What is the note at the 10th fret of the 1st (high E) string?

• A. C
• B. F
• C. D
• D. B

Answer: (D)

The note at the 10th fret of the 1st (high E) string is indeed B. To understand this, it helps to know that the 1st string, when played open, is an E note.

On the guitar, each fret represents a half-step or semitone increase in pitch. Therefore, to determine the note at the 10th fret, you start at the open string (E) and count each fret:

• Open (0): E

• 1st fret: F

• 2nd fret: F# (or G♭)

• 3rd fret: G

• 4th fret: G# (or A♭)

• 5th fret: A

• 6th fret: A# (or B♭)

• 7th fret: B

• 8th fret: C

• 9th fret: C# (or D♭)

• 10th fret: D

You can see that after counting ten half-steps up from the open E string, you reach B at the 7th fret, and it continues to ascend from there to D at the 10th fret. Each of these increments is