Guitar String Names and Order: Learn them in 3 minutes

A normal guitar has 6 strings.

From the thickest to the thinnest string, the strings are named:
low E, A, D, G, B, high E

These names all refer to the note you get when you play that string without pressing down any frets. We call this playing an ‘open string’. For example, when you play an ‘open’ A string, you get the note A!

Now, notice that the thickest and thinnest strings have the same name: E. To tell them apart, we call the thickest string the “low E string” and the thinnest string the “high E string.”

Keep in mind that when we say “low” and “high”, we’re talking about pitch and not about their physical location on your guitar. So the (thick) low E string produces a lower, deeper, bassier sound. And the (thin) high E string produces a higher-pitched sound.