Octave Identification System for the Guitar

Octave Identification Note Ranges in Positions I Note Ranges in Position V Observations Test Yourself

• An octave is the distance between two notes that share the same letter name. Start on any letter of the musical alphabet and count the number of notes until you reach the same letter. They are eight notes apart (8 = “oct”).

• The note range of the guitar is nearly four octaves. To minimize confusion, an octave identification system was introduced in Guitar 101. Octave 1

Octave 2

Octave 3

Octave 4

• A Position is a - four finger to four F1 C2 F3 G1 B1 E2 A2 D2 G3 fret relationship - that is named after the fret that the first finger is on. A2 G1 C1 F2 B2 D2 G3 • * Enharmonic Equivalents are two notes with the same pitch but G1 C1 F2 D2 G3 different names. For example: F and A1 D1 G2 B2 E3 A3 G

A1 D1 G2 C2 A3 B1 E1 A2 D2 F3 B3

B1 E2 A2 D2 F3 B3 • An Extended Position allows for G3 either the first or fourth finger to extend by one fret temporarily to A2 D2 C1 F2 B2 E3 G3 C3 reach a particular note.

C1 F2 G3 C3 D1 G2 B2 E3 A3 D3

Observations E1 A1 D1 G2 B2 E3

• There are multiple locations for A1 D1 G2 F1 B1 E1 A2 C2 F3 notes above G (A). For example, F1 C2 F3 A1 can be played in two locations, G1 B1 E2 A2 D2 G3 while E3 can be played in five A2 location. G1 C1 F2 B2 D2 G3

G1 C1 F2 D2 G3 • Unisons are notes that are the exact A1 D1 G2 B2 E3 A3 same pitch. Notice that when you V A1 D1 G2 C2 E3 A3 play E3 anywhere on this chart, the pitch is the same (assuming your A1 D1 G2 C2 A3 B1 E1 A2 D2 F3 B3 guitar is in standard tuning). F3 VII B1 E2 A2 D2 G3 B3 • Knowing where to play the same A2 D2 pitch in more than one location is C1 F2 B2 E3 G3 C3 often necessary. In this example, D2 C1 F2 B2 E3 G3 C3 and B2 must be played on two D1 G2 A3 D3 different strings. These two notes D1 G2 C2 F3 A3 D3 cannot be played simultaneously on D1 G2 C2 F3 A3 D3 one string (@). E1 A2 D2 G3 B3 E4

XII E2 A2 D2 G3 B3 E4

A2 D2 G3 F2 B2 E3 A3 C3 F4 *❍ F2 C3 F4 G2 B2 E3 A3 D3 G4 • *The technically correct clef for the A3 guitar is a treble clef with the G2 C2 F3 B3 D3 G4 number “8” written below it. This G2 C2 F3 B3 D3 G4 represents that the guitar sounds an A2 D2 G3 E4 A4 octave lower. Many guitarists who XVII A2 D2 G3 C3 E4 A4 also play piano are surprised when A2 D2 G3 C3 A4 they play a Middle C on the guitar B2 E3 A3 D3 F4 B4 and it sounds an octave lower. This XIX F4 is because most published guitar B2 E3 A3 D3 G4 B4 music is written without the “8” below the staff.

Part 2: Write the requested notes on the staff.