Part 1: Start with the sounds and the names · Lesson 006 / 117
Two frets make a whole tone
Distinguish one-fret and two-fret steps between natural notes.
A whole tone is two semitones. “Whole step” means the same thing. On one string, it is a move of two frets.
The natural letter names are unevenly spaced. B to the next C is one semitone; E to the next F is also one semitone. The other neighbouring natural-letter pairs—A–B, C–D, D–E, F–G and G–A—span a whole tone.
Use the open high E string to see this. Open is E, fret 1 is F, fret 3 is G, and fret 5 is A. The jump from E to F takes one fret. The next two jumps each take two. We are now connecting the alphabet to distances you can feel and hear.
Keep the exercise on this one string. You do not need a whole-neck note map. The small irregularity at E–F and B–C explains a great deal later, so give it time.
Hear it
Efga
Audio fileFour-beat count-in · 60 BPM · Warm sampled electric guitar. Listen once before playing along.
A concrete example
On string 1, play 0–1–3–5: E–F–G–A. The fret gaps are 1, 2 and 2 semitones.
Fretboard view
Tap a labelled note to hear it. High E/string 1 is at the top, matching tablature.
Use this as a note map, not a speed test. Once the relationships make sense, play them without looking.
Try it, slowly
- Play E to F and describe the one-fret movement.
- Play F to G and describe the two-fret movement.
- Say the two neighbouring natural-note pairs with no fret between them: E–F and B–C.
Check one idea
Would you move two frets to get from E to F?
Show the explanation
No. E–F is one semitone, so it takes one fret. Two frets above E would be a different pitch, which we will learn to name next.
A good place to stop
You can demonstrate a half step and a whole step and identify E–F and B–C as the short gaps.
Return to the example after a short break. A clear explanation matters more than speed.