Guitar Instruction - Beginning TAB Notation

TAB Tutorial

TAB stands for tablature and is a way of writing down what notes should be played. TAB notation is simpler than traditional music notation because it is very literal - it shows you exactly what string and what fret you need to press on to make a note. As opposed to traditional music notation, TAB does not show you how long to hold the note for, and this is one of its biggest drawbacks.

The below diagram shows TAB notation. Each line represents a string on a 6-string guitar. The top is the first string (the high E) and the bottom is the 6th string (the low E). The numbers show which fret on that string to play the note. You read from left to right. So in the below example, the first note to play is the 2nd fret of the 4th string (E). If numbers are stacked vertically then you play them at the same time. In the below example, they are not so you play them individually. If you play the notes below, you will find you have just played the Am chord and could have done that by strumming the the thumb down and slow.

Some other things to note:

• The Am chord notation is optional and was put there for readability.
• The number 0 means open string, you don't press on a fret.

Other tab symbols to note are:

• h - hammer on
• p - pull off
• / - slide up string
• \ - slide down string
• b - bend string up
• r - release the bend
• t or x - both have been used to indicate tapping, especially in flamenco music.
• v - vibrato (see glossary)

In the below example, you will hammer on the 2nd string up to the 4th, then you will form an Am chord and pull off the 2nd string back to the open B.

There are plenty of other great sites that go into TAB in much more depth.