Today's Guitar Lesson: Reading Tabs desu^^

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.

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.

Other Symbols Used in Guitar Tab

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)

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.

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.

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.*hehe. I already know how to do a mute. Just cover the string lightly with your finger while plucking/strumming. It is easy to do, but difficult to execute properly when performing a proper song. But that might just be me being stupid^^*

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.

My Comments:

1. I already know how to do mutes and string bending. Mutes learned when Azu-nyan taught Yui. Bending when Mio showed Yui how to make to "nyu" sound ^^.
2. Chords I know are just C chords and A chords... Need to learn more. Ow yeah, the two chords I learnt were the major chords. More to learn^^