Fretboard note finder
Pick an instrument and a tuning, then choose a note or a scale. Every place that note or scale appears on the neck is marked, with the root in a different colour, so you can learn the fretboard, find all the Cs, or see a pentatonic box across the whole neck. You can type your own tuning for any stringed instrument.
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How to use it
- Choose an instrument and tuning, or Custom tuning to type your own.
- Pick a note or key, then choose Just this note or a scale.
- Look at the neck. Every dot is a note in your selection, labelled with its name, and the root has its own colour.
- Change the number of frets shown if you want only the first 12.
How it works
Each string starts on its open note. A fret raises the note by one semitone, so the note at a fret is the open string’s pitch class plus the fret number, wrapping around every 12 semitones. Scales come from interval formulas such as 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 for natural minor, and seven-note scales are spelled with one letter per degree so the names read correctly (E major has G♯, not A♭).
Worked example
On a standard guitar, the note A is the open A string, fret 5 of the low E string and fret 7 of the D string. Choosing A minor pentatonic (A C D E G) also marks, on the low E string, the open E, G at fret 3 and A at fret 5.
Tips
- Learn the root on the low E and A strings first, then use the shapes around it.
- Note names only: the same dot works in any octave.
- Drop D and DADGAD change only the strings that differ, so compare them with standard tuning.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find all the positions of a note on the neck?
Choose the note and select Just this note. Every string and fret where it sounds is marked, including the open strings. The same note repeats every 12 frets, so one note appears in several places, in different octaves.
Can I see a scale across the whole fretboard?
Yes. Choose the key and a scale, such as A minor pentatonic. All of its notes are shown on every string, with the root in a different colour, so you can see how the box shapes connect.
Which tunings are included?
Standard, drop D, DADGAD, open G and a half step down for guitar, four- and five-string bass, and standard and baritone ukulele. For anything else, choose Custom tuning and type the open strings from lowest to highest.
Why does the ukulele list the strings as G C E A?
Standard ukulele tuning is re-entrant: the G string is tuned above the C, not below it, so the lowest-pitched string is the C. The diagram lists them in the order they sit on the neck. The notes shown are right in either case, because only note names are used, not octaves.
Does it show octaves or exact pitches?
No. It shows note names only. A note is marked wherever its name occurs, in any octave.