Finger And Fret Numbers

Learn How To Number Your Fingers And The Frets On The Guitar!

finger numbersBefore you can dive in to playing the guitar you should understand how your fingers and the frets on the guitar are numbered. These may seem like simple topics but it is important for you to know which finger to put on which fret. Let’s get started.

When I talk about finger numbers I am talking about the fingers on your left hand if you are right handed and the fingers on your right hand if you are left handed. Your index finger will be called your 1st finger, your middle finger will be called your 2nd finger, your ring finger will be called your 3rd finger and your pinky will be called your 4th finger.

Frets are the metal strips that are mounted on the fretboard of the guitar. The fret closest to the headstock of the guitar is the 1st fret. If you put your finger right behind this fret you would be playing on the 1st fret of the guitar. Move a finger up one fret to play the 2nd fret and so on.

Make sure you know how to number your fingers and frets before moving on to the next guitar lesson in the Beginner Guitar Quick-Start Series. Get ready to learn the parts of the guitar!

This Lesson Has 45 Comments

  • bianca says:

    Hello my name is Bianca and I am 9 and turning 10 this year I have always wanted to learn to play guitar and just today I am looking online for guitar lessons and I stumbel across your website and think that this could be my chance to learn how to play the guitar,so I find a guitar and start.I am on BEGINNER GUITAR QUICK-START SERIES NAMES OF THE GUITAR STRINGS and I am dieing to see the next part so thanks so much for making this website.

    • Tableau contemporain says:

      hi, that’s a nice post. i hope you will continue to do this :)

    • SImen says:

      I am 12 turning 13 in 3 months and i am actually a desent drummer but i saw the guitar lesson up in the right corner and thought.. I want to see if i can learn something and now i now much more than i knew when i didn’t watch those videos :D

  • Emma says:

    Hi, I’ve just bought my first electric guitar having played accoustic many years ago. Your lessons are great for refreshing the basics & I’m pleased to find I haven’t forgotten everything. A problem I am having though is that the steel strings are killing my fingers & am only able to play for 30-40 mins at the moment – is there any way to toughen the ends of my fingers up?

    • Nate Savage says:

      Hey Emma,
      The only way to toughen up your fingers is to practice consistently. 30 minutes per day at least 4-5 times per week.
      It will get better after a while if you stick with it!
      Hope that helps!

    • melody says:

      u can try lighter strings. if ur strings r to heavy they r hard 2 hold down. U can also try thimbles, but i better take option 1 :)

  • john says:

    my fingers hurtin alot…plx help

    • Peter says:

      Bro i fail at guitar playing i dont even know where to put my fingers!!! anyways im 12 and i dont know if i will learn fast.

  • Bailey says:

    Hey, I’m eleven, and I got my guitar at ten, kinda a late start, anyways, your site has been a TON of help, thanks a ton!

    • Kam says:

      If you think you are too late to learn play guitar…. I’m 37 and about to start learning how to play guitar. This weekend I will go buy a guitar at music shop. I started drumming a year ago and next I want to learn play piano as well :) Cheers!

  • Hope says:

    Hi, do you just put your finger on the place above the fret or do you push down on it?

  • ken says:

    You guys are doing a great job,what I’ve found today is a dream come true

  • Hillary says:

    hey..!!! i got my guitar at the age of 13… Is it too late for me play a guitar..????

    • vikitor4o says:

      its never late …. im gonna have a guitar after a week and i dont feel like i late (learn thunderstruck-it will rise your self-confidence )

    • Melanie says:

      its not too late im 14 and im starting now
      :)

  • rish says:

    hi, i am starting it at the age of 24 do u think i can learn it?

  • archanaa says:

    hi….
    i have an spanish guitar bt im nt using it frm last 4-5 months and nw 1 and 6 strings are vaibrating little bit while playing… please tell me what should i do?

  • kyra lenay howard-waihape says:

    Hi, I am very glad i got your site i am not quite shore how to play the guitar cause i only got this like a month ago and my lessons are finished

  • Vasu says:

    I had been practicing guitar about ten years back. Now I’m 40 can I start learning guitar?

  • Melanie says:

    hey this website is amazing i went to guitar lessons like 3 years ago but the guy didnt really teach us much so this is a great help
    THANX

  • zezo says:

    thats awesome >?>

  • Phil Carter says:

    Hi I want to thank you for these instructions they are great

  • David says:

    hi, i’m wondering how hard you have to press down on the strings. do you press it all the way down on the fret board or just a little bit of pressure and not all the way down? please reply.
    Thanks

  • belly says:

    i am a beginner i havent really learned how to use the guitar but i am learnin i am 13 years old n dont hav a clue a bout the guitar im so lost but i need help on understannding what is the fretboard but most importantly what is a fret

  • duvexy says:

    I am starting to see real improvement in my playing. Thank you Nate

  • Clint says:

    I have been reading the comments and am thinking that I’ve just delayed my music education…..never too late to start. I’m 61, and don’t feel bad about the sore fingers….just wish they were the size they were when I was 15.

  • Camy says:

    Hi! I’m 15 and I’ve always wanted to learn how to play a guitar. Thank you so much for making this website, it helps a lot! Hopefully I’d be able to play good music by Christmas!

  • Felicitas P. Calicdan says:

    Nate your lessons are better than other guitar lessons one thing I noticed before I started playing guitar this guitar player always uses his thumb on every song he plays but I remember you said your thumb is not involved while playing the Guitar

  • matjhew says:

    Now i am 27 i had a small exposure to guitar when i was a kid now i dont remember anything is it ok that i can start as a beginner now

  • trinity says:

    hi i’ve ben playing first acts all of my 11 years alive and figured out that they aren’t real. so i made my dad buy me a real electric guitar. it’s realy big and white. this is my first year in mittle school and i dropped uot of band to foccus on the guitar. these videos have been a huge help to me and the people at my school

  • chris says:

    hi nate my name is chris and im 12 years old.can you teach me (with the website)how to play lost higway by bon jovi?

  • Peter says:

    hey im 12 two!!! :)

  • mony says:

    your lessons are really helpful i bought my guitar month ago and from the time i started hearing your lessons im getting better and better thanks ….

  • Ben Mawuena says:

    Though a beginner, I will master in three months time.

  • Jennifer says:

    I am 48 and started learning for the first time – THANK YOU for these lessons!

  • nazh says:

    a video has been removed that nate said were going to learn a song were is it ??

  • Kam says:

    I’m 37, I just bought my first guitar and started the lesson today. Merry X’mas!

  • prantik says:

    its jst amazing!!!!!!!

  • Whitney says:

    I’m 20 years old, all my life I dreamed of playing guitar because of my grandfather! And my new boyfriend is my inspiration to playing guitar now. So I want to go from being amateur to pro! I’m really excited about my lesson, looking forward to this and I hope I can make my grandfather proud.

  • Raider Arnie says:

    I am 35 and bought a guitar for christmas for the kids 17,13,12,6. But I want to learn. This lesson is ver helpful.

  • Isaac Okah Jr. says:

    Hi Nate,
    I’m mew to your guitar lessons ever since I got my acoustic guitar for Christmas, so here’s my question do you mean by left or right handed guitar playing do you mean either strumming the strings or holding them down by the frets?

  • Roger says:

    I am 65 and just starting to learn guitar, I guess it is never too late. I was very apprehensive about learning until I found your site. Thanks guys!

    Roger

 
 

Leave a Comment