String Names and the Low E

Lesson

Four strings, named like guitar's bottom four

From thickest (closest to your face) to thinnest: E – A – D – G. Same as the bottom four guitar strings, an octave lower.

The low E

The open low E on a bass is the second-lowest note in standard rock instrumentation (only the kick drum sits below it). It defines the harmonic floor of a song.

Finding any note from the open strings

Each fret raises the pitch by a half step. So:

• Open E → 1st fret = F → 3rd fret = G → 5th fret = A
• Open A → 5th fret = D → 7th fret = E → 12th fret = A (one octave up)

The 5th fret of any string equals the open pitch of the next string up. That symmetry is how bassists navigate the neck.

Tune from a reference

Get a reference low E (the widget below plays one). Match the open low E. Then 5th fret of E = open A — tune A to match. 5th fret of A = open D. 5th fret of D = open G. Done.