In this guide we will see how to easily read acoustic guitar tablature. The two main things you need to know are that the lines on the guitar neck are called frets and that each string is represented in the tablature as a letter, which corresponds to Anglo-Saxon musical notation.
E --------------------------------------------- (high rope)
B ---------------------------------------------
G ---------------------------------------------
D ---------------------------------------------
TO----------------------------------------------
E --------------------------------------------- (low rope)
All you need to remember is:
(E) aster
(B) unny
(G) ets
(D) runk
(A) t
(E) aster
The reason the strings are written backwards in the tablature is because this is how you see the strings as you play. Now that we have learned the basics, let's move on to the actual study of tablature!
Steps
Step 1. First of all, let's see when you need to play the strings
When you see a number higher than zero, press the corresponding fret on the string and pick”. If you see a “0”, it means that you must play the string without pressing any keys on the keyboard.
Step 2. Play along with the rhythm
Unlike a score, a tablature does not indicate the rhythm and duration of the notes. It is up to you to study the rhythm of the song by listening to the song.
Step 3. How to recognize the chords
If there are multiple numbers on top of each other, we have an agreement. Place your fingers as required and play all the chord strings together.
Step 4. Learn the advanced techniques
When you play more difficult things, like fast rhythm patterns or solos, or are making a scale, you can use hammer ons and pull offs to embellish your phrasing. Hammer-ons are done by picking a string and pressing two keys one after the other while letting the string vibrate. Pull-offs are nothing more than reverse hammer-ons (both hammer-ons and pull-offs are "tied"). Try to perform this technique a couple of times, and insert it in your repertoire: this is in fact a necessary technique to play even for simple songs like “Yankee Doodle”.
Advice
- If you get stuck or make a mistake, keep trying!
- Here's a beginner's tab. “Mary had a little lamb” (left hand).
AND----------------------------------------
B ----------------------------------------
G-4-2-0-2-4-4-4--2-2-2 --- 4--6 --- 7 ----------
D ----------------------------------------
TO----------------------------------------
AND----------------------------------------
AND----------------------------------------
B ----------------------------------------
G-4-4-4-2-0-2-4-4-4-2-2-4-2-0 ------------
D ----------------------------------------
TO----------------------------------------
AND----------------------------------------
(right hand)
AND----------------------------------------
TO----------------------------------------
D ----------------------------------------
G-4-2-0-2-4-4-4--2-2-2 --- 4 --------------
- B ----------------------------------------
AND----------------------------------------
AND----------------------------------------
TO----------------------------------------
D ----------------------------------------
G-4-4-4-2-0-2-4-4-4-2-2-4-2-0 ------------
B ----------------------------------------
AND----------------------------------------
-
now let's move on to the other strings
E-2-0-0-5-0-0-2-0-0-5-0-0 ----------------
B ------------------------- 2-2-0 ----------
G ------------------------------- 2 --------
D ----------------------------------------
TO----------------------------------------
AND----------------------------------------
-
Another piece - the very famous "Smoke on the water"
AND-------------------------------------
B-0-3-5-0-3-6, 5-0-3-5-3-0 ----
G -------------------------------------
D -------------------------------------
TO-------------------------------------
AND-------------------------------------
-
Here is another rhythmic exercise to do on a single string.
E-12-0-0-7-0-0-8-0-0-5-0-0 -----
B ----------------------------------------
G ----------------------------------------
D ----------------------------------------
TO----------------------------------------
AND----------------------------------------
-
And another.
E-12-0-0-0-7-0-0-8-0-0-5-0-0-3-0-0-5-0-0-
-
A slightly more advanced tab, which includes hammer-on and pull-off. The first notes of "Sweet Home Alabama" …
-
AND | ------------------------------------------------ - ||
-
B | ------- 3 --------- 3 ---------- 3 ------------------- - ||
-
G | --------- 2 --------- 0 -------- 0 --------------- 2p0-- | |
-
D | -0-0 ------------------------ 0--0 ---- 0h2p0 -------- ||
-
A | ------------ 3-3 ------------- 2 --- 0p2 ------- 0 ------ | |
-
E | ----------------------- 3-3--3 ------------------- - ||
Warnings
- Study every day.
- Obviously you won't be able to play anything at first. As with any other discipline, the more you study, the more you will improve.
- Guitar tabs do not include beats and tempo. Generally, it's best to start with songs that you know very well or download a free tablature program so you can hear the music as we play it.
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