Part 1: Start with the sounds and the names · Lesson 007 / 117
A sharp raises a note
Name the pitch one semitone above a natural note.
A sharp sign, written #, raises the named note by one semitone. F# means F sharp: one semitone above F. It does not mean louder, faster, or a particular finger position everywhere on the guitar.
On high E, fret 1 is F and fret 3 is G. The pitch at fret 2 can be called F#. The symbol fills in a name between the natural letters. Likewise, on the B string, fret 1 is C and fret 2 is C#.
Think of the sharp as an instruction applied to a note name. First locate the natural note, then move one fret higher on the same string. This is more reliable than guessing from a diagram's appearance.
Later you will encounter E# and B#. They are valid spellings even though their sounding pitches match F and C respectively on this guitar. We do not need those spellings for today's playing task; just avoid turning “some natural notes are neighbours” into “a sharp can never follow E or B.”
Hear it
Sharp
Audio fileFour-beat count-in · 60 BPM · Warm sampled electric guitar. Listen once before playing along.
A concrete example
High E frets 1–2–3 are F–F#–G. B-string frets 1–2–3 can be named C–C#–D.
Try it, slowly
- Find F, then move one fret higher and say F sharp.
- Find C, then move one fret higher and say C sharp.
- Find G on high E fret 3; work out G# without consulting a full chart.
Check one idea
Where is G# if G is at fret 3 of the same string?
Show the explanation
Fret 4. The # raises G by one semitone, which is one fret on that string.
A good place to stop
You can start from a known natural note and find its sharp.
Return to the example after a short break. A clear explanation matters more than speed.