Guitar chords and tabs provide an accessible form of sheet music for the guitar. Chord charts outline individual chords in order, sometimes including rhythm markings such as whole note (w), half note (h), and quarter note (q).
An x next to a fret indicates that the string should be muted and should not ring; other symbols indicate different techniques for playing notes such as harmonics.
How to read tabs
Tabs provide an effective way of learning songs without needing to know standard music notation. They illustrate how to play guitar using horizontal lines that represent strings from highest (High E) to lowest (Low E), each line bearing numbers indicating what fret your finger needs to be on and sometimes vertical stacked numbers which represent chords which must all be played at once.
Tabs contain symbols to show what techniques should be performed while playing a song, including hammer-on or pull-off techniques; temporary mutes should also be noted; vibrato and other musical embellishments; other symbols indicate when to use vibrato; when selecting songs using tabs it’s essential that they match your skill range or you could become overwhelmed and lose interest quickly.
What to look for in a tab
If you want to learn how to read guitar tabs, there are a few key things that you must keep in mind. First of all, each line on a tab represents a fret on the guitar; its number indicates which finger should press down on that fret (for instance if 1 appears, your index finger would need to press down).
Be familiar with the various symbols that indicate specific techniques. For instance, hammer on means you should hammer one finger (typically your thumb) down on an indicated fret for an audible “hammer-off.” This creates a distinctive, bell-like tone which can make certain songs especially effective.
Be mindful that when you see vertical numbers stacked together, this indicates that when playing strings at once they should form a chord for an enhanced sound experience. This gives an increased depth to your soundscape!
How to play a tab
Starting out can be daunting, so when starting out it is best to focus on songs without demanding advanced techniques like tapping or hammer-ons. At the same time it is still beneficial to familiarize yourself with these symbols so you understand when your instructor uses them.
At first glance, look for a line corresponding to one of the guitar strings – from thickest at the bottom, through thinnest on top. Next you should see numbers aligned vertically that represent frets; these indicate which finger should play on which fretboard fret. For instance “1” indicates your pointer finger while “4” signifies your pinky.
Sometimes tabs include chord diagrams to help quickly learn riffs and figures; however, this method doesn’t communicate rhythm well – for a clear understanding of any song’s beat and rhythm refer to standard notation as opposed to chord diagrams.
How to write a tab
Tablature is an approach to notating music played on guitar and bass using symbols that represent strings, frets and other musical components such as hammer-ons, pull-offs, bends harmonics and slides.
Information such as time signature and strum patterns used can also help the guitarist know exactly when and where chords should be played.
Tabs can consist of as many lines as there are strings on a guitar. Each line represents one fret and notes should be written from thinnest string to thickest string. To start out quickly and readably, start off with something simple such as one note or riff you already know how to play, such as single note notation or standard ASCII font support if available (this will save many headaches!). Also try and use text editors with support for standard ASCII fonts for best results!