String Memory Maps
The roots of barre chords and scale boxes sit on strings 6 and 5. Memorising those two strings is step one to never getting lost on the neck. Learn the "natural" notes (no sharps or flats) first:
- Golden rule: there is no fret gap between B–C and E–F (half step). Every other pair of natural notes has one fret between them.
- The frets in between are sharps/flats: string 6, fret 2 is F♯ = G♭.
- Fret 12 is one octave above the open string; the pattern repeats from there.
- Use the markers: on string 6, 3 = G, 5 = A, 7 = B; on string 5, 3 = C, 5 = D, 7 = E.
Two minutes a day: pick a random note name (e.g. "D") and find it on both strings 6 and 5. Metronome at 60, one note per click.
The Major Scale Formula
The major scale is built from the root with these steps: W – W – H – W – W – W – H (W = whole step = 2 frets, H = half step = 1 fret). On guitar this is wonderfully visual: count frets along one string to find any major scale.
| Degree | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C major | C | D | E | F | G | A | B | C |
| Step | W | W | H | W | W | W | H |
Start the same formula on G and you need F♯ instead of F — that's why G major has one sharp. Try other keys in the Scale & Chord Explorer.
Triad Formulas
Chords are built by stacking every other note of a scale. Three-note chords are called triads.
| Type | Formula | From C | Character | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major | 1 – 3 – 5 | C – E – G | Bright, stable | |
| Minor | 1 – ♭3 – 5 | C – E♭ – G | Sad | |
| Diminished | 1 – ♭3 – ♭5 | C – E♭ – G♭ | Tense, unstable | |
| Augmented | 1 – 3 – ♯5 | C – E – G♯ | Dreamy, floating |
The only difference between major and minor is the third — one fret! Hold an E chord and lift the finger on string 3: it becomes Em.
Roman Numeral Harmony
Build a triad on every degree of the major scale and you get the 7 chords of that key. We write them in Roman numerals: uppercase = major, lowercase = minor, ° = diminished.
| I | ii | iii | IV | V | vi | vii° | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | C | Dm | Em | F | G | Am | B° |
| G | G | Am | Bm | C | D | Em | F♯° |
| D | D | Em | F♯m | G | A | Bm | C♯° |
| A | A | Bm | C♯m | D | E | F♯m | G♯° |
| E | E | F♯m | G♯m | A | B | C♯m | D♯° |
The power of this: think I – IV – V or ii – V – I and you can move any progression to any key instantly.
I – IV – V (in G: G – C – D)
ii – V – I (in C: Dm – G – C)
The strongest cadence in jazz and pop: tension (V) → release (I).