Guitar String Names (what they are in order)

Getting confused by all the different names people use when describing the strings on a guitar? This article will clear it up.

Names Of Each Guitar String

Acoustic guitars have six strings and each string has 2 names; the string number and the note the string is tuned to.

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Here is each of the strings in order (when you’re holding the guitar and looking down):

Low E String (6th string)
This is the string closest to you when you’re holding the guitar and looking down at it. It’s called the “low E string” because it is tuned to E and produces a lower sound than the other E string (high E string). This is sometimes also referred to as the “bottom string”.
A String (5th string)
This is called the A string because it’s tuned to A.
D String (4th string)
This is called the D string because it’s tuned to D.
G String (3rd string)
This is called the G string because it’s tuned to G.
B String (2nd string)
This is called the B string because it’s tuned to B.
High E String (1st string)
This is the string furthest from you when you’re holding the guitar and looking down at it. It’s called the “high E string” because it is tuned to E and produces a higher sound than the other E string (low E string). This is sometimes also referred to as the “top string”.

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Tip For Remembering Guitar String Numbers

The string numbers are going to be important when we start learning how to play chords as the instructions will say something like “Place your index finger on the 1st fret of the 2nd string.”

Most people assume the strings will run in order when looking down, with the string nearest you being number 1 – however it actually runs the opposite way, with the string nearest you being the 6th string and the string furthest away being the 1st.

An easy way to remember this is to think that the high E string is in first place because it gets the highest score. And the low E string is in the lowest place (6th) because it gets the lowest score.

Or you could just remember that while you’re holding the guitar and looking down at it, the strings run: 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.