FINDING NOTES ON A FRETTED INSTRUMENT

On a fretted instrument, to derive more than one pitch from the same string, you hold the string against one of the frets to shorten the string length to a desired new length to get the note you want.  As you work your way up the neck, trying various frets and making the vibrating section of the string section gradually shorter, the pitch increases.  See our section on accoustics for more information.

At any rate, except for the majority of Appalacian dulcimers, virtually all fretted string instruments in Western music (including guitar family, mandolin family) have one fret for every half step (minor second) interval.  This is twelve half steps per octave, which allows you to play all the standard notes in each octave..... until the string becomes too short and/or you run out of frets or fretboard as you move along the neck from low to high pitch .

Also,  remember that  keyboard instruments have a key for every half step within their range. 

You can relate notes on the keyboard to the notes available along a fretted string.  You need to know the note the string is tuned to, when it's not being fretted.  Then you find that note on the piano keyboard.  Then you move to the right for higher pitches on the keyboard, one key at a time (including both white and black) and at same time you move up the nect of the fretted instrument, making higher pitches with a gradually shorter piece of string, one fret at a time.  There will be an exact match between the notes you find on the keyboard and the notes you play on the fretted instrument, until you run out of keys on the keyboard or run out of frets on the string instrument, whichever comes first.


For an example, examine this first chart that relates keyboard to mandolin neck.



The finger numbers in this chart represent places for your fingers when your hand is in 'first position.'  Note that there are two places each for first, second and third finger.  This because the frets are so close together.  This fingering numbering can be misleading..  Really, in any given piece, you almost always use just one each of those finger positions.  

Let's try an example.   The mandolin A string, unfretted, plays an A above middle C. You find that A on the keyboard, and compare.  If the mandolin is in tune, both notes will sound the same.  Then you move right one key on the keyboard to an A# (alias B-flat) and move right to the first fret on the mandolin A string.   You compare those and they both sound like the A# (or B-flat).  Move right again on the keyboard to a B natural, and check that against the second fret on the mandolin A string. They should both sound like the B natural.  this you can do clear up the neck of the mandolin.  Then you can try the other three pairs of strings on the mandolin, and you should get similar matches.

Now, check out this second chart, comparing keyboard with mandola,



The finger numbers in this chart represent places for your fingers when your hand is in 'first position.'  Note that as with the mandolin, there are two places each for first, second and third finger.  This because the frets are so close together.  As with the mandolin chart, this finger numbering can be misleading..  Really, in any given piece, you almost always use just one each of those finger positions. 
Observe that the neck is somewhat longer (17 instead of 13 inches, or thereabouts) but the concepts remain the same as far as keyboard and mandola notes are concerned.  Note there is no E string  pair but a C string pair has been added, and unfretted it should sound like the C below middle .C on the keyboard.

Note on these two diagrams that  the normal association between fingers and frets is similar.  Your hand is large enough that you can usually reach more than one fret with each finger, while leaving your hand at the same point along the neck.  this is not true with the longer-necked bouzouki or mandocello in the following two diagrams.



Here, the bouzouki is shown tuned an octave lower than the mandolin.  There are other tunings used for the bouzouki, but this is just for points of illustration.

The interesting thing here is the change in the finger to fret relationship.  With a small to medium sized hand, each finger can only reach one fret per string while your hand is at a fixed point along the neck.  So on longer necked instruments like this, you normally do a lot more shifting of your hand position than people do on short necked instruments.



The mandocello is tuned like a cello, and its neck length is similar to that of a cello and a bouzouki.  The C string pair is two octaves below middle C.  The A string pair is just below middle C.  And here again, the frets are far enough apart due to the long neck that you normally can reach one fret on each string with each finger when your hand remains in the same spot along the neck.

Now that you can find notes on the string instrument neck, you need to determine which fingers to use to play the notes belonging to a particular key.

Fingering in a Key                                  Note Location and Finger Patterns