Fret Spacing Mathematics

This resource, from the STEM Guitar Project, is an activity on fret spacing mathematics. The activity includes a short history of musical scales and fret spacing, learning objectives, standards, references, links to videos, activity questions and answers, and more. Activity learning objectives include:

1. Students will apply mathematical concepts of stringed instrument scale length by interpreting, explaining, solving, and using an equation for calculating fret spacing.
2. Students will determine accurate fret locations by calculating the exact fret locations for the first five fret positions when given a specific scale length of a stringed instrument.

The linked videos show the relationship between math and music, explain scale length, and more. During this exercise students will complete the following two activities and other related practice questions:

• Activity A: Determine the first 5 fret locations for a guitar with a standard 25.5-inch scale length.
• Activity B: Determine the first 5 fret locations for a guitar with a 24.625 scale length.

An assessment is also included at the end of this resource. Ten questions and answers are included. This activity is available free for download in .pdf and .docx formats.