Name of strings on guitar

In order to properly tune the guitar, as well as understand the structure of the chords, you need to know the name of each of the strings located on it. The name consists of a combination of certain letters and numbers. The article will tell you about what the names of guitar strings are, and what each symbol in the name means.

The position and numbering of open strings on a classic 6-string guitar starts from the bottom up - from thinnest to thickest... Each of them is an order of magnitude different from the others in sound, for example, the first string (lower) has the thinnest sound, and the sixth string (located at the top) has the lowest. It is considered bass and differs from others in that due to the thick metal winding it has the lowest tonality. In addition to numbers, each string has a standard designation. The usual names for strings on guitar are as follows (in sequence from first to sixth):

• lower - mi;
• the second from the bottom is si (by the way, it is the only one that should sound a semitone higher than the rest);
• the third in a row is called salt;
• the fourth is re;
• the penultimate one is called la;
• bass (sixth) - mi.

In addition to the above names, the main elements of the classical guitar are also designated by letters. For this, the initial characters of the Latin alphabet are used. They are assigned to guitar strings in the following sequence:

• the thinnest lower string (s) is designated by the letter E;
• the second (s) has the letter designation B;
• next (salt) - G;
• the fourth string from the bottom with the sound of re is assigned the letter D;
• a is denoted by the letter A;
• for mi is the letter E.

In addition to the standard six strings on a classical guitar, there are also similar musical instruments that have additional strings.

• Seven-string guitar. Sometimes it is called "Russian" or "Gypsy". It got this name due to the fact that at the beginning of the 18th century, the seven-string guitar was used for accompaniment to performers of romances or Russian folk songs. The difference between the strings of this type of guitar from the classical six-string is that metal of a different caliber is used for their manufacture. For this reason, and also due to the fact that they are tighter, the sound of the Russian guitar is not the same as that of a classical instrument.

• Seven-string electric guitars. Compared to six-strings, they differ in that they have a wider sound range and power. The names are as follows: bottom - si, then comes mi, the third from the bottom - la, then - re, fifth - salt, after it - si, then again mi.

• Eight-string guitars are used much less frequently than six- or seven-string guitars. They have a wide range and are used for playing styles of music such as jazz, classical or metal. Their sound can be compared to the sound of a piano. The names of the strings on an eight-string guitar are as follows: the lower one is F sharp, followed by B, E and A, after them - D, G, B, and the last - E.

• The rarest type that only an experienced musician can master is the nine-string guitar. With three additional elements, you can create non-standard pieces of music or experiment. The row starts from the lower string to the sharp and ends with the notes of B and E. These guitars come in two flavors: twin-string guitars and extended-range guitars. The first type, in turn, is divided into several types depending on the location of the paired elements - three thin or three bass. Nine-string extended-range guitars offer the added flexibility of being able to tune out-of-midrange.

• Ten-string guitar or decachord. With four additional strings, the instrument produces deeper bass sounds, which can be used to recreate a richer sound. The resonances that arise when using all the features of the guitar make the music more varied, but the repertoire designed for playing on a six-string guitar, the decacord also allows you to play.

Currently, guitars with more than six strings are gaining immense popularity. This is not surprising, because such musical instruments make it possible to diversify works and make them more original.

Find out what the strings are called on the guitar in the video below.