How to Read Guitar Tab
Overview
Once you learn how to read guitar tab (tablature), a beginner will find it easier to learn a tune than with standard music notation. It's fast and easy to learn for a beginner. Almost any song written can be found online written in guitar tab. Tablature isn't a new idea; it was first used in the 1400's for the lute! Guitar music is played all over the fretboard, and it can be hard to figure out where certain notes are played with standard music notation, because the same notes can be played in different places on the fretboard, and the guitar can be played in alternate tunings! Tab is written on six lines, which represent the strings of the guitar, and where you fret the notes are shown as numbers. Tab will show you where hammer-ons, pull-offs, bends, slides, harmonics, vibrato, and other expressions are used. It will also give you information on where to position capos etc., and show you which tuning the music piece is in;( Assume it's in normal tuning unless the tab says otherwise). |
