The notes on a standard 4-string bass guitar are E, A, D, and G, from the lowest (thickest) string to the highest (thinnest). Each fret moves the note up by one half-step, and the pattern repeats every 12 frets. Once you learn these four open strings and how half-steps work, you can find any note on the entire fretboard.
That single idea — that the neck is logical, not random — is what this guide is built on. You don’t memorize 48 separate notes. You learn four open strings, one rule, and a couple of shortcuts. Below you’ll find the full chart, the fastest way to memorize it, and answers to the questions every beginner asks.
The 4 Open String Notes
A standard 4-string bass is tuned E – A – D – G, from lowest to highest. These are the notes that sound when you play each string without pressing any fret (called the open strings).
| String | Note | Position | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4th (thickest) | E | Lowest | 41.20 Hz |
| 3rd | A | 55.00 Hz | |
| 2nd | D | 73.42 Hz | |
| 1st (thinnest) | G | Highest | 98.00 Hz |
The strings are tuned in perfect fourths, meaning each string is exactly five frets higher than the one below it. This even spacing is what makes the bass fretboard so predictable: the same finger shape works the same way on every string.
A common way to remember the order E-A-D-G is the phrase “Eddie Ate Dynamite, Goodbye.” Any phrase works as long as it sticks.
How Notes Move Across the Fretboard
The musical alphabet uses only seven letters: A, B, C, D, E, F, G — then it repeats. Between most of these notes there’s a sharp/flat (the “in-between” notes), but two pairs have no note between them:
- There is no note between B and C
- There is no note between E and F
Every fret on a bass equals one half-step (one semitone). So starting from the open E string and moving up fret by fret, the notes are:
E → F → F# → G → G# → A → A# → B → C → C# → D → D# → E
Notice the last note: at the 12th fret, every string returns to the same letter as its open string, just one octave higher. The 12th fret of the E string is E again. This is why the whole fretboard repeats after fret 12 — learn the first 12 frets and you’ve effectively learned the entire neck.
Full Bass Fretboard Chart (Frets 0–12)
This chart shows the natural notes (no sharps/flats) on each string from the open position to the 12th fret. The dots on your bass neck — usually at frets 3, 5, 7, 9, and 12 — are landmarks to help you navigate.
| Fret | G string | D string | A string | E string |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 (open) | G | D | A | E |
| 1 | G# | D# | A# | F |
| 2 | A | E | B | F# |
| 3 | A# | F | C | G |
| 4 | B | F# | C# | G# |
| 5 | C | G | D | A |
| 6 | C# | G# | D# | A# |
| 7 | D | A | E | B |
| 8 | D# | A# | F | C |
| 9 | E | B | F# | C# |
| 10 | F | C | G | D |
| 11 | F# | C# | G# | D# |
| 12 | G | D | A | E |
A useful shortcut hides in this chart: the note at the 5th fret of any string matches the open note of the next string up. The 5th fret of the E string is A — the same as the open A string. This is also how you tune a bass by ear.
The Fastest Way to Memorize the Notes
Memorizing by brute force is slow and frustrating. These shortcuts let beginners find any note in seconds:
- Learn the open strings cold. E-A-D-G is your map. Everything references these four notes.
- Use the fret dots. The 5th, 7th, and 12th frets are your anchors. On the E string those are A, B, and E.
- Learn the octave shape. From any note, go up two strings and over two frets — that’s the same note one octave higher. This single shape unlocks the whole neck.
- Say the notes out loud as you play. Naming each note while you play it builds recall far faster than silent repetition.
- Practice the natural notes first. Master A, B, C, D, E, F, G across the neck before worrying about sharps and flats.
Spending five focused minutes a day on this beats an hour of random practice. Most beginners know the whole fretboard within a few weeks this way.
What About 5-String and 6-String Bass?
The logic is identical — there are just more strings:
- 5-string bass is tuned B – E – A – D – G (a low B string is added below the E).
- 6-string bass is tuned B – E – A – D – G – C (a low B and a high C are added).
In every case the notes still repeat every 12 frets, and the same fretboard rules apply. If you can read the 4-string chart above, you can read all of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the 4 string names on a bass? The four strings on a standard bass are E, A, D, and G, from the thickest (lowest) string to the thinnest (highest). This is called standard tuning.
What order are bass strings in? From lowest to highest pitch: E, A, D, G. The thickest string is E and the thinnest is G. A 5-string bass adds a low B below the E.
Are bass notes the same as guitar notes? The four bass strings (E-A-D-G) match the four lowest strings of a guitar, but they sound one octave lower. The layout and logic of the fretboard are otherwise the same.
How long does it take to learn the bass fretboard? Most beginners can locate any natural note within a few weeks by practicing five minutes a day, learning the open strings, fret-dot landmarks, and the octave shape rather than memorizing every note individually.
Why do bass notes repeat at the 12th fret? The 12th fret is exactly one octave above the open string, so each string returns to its open-string note name (one octave higher). This is why learning the first 12 frets covers the entire neck.
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Once you know the notes, the next question is usually how long it takes to learn bass.