A Second Fret - Steps - Scale - Tie

In the musical alphabet, there are seven letters:

A       B       C      D       E      F       G

You began learning this alphabet starting with the highest note, G third fret on string number 1, and you have descended through the alphabet to the note B Open on string number 2. To complete the alphabet, we will add one more note.

Find string number 3 on your guitar and place the second finger of your fretboard hand just behind fret number 2.

You should be pressing down with your fingertips, and your finger should be well arched.

The note you are holding is A Second Fret. The note A is written in the second space of the staff.

While you are holding the note A, play through this line of music. The music is written in 3/4 meter and you begin playing on beat number 1.

The picking symbols and count numbers have been included to help you as you move through the music.

Metric Pulses in 3/4 Meter

Try to play the half notes, which fall on beat number 1, with a slightly stronger pulse than the quarter notes, which fall on beat number 3. The rhythm in this music is repetitive and consistent.

If you can play this line of music using a smooth, even timing, and if you can play the notes with the correct metric pulses, you will begin to internalize the feeling and the nature of music written in 3/4 meter.

Steps

Now that we have covered the seven pitches of the musical alphabet, we can study this pattern of notes in more detail.

If the pitch letter names are to be written on the page, it may be apptoppriate to list them in this way.

As you have learned, the note B open is higher in pitch than the note A second fret, and as you continue moving through the alphabet, each note in succession produces a higher pitch.

It's also possible to read this pattern of notes the other way, in a downward direction.

The note F First fret is lower in pitch than the note G third fret and as you move through the alphabet, each note in succession produces a lower pitch.

We give this pattern of notes a name according to how far apart a given pitch is from the surrounding pitches.

Example, if you are playing the note C First Fret, and you move to the next higher not, D Third Fret, we say that you have moved one step higher in pitch.

In a similar way, if you are playing the note C First Fret, and you move to the next lower note, B Open, you have moved one step lower in pitch.

Memorizing Steps

An important part of your daily practice is to memorize the pattern of steps in music.

You should be able to recite your musical alphabet out loud and in two directions, both up and down the step ladder.

Most people have no trouble reciting steps in an upward direction, but find reciting them downward to be a challenge at first.

Without looking at the letters on your chart, see how fast you can recite them without pausing.