Introduction To 'Tabs'
Tablature or Guitar Tabs are an alternative for reading music on guitar. It gives a graphic overview of the guitar strings and show places where you should be pressing the strings. Here's what a Tablature looks like.
The six lines represent your guitar strings, with the line at the bottom as the thickest(6th) string. Numbers will be written on these lines to indicate which frets to press the strings on. The Tablature above shows how to form an 'E' chord. You should arrange your fingers according to the numbers written on each string. 0 means open string, 2 means 2nd fret and 1 means 1st fret. When the numbers are written vertically like this, it means you need to play the notes simultaneously.
A single melody line will be written separately to the right, like this:
A tablature may also has certain advantages when compared to standard notation for it's ability to show a clearer performance guides such as 'Bends', 'Slides', 'Hammer ons' an 'Pull offs'.
Here's a list of performance guides that you will usually find in a tablature:
/ = slide up - exa: 5/7 slide from 5th fret up to the 7th fret, /5 slide into 5th fret from somewhere.
\ = slide down - exa: 7\5 slide from 7th fret down to the 5th fret.
b = bend up
rb = release bend - exa: (9)rb7 means do a whole tone bend before picking, then pick and release to 7th fret.
br = bend and release, pick, bend quarter tone and release without picking twice - exa: 7br A half tone bend and release will look like this: 7b(8)rb7
hb = hold bend - exa: 5b(7)hb(7) pick, a whole tone bend, hold bend and pick again.
pb = pre bend (bend up silently, then pick string) - exa: 5pb(7) pick after a whole tone bend from the 5th fret.
~ = vibrato, not every vibrato is noted, listen to the music - written: 7~~
h = hammer on - exa: 5h7 hammer on from 5th to 7th fret.
p = pull off - exa: 8p5 pull of from 8th to 5th fret.
tr = trill, combination of hammer-on and pull-off - exa: 5tr8 is 5h8p5h8p5h8.... (as long as needed).
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The main down side of a tablature, is its inability to show the value (length) of every note. When working with a tablature, you need to have the original recording by your side as reference.
Tablature or Guitar Tabs are an alternative for reading music on guitar. It gives a graphic overview of the guitar strings and show places where you should be pressing the strings. Here's what a Tablature looks like.
The six lines represent your guitar strings, with the line at the bottom as the thickest(6th) string. Numbers will be written on these lines to indicate which frets to press the strings on. The Tablature above shows how to form an 'E' chord. You should arrange your fingers according to the numbers written on each string. 0 means open string, 2 means 2nd fret and 1 means 1st fret. When the numbers are written vertically like this, it means you need to play the notes simultaneously.
A single melody line will be written separately to the right, like this:
A tablature may also has certain advantages when compared to standard notation for it's ability to show a clearer performance guides such as 'Bends', 'Slides', 'Hammer ons' an 'Pull offs'.
Here's a list of performance guides that you will usually find in a tablature:
/ = slide up - exa: 5/7 slide from 5th fret up to the 7th fret, /5 slide into 5th fret from somewhere.
\ = slide down - exa: 7\5 slide from 7th fret down to the 5th fret.
b = bend up
rb = release bend - exa: (9)rb7 means do a whole tone bend before picking, then pick and release to 7th fret.
br = bend and release, pick, bend quarter tone and release without picking twice - exa: 7br A half tone bend and release will look like this: 7b(8)rb7
hb = hold bend - exa: 5b(7)hb(7) pick, a whole tone bend, hold bend and pick again.
pb = pre bend (bend up silently, then pick string) - exa: 5pb(7) pick after a whole tone bend from the 5th fret.
~ = vibrato, not every vibrato is noted, listen to the music - written: 7~~
h = hammer on - exa: 5h7 hammer on from 5th to 7th fret.
p = pull off - exa: 8p5 pull of from 8th to 5th fret.
tr = trill, combination of hammer-on and pull-off - exa: 5tr8 is 5h8p5h8p5h8.... (as long as needed).
____________________________________________________________________________________
The main down side of a tablature, is its inability to show the value (length) of every note. When working with a tablature, you need to have the original recording by your side as reference.
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