Guitar TAB(Readings)

Understanding the Tab Staff



A tab staff for guitar has 6 horizontal lines, each one representing a string of the instrument. The bottom line of the staff represents your lowest "E" string, the second line from the bottom represents your "A" string, etc. Easy enough to read, right?
Notice that there are numbers located smack dab in the middle of the lines (aka strings). The numbers simply represent the fret the tab is telling you to play. For example, in the illustration above, the tab is telling you to play the third string (third line) seventh fret.

Note: When the number "0" is used in tablature, this indicates that the open string should be played.

This is the concept of reading tab, at it's most basic. Now let's examine some of the more advanced aspects of reading tablature notation, including how to read chords in tab.

Reading Chords in Guitar Tab



Reading chords within guitar tab is a relatively simple process. When a tab displays a series of numbers, stacked vertically, it is indicating to play all these notes at the same time. The above tablature indicates that you should hold down the notes in an E major chord (second fret on fifth string, second fret on fourth string, first fret on third string) and strum all six strings at once. Often, tablature will additionally include the chord name (in this case E major) above the tablature staff, to help guitarists recognize the chord more quickly.

Reading Arpeggiated Chords in Tab



The above tablature contains the exact same notes as the first E major chord presented on the previous page, but it will be played differently. In this situation, the notes in the chord will be played one at a time, rather than all together. "How fast should I play these notes?" you may ask. Good question...

Fundamental Flaws of Guitar Tab

The lack of rhythmic notation is the biggest flaw you'll find in guitar tab around the web. And it's a doozy of a flaw. Most guitar tab doesn't notate rhythm in any way, so if you haven't heard how the guitar part to the song you're playing goes, you have no way of knowing how long to hold each note. Some guitar tab does attempt to include rhythms, by putting stems on each number (to indicate quarter notes, eighth notes, etc), but most guitarists find this cumbersome to read. And besides, if you're going to include traditional rhythmic notation in guitar tab, why not just go the extra step and write the whole thing in standard notation?

Another major problem with guitar tablature: only guitarists can read it. While "standard notation" is readable by those who play any instrument, tab is native to guitarists, so those who don't play guitar won't be able to comprehend it. This makes any sort of musical communication with a piano player, or other musician, very difficult.

We've covered the basics of the pros and cons of guitar tablature. Now, we'll take a moment to talk about a few of the intricacies of tab - like how to read/write string bends, slides, and more.

Other Symbols Used in Guitar Tab

Here are some of the little details that you'll need to know to fully understand how to read guitar tablature. Be aware that some of these symbols vary, depending on who created the tablature.

Hammer Ons and Pull Offs

Hammer On

Until now, we've only played single notes in one way - whenever we've played a note, we've used a pick to hit that string. While this is very common, there are alternate ways to play single notes. The first differing method we'll examine is the hammer-on.
The concept of the hammer-on is fairly simple - playing a note, then, WITHOUT re-picking, playing another note on a higher fret on the same string. Let's examine further:


Begin by fretting the second fret of the third string with your first finger. Got it? Now, ready your third finger - poising it above the fourth fret of the third string.
Use your pick to play the note on the second fret, then, WITHOUT re-picking the note, put the tip of your third finger down firmly on the fourth fret. If you do this with enough force, the note on the fourth fret should sound, even though you didn't re-pick it. If you didn't put your third finger on the string accurately enough, or with enough force, all that probably happened was the first note stopped ringing. Try repeating the exercise, and keep doing so, until the second note rings out clearly.

It's most common to see the letter h representing a hammer on, located within the tablature between the original fret, and the hammered on fret (e.g. 7h9)


Pull Off
The pull-off is a guitar technique that is, in a way, exactly the opposite of a hammer-on. Consider the following illustration:


You're going to start executing the pull-off technique by putting your third AND first finger on the third string, on the frets illustrated above. Play the string with your pick, then remove your third finger from the string. As you do this, make a slight downwards tugging motion with your third finger. This should cause the note your first finger is fretting to ring out. The first few times you try it, the string may stop ringing as you remove your finger. Keep practicing the technique, and you'll get the hang of it.

Similarly, the letter p is generally used to represent a pull off, also found in the same location within the tablature (e.g. 9p7)

Ocassionally, you'll see the ^ symbol used for either a hammer on or pull off (eg. 9^7).

String Bends in Guitar Tab

String bends are often notated several different ways in guitar tablature. Often, a b is used, followed by the fret at which the original note should be bent to. For example, 7b9 would indicate that you should bend the seventh fret until it sounds like the ninth fret. Sometimes, this target note is included in brackets, like this: 7b(9). Occasionally, the b is omitted altogether: 7(9).

An r is generally used to indicate a return of a bent note to it's unbent state. For example, 7b9r7 indicates a note on the seventh fret being bent up to the ninth fret, then returned to the seventh fret again.

Here's How to Bend Strings:

1. Choose a note on the third, second, or first string to bend. For this demonstration, we'll choose 'A' on the second string (10th fret).

2. Play the note two frets above the A, on the second string, 12th fret. Remember the sound of this pitch, as it will be the pitch you aim for in your bend.

3. Fret the 'A' note with your third (ring) finger on the 10th fret. Your second finger should rest on the second string, ninth fret. Your first finger should rest on the second string, eighth fret.

4. In an upwards motion (towards you), bend the note until it reaches the pitch of the 12th fret. Use all three fingers to bend the string, not just the third finger.

5. Once you reach the correct pitch, hold the note momentarily. Then, release the upward-pressure on the string, returning the note to it's original pitch.

6. Practice the above technique on various locations on the fretboard. Generally, the lower the fret, the harder the note will be to bend.

7. Practice the above technique, instead aiming to bend the pitch of the string by only one fret (instead of two). If you are having trouble with the first technique, this will be easier.

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Tips:

1. Be sure to push with all three fingers. If you are having trouble getting the pitch to change drastically enough, the problem is probably that you're pushing exclusively with your third finger.
2. If the note is 'dying' before you've completed the bend, you've probably stopped exerting enough pressure against the fretboard to keep the note sounding.
3. Be extremely patient. Muscles take time to develop. You may find yourself unable to play the exercise properly at first. Keep practicing, and be aware that it is easier to bend strings on an electric guitar.

Slides in Guitar Tab

Generally, a / symbol is used to notate an ascending slide, while a \ symbol is used to notate a descending slide. So, 7/9\7 indicates sliding from the seventh fret, up to the ninth fret, and back to the seventh fret. If no number precedes the slide symbol, this indicates sliding from an indiscriminate fret.

It is also not uncommon to see the letter s used to notate a slide. This is somewhat less concise, as when sliding from an indiscriminate point (e.g. s9), it is unclear whether to slide up to the note, or down to the note.

Here's how to do Sliding

This is another guitar technique that is extremely popular, and one that needs to be mastered by all budding guitar players. As with all other techniques, learning to slide well will take a bit of practice, but you should get the hang of it almost immediately.



Here's the basic concept - we're going to fret a note, play it, then slide the note to another one on the same string, without re-picking. In the above example, we're starting on the third string, second fret. Play the note, then briskly slide your finger up to the fourth fret on the same string.
Done? Chances are, the note died as soon as you started to slide it. The key is to keep exerting downward pressure on the string with our finger while sliding the note. Try it again, making sure you keep pressing the note down as you slide.

Miscellaneous Notation

The use of vibrato can be notated several different ways in tablature. Most often, the ~ symbol is used, often strung together to appear as ~~~. Sometimes, vibrato will be simply notated with a v.

A string mute is almost always notated with an x. Several x's in a row, on adjacent strings, is used to notate a rake.

Right hand tapping (for right handed guitarists) is generally notated in tab via a t, in conjunction with the pull off and hammer on techniques used when executing right handed tapping. Thus, 2h5t12p5p2 represents traditional tapping technique.

When notating the tab for harmonics, the <> symbols are usually used, surrounding the fret which the harmonic is played at.

This should give you all you need to get started reading and writing guitar tablature. Again, if you're serious about music, it highly advisable that you learn standard notation as well as tablature.

Thanks for the guide malaking tulong ito sa mga future future members and viewers ng site lalo na sa mga interesado sa music (guitar/bass)

^_^tnx din..

thanks... gusto ko matuto ng guitar eh... pag-aaralan ko ito...

geh aral lang kau^^

wala bang bass lesson jan kuya ed mag post ka ng mga lesson sa bass para may pag aaralan ako ahehe^_^

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