Naming Guitar Strings

by Raymund Tamayo

A regular acoustic guitar has six strings. They are in chronological order from lowest to highest sound or thickest to thinnest.

The top-most string is the thickest and lowest in tune. It is called the “low E” string or the No. 6 string. Below that is the second thickest and second lowest, which is the “A” string or the No. 5 string.

Below the A string is the “D” string or the No. 4 string. Next is the “G” string or the No. 3 string.

These first four strings are usually coated with brass material.

The next two strings are the thinnest and are usually not coated. They are the “B” string or the No. 2 string, and the thinnest, which is the “high E” string or the No. 1 string.

One way to remember the sequence of these strings is through this phrase: “Eric Angered David, Good Bye Eric.”

Eric Angered David, Good Bye Eric

Names of Guitar Strings

As you can see in the above figure, the low E is No. 6, A is No. 5, D is No. 4, G is No. 3, B is No. 2, and the high E is No. 1.

From the sitting position, pluck the strings with a pick one at a time, starting from the low E downwards toward the high E. Do the same in reverse, this time starting from the high E upwards to the low E.

Do this exercise a few times more, increasing in the number of times you pluck each string. For example, in round 2, pluck each string twice. Then in round 3, pluck each string three times, and so forth.