


#GUITAR TAB NOTES HOW TO#
Learning which line corresponds with which string on your guitar is the first step towards learning how to read guitar tabs. The lowest note (and thickest string) is E.Each following line represents a lower note on your guitar: B, G, D, A.The highest line on a tab represents a high E, which corresponds to the thinnest string on your guitar.For now, we will focus on reading tabs in standard tuning.

Guitars can be tuned differently, and this is annotated in the guitar tablature. To avoid confusion, this article will talk about tabs using standard EBGDAE tuning. This makes guitar tabs much easier to read and follow along with.Įach of the six lines in a guitar tab represents a string of the guitar. Standard notation only uses four lines, while guitar tabs use six, having one line for each string. If only using standard notation, it can be hard for beginners to easily translate hand placement from notation. Many people use guitar tabs because of how easy they are to read. Since you now have a decent understanding of the structure of a tab, it is time to get into what this all means. Time Signature : Usually 4/4, the time signature on the left side of a tab indicates that there will be 4 (or more) beats to a bar.Īll of this will serve as foundational knowledge going forward.Letters and Other Symbols: Letters and symbols help you to determine tone, timing, and rhythm.Stacked Numbers : Stacked numbers indicate chords.Numbers are usually separate but can be stacked atop one another. They tell you which fret number to play on. Numbers : Numbers in a tablature represent notes.Notes, represented as numbers, will lie along these lines. The horizontal lines allow for a chronological reading of the notes. These horizontal lines represent the strings of your guitar, one for each note. Horizontal Lines : There are typically six horizontal lines to a tab.The different components of a guitar tab are as follows: You must also understand the structure of tabs, which means understanding the different components. That is not all you need to know before actually learning how to read guitar tabs. This article will go more in-depth with frets in a moment. The nut is numbered 0, and each fret after that goes up by 1. Frets : Frets are the metal dividers along the neck of your guitar.Number 1 will be the thinnest and highest string (high E), and number 6 will be the thickest and lowest string (E). These strings correspond with the lines of a tablature. Strings : The strings of your guitar are numbered 1-6.Finger Numbering : Each finger is assigned a number.Below is some information on these things that will help you going forward: In fact, there are many things you need to know before, which includes first understanding the numbering systems of fingers, strings, and frets. To properly learn how to read guitar tabs, there are quite a few things that you will need to know. Things to Know Before You Start Reading Tabs If you feel that you are ready to start reading tabs, this is the guide for you. The following article will highlight everything you need to know about guitar tablature, from its strengths and pitfalls to its different versions and symbols used. Therefore, knowing how to read guitar tabs is an important thing for any guitarist or aspiring musician. They provide a convenient way to quickly read and locate notes but require you to know the rhythm and feel of the song before it is played. Guitar tabs provide an easy way for guitarists to read and play music.
