How do you read guitar tab?

Answer 1

How to read guitar tabs.I have trouble reading Guitar Tabs sometimes also. Well, if you don't have a music book or something will tableture (tabs), you can go online. SOme great sites are: www.ultimate-guitar.com www.tabcrawler.com www.chordie.com

Well, now onto your question. As far as I know, a tableture should have the 6 guitar strings shown (E,A,D,G,B,e). The top line (on a tab) should be the skinniest string (e), then the last line would be the thinckest string(E). On a tab, each line should have number on it, that represents what fret to play on that string that it's on. But there are signs and symbols too, like H,P,/,\,B THese mean hammer on, pick off, slide up, slide down. bend. The sybols are hard to understand sometimes. BUT BEWARE,NOT ALL TABS ARE WRITTEN CORRECTLY, SOME PEOPLE JUST PUT DOWN WHAT THEY THINK IT IS SOMETIMES.

Here is an example of a tab. H= Hammer on P= Pick off /,\= slide up or down b=bend Thinnest String (e)----------------------------------- (B)----------------------------------- rb= release bend = vibrato pm= palm mute (G)----------------------------------- (D)------4----0------4-----0---------- (remember, the numbers tells you what fret to play on. 0 fret means play it open.) (A)---2----2-------------------------- Thickest String (E)---------------3-----3-------------

(This is part of the beginning on Metallica's One

Well, that's what I know, I hope I helped you understand tabs a little bit more.

*****

Let me try to explain that in a simpler way.

This is an example of a guitar tab:

e---------------------------------------------------------------------|

B- 6-------6-------7-------7-------9-------9------13------13----|

G----6-------6-------6-------6-------6-------6-------10------10-|

D---------------------------------------------------------------------|

A- 4-------4-------6-------6-------8-------8-----12------12-----|

E---------------------------------------------------------------------|

Where the e,B,G,D,A and E's are going down, is telling you the name of the strings. The top (e) string is the tinnest, and the bottom (E) string is the thickest.

Where there is a number on a line in a tab, a finger should be placed. Which finger you use is up to you. So if there is a 6 on the B string and a 4 on the A, the 6th fret on the B string should be fingered and played, and the 4th fret on the A string should be fingered and played.

That's about it. =]

Answer 2

Tabs are tricky. They usually look something like this: e-------------------------- B-------------------------- G-------------------2------ D-------2------------------ A --------------3---------- E--4----------------------- The numbers represent the fret you play, the dotted lines and string names tell you what string you play. The most important thing you have to notice is the order the numbers are in from left to right. In the tab above, you would play it: 4 on E, 2 on D, 3 on A, 2 on G. The 4 is in front of the 2, the 2 is in front of the 3, and the 3 is in front of the next 2. If two numbers are lined up with each other, for example: e----------- B----------- G-------5-- D--5-------- A--------3--- E--4--------- That means you hit both those strings at the same time. If there's an "x" on any of the strings while you're playing more than one, that means mute that string