Octave lesson.

Written by Morten Gjermundsen(trollstjerne@yahoo.no)

An octave is a note that has the same name as another note but it is higher or lower in pitch. In the first example we will use the open 1th string and the open 6th string (they are both named E).Listen to the high E note on the 1th sting.Listen to the low E note on the 6th string.And now hear them be played one after another 1th and 6th string.

The E note on the 6th string is 2 octaves higher in pitch than the E note on the 1th string.On a guitar with 6 strings and 24 frets the E note can be played in four octaves.From the open 6th string (E) to the 7th fret on the 5th string (A string) we count one octave.From the open 6th string (E) to the 9th fret on the 4th string (G string) we count 2 octaves.From the open 6th string (E) to the 12 fret on the 6th string (high E string) we count 3 octaves.And from the open E on the 6th string to the E note on the 24 fret on the high E string we count four octaves.Hope i make sense so far...

Now lets look at a few common octave patterns. 
Listen

E||--------------------||
B||--------------------||
G||--------------------||
D||-----------7--------||
A||--------------------||
E||--5-----------------||
                                                        

Listen

E||-----------5--------||
B||--------------------||
G||--------------------||
D||--------------------||
A||--------------------||
E||--5-----------------||

Listen

E||---------------------||
B||-----------10--------||
G||---------------------||
D||--7------------------||
A||---------------------||
E||---------------------||


Listen

E||--------------------||
B||--------------------||
G||-----------2--------||
D||--------------------||
A||--0-----------------||
E||--------------------||



Listen

E||-----------5--------||
B||--------------------||
G||--2-----------------||
D||--------------------||
A||--------------------||
E||--------------------||

Listen

E||-----------5--------||
B||--------------------||
G||--------------------||
D||--7-----------------||
A||--------------------||
E||--------------------||

Listen

E||--------------------||
B||--------------------||
G||--2-----------------||
D||--------------------||
A||--------------------||
E||-----------5--------||

Listen
                       
E||----------------------||
B||--10------------------||
G||----------------------||
D||----------------------||
A||------------12--------||
E||----------------------||

If you memorize these octave patterns you will find notes on other stings alot easier and quicker.Letīs say you know the names of any note on the A string and then by using octaves you can find the name of any note anywhere on the guitar.

If have any questions or comments please write to me.Thanks for checking out my web site and please come back again soon.

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