How to Read Guitar Tabs

You do not have to be a skilled musician to read guitar music. Special notation has been developed to help amateur guitarists read music without years of practice. It is actually quite easy to read, but following the tabs is what can get tricky some times. Guitar tablature or simply guitar tab is a musical notation consisting of 6 horizontal lines each representing strings of guitar. Take a closer look at the following figure:

guitar tabs

The number on each line shows fret position. In the above example, it shows numbers 3, 5, and 3 respectively. This means that you must first play the 3rd fret of the lower E(6th) string followed by playing the 5th fret of the A(5th) string then 3rd fret of the D(4th) string. Hence, a number zero in the tab indicates open string.

Those who are new to guitar tablature find it confusing at first when reading the tab. Keep in mind that it is being read as if the fretboard of the guitar is lying flat on your lap.

Be sure to look for any legend on the music sheet when you read a guitar tab because there maybe unique symbols written depending on who wrote it. Like for instance, if I write a tab I may use letter “h” or “ho” for “hammer-on” or others may employ “>” symbol. Again it simply depends on who wrote the tabs.

guitar tab

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<!–[if !vml]–><!–[endif]–>

String Bending - Strike the note and bend the string up a tone (2 frets).

<!–[if !vml]–><!–[endif]–>

Pre-Bend and Release - Bend the note up 2 a tone before striking it and release the bend back down to the original note.

<!–[if !vml]–><!–[endif]–> Vibrato -  Vibrate the string by rapidly using the left hand or tremolo arm.

<!–[if !vml]–><!–[endif]–> Wide Vibrato -  Same as vibrato but varying the pitch to a greater degree.

Harm. Natural Harmonics - Place finger over the string at the indicated fret but and lightly touch the string as you strike the note.

A.H. Artificial Harmonics - Fret and play the note normally. Produce the harmonic by touching the string lightly with the edge of the thumb when striking the string

<!–[if !vml]–><!–[endif]–> Tremolo Bar Dip - The pitch of the note is dropped and returned by depressing and releasing the tremolo bar.

<!–[if !vml]–><!–[endif]–> Inverted Tremolo Bar - The pitch is raised and returned to by raising and releasing the tremolo bar.

Guitar Tabs

Hammer On - Strike the first note and use your finger to hammer on the second note.

Pull Off - Position your fingers on the notes to be played. Strike the first note and use your finger to pull off                                                            second note.

Trill - Fret the note and rapidly hammering and pulling off the fret indicated in the brackets.

Slide - Strike the first note and slide to the second note and strike the second note.

T             Finger Tapping - Tap the fret indicated and pull off.

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