How Do U Read Guitar Tabs

If you do a lot of texting and are a guitar player, you have probably wondered, How do u read guitar tabs? Much like the language used in texting is a different type of communication than traditional writing, guitar tabs are a different type of communication, too. Written specifically for stringed instruments, tablature is a system that tells players the string and fret they need to play to create the sound that they want. The benefit of this is that a musician with no knowledge of reading traditional music can still learn how to play a song. Even though it is not a traditional form of written music, tablature has a rich history. It has been around since the fourteenth century when it was used to transcribe music for instruments like the lute which is a smaller stringed instrument somewhat similar to a mandolin. This article will answer the 21st century question, How do u read guitar tabs? by explaining the ancient system of music notation called tablature to you.

The most important thing to understand when dealing with tablature is that the system is operationally based. What this means is that, in a way, the notation has nothing to do with music at all. It is a simple system that numbers spaces on a grid, and the guitar neck is the grid; if you have never played a musical instrument in your life, you can read tablature. If you can read a map or a grocery list, you can read tablature. If you can count to twenty-four (the maximum number of frets on a standard electric guitar) you can read tablature. So the first thing to do when you are considering learning how to read tabs is to relax and assure yourself that you can do it.

The gist of tablature is simple. The frets on the guitar are numbered one through twenty-four, and the strings are presented visually as six horizontal lines. The top line is the high E sting on your guitar (high meaning highest in pitch) and the low line is the low E string. Check out the following example.

This is an example of how an open G chord would be written out in tablature. The high E string should be fretted at the third fret. The B, G, and D strings are played open, meaning they are not fretted at all. The A string is fretted at the second fret, and the low E string is fretted at the third fret. As simple as that you have learned how to play a G chord using tablature.

In addition to showing you how to play chords, tablature can also show you how to play single note lines. Single note lines are used in guitar solos and melodic lines that guitar players play in songs. Take a look at how this following guitar lick in the key of G is written in tablature.

This lick begins on the low E string, the first note is the open E string and the second note is the G played on the third fret. The lick then moves up to the A string where the open A is played, and then the first fret (B flat) and the second fret (B). The last two notes are the open D string and the open G string. Again, you have just learned a simple guitar lick in the key of G quickly and easily using tablature.

With extreme simplicity comes certain sacrifices, and tablature is no exception. By looking at the two examples above, certain things are clearly missing in the transcription. First of all, tablature doesn't tell you how long to play a chord or note. Traditional music makes use of different types of notes (quarter notes, half notes, whole notes, et cetera) to convey a sense of time, but tablature doesn't do that. In addition, dynamics, or how loud of soft you are to play the notes, are not presented either.

So how do you best deal with the limitations of tablature? When you are reading tabs, most often you are trying to learn a particular song. When you are reading along with the tablature, you should also have an audio copy of the song available to listen to. This will help you determine how long you should play notes as well as how loudly you should play them. Tablature is a great system that really helps young guitar players get up and running quickly. In time, you will be able to deal with its limitation and still make great music.

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