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Lesson: Tab Tutorial
By John C.
Click on this link to learn the meaning of the symbols used in tabs.
Lesson: Tab Symbols.
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1. First of all |
- Tabs are viewed using fonts like Courier New or Courier.
- Tabs don't represent the exact length of the notes (some
do using letters on to of the fret numbers.
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2. How to Read Tabs |
[a. Horizontal Lines]
The horizontal lines that you see with numbers on them represent each
string of the guitar, and the numbers that you see on them represent
fret numbers. The order of the strings of the tab system is like this:
E|-------------|(HIGH)
B|-------------|
G|-------------|
D|-------------|
A|-------------|
E|-------------|(LOW)
[b. Vertical Lines]
Vertical lines separate measures, show when the score ends, and tell
you when and what measures you have to repeat.
[c. Fret Numbers]
"The Zephyr Song" Red Hot Chili Peppers
E|-----3--(3)----|-----1--(1)----|---------------|---------------|
B|---1-----------|---0-----------|-----0--(0)----|-----1--(1)----|
G|-2-------------|-0-------------|---0-----------|---2-----------|
D|---------------|---------------|-2-------------|-3-------------|
A|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
E|---------------|---------------|---------------|---------------|
Analyze these examples above from left to right and try to play it on
you guitar. Remember that the number on the lines represent where you
have to place the finger, and the letters represent the strings:
For fret numbers:
0 pick the open string
1 pick the string with a finger on the 1st fret
2 pick the string with a finger on the 2nd fret
... and so on
[d. Chords]
This is how chords are illustrated in the tab system.
C G D A
|-----------------||-0-0-3-3-2-2------*|
|-------1-------3-||-1-1-3-3-3-3-2-2--*|
|-----2-------0---||-0-0-0-0-2-2-2-2--*|
|---2-------0-----||-2-2-0-0-0-0-2-2--*|
|-0-------2-------||-3-3-2-2-----0-0--*|
|-----------------||-----3-3----------*|
PM----------|
|----------------||-----------------------||
|----------------||-----------------------||
|----------------||-----------------------||
|----------------||-5--x-x-x-x-5--x-x-x-x-||
|-2-2-2-2-2-2----||-5--x-x-x-x-5--x-x-x-x-||
|-0-0-0-0-0-0----||-3--x-x-x-x-3--x-x-x-x-||