How to read Tablature (Tabs)

This Lesson will Teach you How to Read Guitar Tablature or Tabs.

Tablature is a method of writing Music to be played on Guitar without Using any Advance Musical Notations. This is a very simple easy way to write your favourite songs and play it on your Guitar and also very easy to read.

1> Tabs are written on Six horizontal lines. These lines represent the six strings of a Guitar. For example

e|----------------------------------|

B|----------------------------------|

G|----------------------------------|

D|----------------------------------|

A|----------------------------------|

E|----------------------------------|

2> For example:- If we want to play 3 fret of B string on Guitar, it will be Noted on Tabs as,

e|----------------------------------|

B|---3-----------------------------|                        

G|----------------------------------|

D|----------------------------------|

A|----------------------------------|

E|----------------------------------|

This shows that how to tabs a single note.

3>  If you want to tab a Chord of a tablature, this is how You should Tab a chord. this will look like this, All the Notes should be played on Same time.

e|-----3---------------------------|

B|-----0---------------------------|

G|-----0---------------------------|

D|-----0---------------------------|

A|-----2---------------------------|

E|-----3----------------------------|

Here 0 on the tabs represent for Open string, that means the string Should be played without freting.

4> This will teach you how to note a small Riff on Tablature.

e|----------------|------------------|

B|----------------|------------------|

G|----------------|------------------|

D|----------------|------------------|

A|-----4---5---4--|-2-0---0-2-0------|

E|-2-2---2---2---2|-----4------4-0-2-|

This tab Has been tabbed on two strings E low string and A string. In this tab we have to start On 2 fret E (low)string. Which numbers are tabbed first should be picked first.

For example: In this riff you will first pick: 2f E string two times then 4f A string one time then 2f E string after that 5f A string then 2f E string then 4f A string then again 2f E string.

SYMBOLS Which Can be tabbed on a Tablature.

h - hammer on 
p - pull off 
b - bend string up
r - release bend
/ - slide up
\ - slide down
v - vibrato (sometimes written as ~)
t - right hand tap
x - play 'note' with heavy damping

For example here is a Tab,

e|-3p-1------|-------3p-1-|------------|
B|------3h-5-|------------|-3p-1-------|
G|-----------|--2h-4------|------2h-04-|
D|-----------|------------|------------|
A|-----------|------------|------------|
E|-----------|------------|------------|

In this tab it shows First play on e high string 3 fret Pulloff on 1 fret then play on 3 fret and hammer on 5 fret and so on.....

E|--3/4----|---3/4-----|-----------|
B|-3p-1----|-----------|-3p-1-----|
G|---------|------2h-4-|------2h-4--|
D|---------|-----------|-----------|
A|---------|-----------|-----------|
E|---------|-----------|-----------|

In this tab first play the note on 3 fret then slide it to 4 fret without picking (Remember for slide you have to pick just once e.g if you have to slide 3/4 that means first play 3 fret and then without picking slide it ti 4 fret)

Holding The Guitar.

Holding The Guitar Sitting Positions There are two sitting positions for holding the guitar; classical and c asual. 1. Pick up the guitar and make sure that the guitar  body is supported by your leg. 2. Position yourself at the edge of your chair. 3. Ensure that your b ack is relaxed but straight. 4. Lean the guitar back towards you slightly. Standing Position 1. Pick up the guitar and place the strap over your shoulder. Adjust the strap so that the  guitar is positioned mid-body. 2. Use your left hand to support the neck of the guitar.  3. Rest your right ha nd over the bridge of the guitar. Hand Positions It is important that you relax your wrists and hands. Straining them can cause injury. Front View Rear View Warning! Make sure that you never position your hand like this: Your thumb should never be placed this low on the neck of the guitar as it puts  unnecessary strain on your wrist and thumb. Fretting When you play the guitar, you use your left hand fingers to press down the strings on the fret board of the g uitar and use your right hand to pluck or strum the stings at the bridge end of the guitar. Using you r left hand to press the strings on the fret board is called fretting. Here are some tips you will need to k now: 1. Short fingernails are essential.  2. Use only the  tips of your fingers to press the strings. 3. When making a chord, be sure that ea ch fingertip is placed directly behind the fret. We will cover chords in lesson one. 4. Check each string t hat it rings clearly and is not muted or buzzing. As a beginner guitarist, it may hurt your fingers to play. This is  normal. Every guitarist starts this way for the first couple of weeks. With practice, you will develop guitar fingers (hard skin on your  fingertips). Holding the Pick Position the pick between thumb and index fingers like in t he diagram below:

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