The E string, note by note
The last of the four, and the odd one out — its low notes need a low 1st finger, the only string where the 1st finger slides. No open string sits above it, so the tuning check changes too.
The five notes
| Note | Finger | Where it is |
|---|---|---|
| E | 0 — open | the string itself |
| F | 1, low | pulled back near the nut (F♯, a normal 1, is what sharp keys want) |
| G | 2, low | back against the 1st finger |
| A | 3 | a whole step above G |
| B | 4 |
The ladder
The 1st finger slides here
F natural is a low 1 — reach back toward the nut, further than feels right at first. F♯ is the normal 1. G natural is a low 2. In sharp keys — and most E-string tunes are in sharp keys — both fingers slide forward to their normal places: F♯ (1), G♯ (2).
The sharp-key hand
The tuning check
No open string sits above the E, so the same-pitch trick doesn't work at the top. Instead: play 3rd-finger A on the E string, then the open A string — an octave apart. In tune, they sound like one note in two registers, clean and still. Or check any note against a drone.
Read it
The usual mistake
Playing F♯ where the music writes F♮ — the 1st finger in its normal place when the note wants it pulled back. Right next to an open string, always ask: a whole step up (normal finger) or a half step (finger back)?
Try
E F♯ G♯ A B and back — the sharp-key shape. Then the same with F natural and G natural — the low fingers — and hear the difference. Check 3rd-finger A against the open A string.