Understanding Octaves and Note Values

Looking at example one, we've got E an octave up. First, we need to find out what an octave is.

What is an Octave?

An octave, meaning eight, is a note eight notes apart in a scale from itself.

• For example, if we play G, I'll play the G major scale (which is something we'll discuss later in your guitar playing).
• You can count: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8.
• That eighth note is going to be the same as the first note.

You can hear that these notes are both the same pitch; just one is lower and the other is higher.

Easy Examples

Another easy example of this would be on our guitar, from when we learned the names of the strings.

• You might have noticed that we have a low E string and a high E string.
• I'd like you to play those two together. You should hear they're the same note but in different ranges.

You can hear they're both the same pitch; just one is low and one is high. Conversely, you can tell that the following notes are definitely not the same note:

• Low E (different pitch)

So, we're discussing the same note in different registers.

Mixing Up Note Values

Starting in example one, we're really mixing up our note values here.

• We've got:
  • Quarter notes
  • Quarter note rests
  • Half notes
  • Whole notes

Breakdown of Each Bar

• In Bar 1:

  • We've got C, the third fret on the A string.
  • We'll play that as a quarter note twice, followed by a quarter note rest, and then the open D string.

  So, count: 1, 2, 3.

• In Bar 2:

  • We've got two quarter notes and a half note.
  • Here we're moving on to our new note, which we said was E.
  • This is the second fret on the D string.

  Let's test it out:

  • Play that note and the low E string‚ test if they are the same pitch.
  • You can hear they're pretty much the same note, just one is lower than the other.

Combining Bars

Let's combine those first two bars.

• In Bar 3:
  • We've got the open D string.
  • An A beat rest on beat two, followed by E (our octave now on the second fret) and an open D again.
  • We finish off with our whole note on C, which we know is the third fret on the A string.

Practice Tips

If I play you through that whole line, we'll go really, really slowly.

• Just make sure we're hitting that E (the second fret on the D string).
• Feel free to take it slower at home.

Just make sure you're tapping your foot or using a metronome and trying to stay in time with yourself.

Let's give it a go.

Of the backing track.