If you play the 1st fret on the 5th string, what note are you playing?

• A. F
• B. E
• C. D
• D. G

Answer: (A)

When you play the 1st fret on the 5th string of the guitar, you are pressing down on the lowest A string, which is tuned to E in standard tuning. When you push down on the string at the 1st fret, you raise the pitch by one half step. The note that is one half step above E is F. Therefore, when you play the 1st fret on the 5th string, you produce the note F. Understanding this involves a fundamental concept of music theory known as the chromatic scale, which recognizes that each fret represents a successive half step in pitch. This systematic approach allows guitarists to navigate the fretboard more easily and understand the relationships between notes.