simple question with steps

[Lance]

How do you measure steps by either going up or down the strings?

I know that a whole step is two frets, and a half step is one fret.

But what is a whole step, from string to string?

ex. G major scale: G on third fret, low E. A fith fret, low E. THEN, a whole step to B, second fret, A string. HOW is that a whole step?

Because your moving from the fith fret to the second fret, to a lower string.....

[The Fury]

If you carry on playing the Gmajor scale on the low E string it would go 3rd fret(G), 5th fret(A), 7th fret(B) this is the same B that can be played on the A string 2nd fret, because the string are the equivalent of 5 frets apart.

When people say a whole step is equal to 2 frets they mean the distance of the notes, not the actual distance of 2 frets... let me make the clearer, for instance you could play the 8th fret on the low E string and then the open D string and these two notes would be a whole tone apart because going from C to D is the equvalent of 2 frets.

I don't know if that really answers your question, it wasn't as easy to describe as I thought it would be.

[Lance]

Well, I guess I may be a bit more confused. lol

I didnt realize that the distance between one note on a lower string is five frets from the same note on the next higher string.

I see that on the B string, it is only four frets apart, then on the high E it is back to five frets apart.

I am trying to learn all the notes on the fretboard. And, I am trying to apply the WWHWWWH method. NOW, that works if you move along on one string, but not when you move from one string to the next.

[smfulla]

well the thing is, it IS the same
You have to get it into your head about strings and frets.
You already said yourself that the 5th fret on the 6th string is equal to the 5th string open. so if you have a whole step AFTER the note on the 5th fret, 6th string, you can start from the open 5th string to make that whole step, which is the second fret

when learning the guitar without a teacher, it takes abit more common sense to learn the practical side of it. so take some lessons, or do what you are doing now, asking questions, and you'll go far