresponds to a string name.
The classic example for E-A-D-G-B-E is: Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie.
The key is to find a phrase that sticks in your head. The following resource offers a wide variety of options.
Guitar String Name Mnemonic Acronyms - TheGuitarLesson.com
This article from TheGuitarLesson.com explains the concept of mnemonics and provides a great list to choose from.
Read the introduction under "What Are Guitar String Names?" to review the basics. Then, browse the lists in the section "Best Guitar String Mnemonics". Don't try to memorize them all; just pick one phrase that you find memorable or amusing.
Have you chosen one? Say it out loud a few times while looking at your strings, from the 6th to the 1st.
Part 3: Mastery Through Active Practice
A mnemonic is a good start, but true mastery comes from active, physical practice. Your goal is to make the association between the string's position and its name automatic, without needing to mentally recite the phrase every time. This aligns perfectly with your goal to integrate skills rather than just performing drills.
This requires connecting the mental knowledge to a physical action. The following short video provides an excellent framework for this.
Easily Learn Guitar Strings With This Simple Memorization Method
In this video, guitarist Tomas Michaud clearly explains the string names and numbers.
First, watch the brief review from the beginning of the clip to hear the names and numbers spoken aloud.
Now that you've picked a mnemonic and reviewed the basics, it's time to put this into practice. The article you looked at earlier has some excellent suggestions for how to do this.
Guitar String Name Mnemonic Acronyms - TheGuitarLesson.com
Let's return to the same article to learn how to apply your chosen mnemonic.
Read the section titled "3 Ways to Practice With Your Mnemonic". Pay close attention to the "Point and Name Drill," as we are about to do a guided version of that.
Now, let's do the "Point and Name Drill" as a focused exercise. The video by Tomas Michaud that you sampled earlier has an excellent interactive game built into it. This is your main practice task for this lesson.
Get your guitar ready. The video will play the sound of a string, pause, and then name it. Your job is to say the name of the string out loud before the instructor does.
Easily Learn Guitar Strings With This Simple Memorization Method
This is the interactive portion of the lesson. Follow the instructions to actively test your recall.
First, watch the explanation of the game from the setup. Then, participate in the game from the start of the game to the end. Don't just watch passively—pluck the string on your guitar if you can, and call out the name. Try to beat the instructor! Repeat the game as many times as you need until you can name them all correctly and quickly.
For continued practice, the StringKick article you read earlier also features an interactive game at the bottom of the page. This is another excellent tool you can use anytime to drill your knowledge.
Conclusion
In this lesson, you've learned one of the most fundamental pieces of information for any guitarist. While it seems simple, having this knowledge at your fingertips is a true milestone.
Here are the key takeaways:
- String Numbers: The strings are numbered 6 through 1, from the thickest (low E) to the thinnest (high E).
- String Names: The standard tuning is E - A - D - G - B - E.
- Memorization: Mnemonics are a useful starting point, but active practice—plucking, pointing, and naming—is what builds automatic recall.
Make the "Point and Name Drill" a part of your daily warm-up for the next week. Spend just two minutes on it before each practice session, and you'll soon know the strings as well as you know your own name.
In our next lesson, we'll continue building our foundational language by learning the standard numbering system for the fingers on both your fretting and plucking hands.