Lesson 5.3
Understanding Guitar Tab
Guitar tablature, usually referred to as “tab”, is a method of notating music that empowers beginner guitarists to learn songs quickly and easily. Guitar tabs share similarities with music staff notation by showing you what notes to play, how long to play them, and what techniques to use. But when compared to standard music notation, guitar tablature offers a serious advantage: it shows you where to play the notes on your guitar.
This comes in handy, especially since the guitar has many different places to play the same notes. For this reason, understanding guitar tablature is particularly useful for beginners, and allows students to learn how to play the guitar without ever having to learn how to read traditional musical notation.
Guitar tablature is fantastic since it can show you both chords and single notes –– making it the fastest way to learn your favorite songs. It can also be an easier way to learn, since knowing how to read guitar tabs doesn’t require any special knowledge other than locating the strings and the frets on your guitar.
This comes in handy, especially since the guitar has many different places to play the same notes. For this reason, understanding guitar tablature is particularly useful for beginners, and allows students to learn how to play the guitar without ever having to learn how to read traditional musical notation.
Guitar tablature is fantastic since it can show you both chords and single notes –– making it the fastest way to learn your favorite songs. It can also be an easier way to learn, since knowing how to read guitar tabs doesn’t require any special knowledge other than locating the strings and the frets on your guitar.
What do guitar tabs look like?
Guitar tablature is the visual representation of the notes in a song. Standard guitar tab consists of six horizontal lines, with each line representing the six strings on the guitar. When looking at guitar tab from top to bottom, the top line represents the high E string (the thinnest string) followed by lines that represent the B, G, D, A and low E strings (the thickest string).
This also reflects the view of the strings as you look down while holding your guitar. For this reason, think of guitar tablature as your roadmap, for it will provide you with the fastest route to learning songs.
This also reflects the view of the strings as you look down while holding your guitar. For this reason, think of guitar tablature as your roadmap, for it will provide you with the fastest route to learning songs.
On each line of tab you will also see numbers. These numbers represent the frets on your guitar, which are the metal strips found on the fretboard. The frets are numbered 0-24, and start at the nut (the piece closest to the headstock), and run the entire length of the guitar neck.
For example, if the string has a 0, that means you play that string “open,” or without using your fretting hand. If the string has a 1, then that means you must play using the first fret. When learning how to read guitar tabs, it’s important to understand that 1 represents the first fret, 2 the second fret, 3 the third fret, and so on.
For example, if the string has a 0, that means you play that string “open,” or without using your fretting hand. If the string has a 1, then that means you must play using the first fret. When learning how to read guitar tabs, it’s important to understand that 1 represents the first fret, 2 the second fret, 3 the third fret, and so on.
HOW TO READ GUITAR MUSIC
Knowing the Basic Strings and Frets
In order to find notes on the guitar and the bass, you will need to familiarise yourself with the bottom two strings. The notes of these two strings on both instruments are the same, the difference being the BASS IS AN OCTAVE LOWER.
This means that the bottom string, (the thick one - lowest sounding string) is an “E” on both bass and guitar - the bass is just the next E down.
In order to find notes on the guitar and the bass, you will need to familiarise yourself with the bottom two strings. The notes of these two strings on both instruments are the same, the difference being the BASS IS AN OCTAVE LOWER.
This means that the bottom string, (the thick one - lowest sounding string) is an “E” on both bass and guitar - the bass is just the next E down.
The lowest 2 strings are E and A.
E is on the bottom because it is the LOWEST SOUNDING STRING.
E is on the bottom because it is the LOWEST SOUNDING STRING.
The neck of the guitar is divided up in to FRETS
Dots are placed on the guitar neck on the ODD FRETS.
The ODD NUMBERED FRETS represent the WHITE NOTES ON THE PIANO
Note that F is on the 1st Fret of the E string. Some Guitars will place a dot on the 1st fret, but most do not.
Inbetween these notes are the Sharps (#) and Flats (b).
The exception to this is B which is found on the 2nd fret of the A string.
This is the same note as the B found on the 7th fret of the E string.
SHARPS - go to the right. For example, F# is to the right of F, G# is to the right of G, etc
FLATS - go to the left. For example, Gb is to the left of G, Ab is to the left of A, etc.
When writing guitar music we use numbers on the corresponding string, and that number on that string represents that note.
For example, if we were to write the A note on the E string it would be written as follows:
FLATS - go to the left. For example, Gb is to the left of G, Ab is to the left of A, etc.
When writing guitar music we use numbers on the corresponding string, and that number on that string represents that note.
For example, if we were to write the A note on the E string it would be written as follows:
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