GIDDY GUITARISTS
THE BASICS OF GUITAR PLAYING:
HOW TO READ GUITAR TABS
To play any instrument, you gotta be able to read the sheet music to perform the song that you'll be playing. Of course we already learned how to read general music, however, guitar sheet music has one more thing to add: and that is guitar TAB. So, in this section, we'll be learning how to read guitar TABs to get you ready to play some guitar!
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So, in guitar terms guitar TAB stands for "tablature"; which a form of musical notation which indicates the fingering for a particular instrument rather than the pitch of notes, written on lines corresponding to the strings of a guitar, in this case. Although note music (general sheet music with notes) is still written above the guitar TAB, it is still there on the music for further instruction on how to play the musical piece, which is helpful for starters on that particular song. Here's a diagram of how to read guitar TAB:
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Basically, this diagram says it all, but if you want more explainations on what's shown above, here's the thing. So, there are 6 horizontal lines that represent the 6 guitar strings, in which the thickest string is on the bottom and the thinnest string on top. The vertical lines, however, don't represent frets, but the measures of the piece that you play. Now, the numbers on the different strings/lines are the frets, in which the number 1 on a certain string would be played as the 1st fret on that particular string, number 2 as the 2nd fret, and so on. The number 0 on guitar means that the string(s) is/are to be played open, so no frets whatsoever. Lastly, when you come across single numbers that don't have any numbers written on any other strings, you would play them as they are written (in order), one at a time. When you come across several numbers written on several strings (seen vertically), then you would play those at the same time, meaning that you would strum a certain chord to whatever song you are playing. Here's an example of a short guitar song with guitar TAB:
Mary Had A Little Lamb
Oh yeah! And here's a chart on where and how to play all the notes on the guitar fretboard. Remember, the letter notes are the same for any instrument, including guitar, but they all start out in a different order! Also keep in mind that there are different pitches of the same sound, but realisically, they are different notes (according to sheet music)!
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And there you go! Now, you can read guitar TAB, just from taking this short and simple lesson! A thumbs up to all! You can get basic guitar pieces and just like that, start playing them just from reading the sheet music and/or the guitar TAB. Have fun! :)
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Here's another diagram showing which notes are played on the guitar fretboard, just to get any confusion out to the way when you play guitar pieces in the future.
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