How to Read Guitar Tabs for Beginners

Let us first understand what a guitar tab is. guitar tabs are popular user-friendly systems of reading guitar notations. Initially, the learners were taught sheet music to read guitar notes. But it was a tough and time-consuming process. Guitar tabs emerged as an easy and more user-friendly approach to reading guitar notes. In this blog, we are going to learn in detail about how to read guitar tabs.

Understanding the Basics of Guitar Tabs

There are 6 strings in a guitar and has the diagram of the guitar tab also has 6 horizontal lines representing the 6 strings in which the lowermost or the 6th string is lower e and the uppermost or the first string is higher e. There are numbers present in each string line and these numbers indicate which fret is to be pressed in each string.

Identifying the Numbers

The numbers that are present in the string represent the fret to be pressed. If the number given on the string is 0, it means it is an open string and you don’t have to press any fret. If the given number is any other number like 1, 2, or 3, it tells us about the fret number that is to be pressed.

Reading Single Notes in Guitar Tabs

To play a single note you just need to follow the string and the fret pattern. For example, if the 2nd fret is pressed in string number 4 you just need to press the second fret in 4th string and play that string.

Playing Chords in Guitar Tabs

To play chords using the guitar tab you need to follow the vertical stack pattern where the numbers are given in a vertical form. To play the chords you just need to press the vertical numbers and strike the strong together.

Rhythms and Timing

All the instruments are a combination of melody and rhythm. But the guitar is an instrument that works both on rhythm and melody, and it is essential to keep the strumming pattern correct while playing the song and the chords in the guitar.

Techniques and Symbols

As there are articulations in another instrument while using the staff notations, guitar tabs also have special symbols to indicate the techniques like blend, dynamics, crux, etc.

Repeating Sections

Similar to the staff notations, guitar tabs also have repeat signs that must be kept in mind while reading the tabs. 

Tips for Beginners:

• Start learning easy songs, in the beginning, to understand the concepts better with less confusion. 
• Start with the slow song as holding on to the strings is more important than the speed of the playing.
• Finger patterns and finger placements are the most important things to practice while practicing the tabs. 
• Listening to the original song while practicing the song makes it easier to understand the melody and rhythm pattern of the song.

Additional sources 

• Learn How To Read TAB in 5 Minutes – Learn How To Read TAB in 5 Minutes
• How to READ Guitar Tabs EASILY | Guitar Tablature | Guitar Lessons For Beginners – How to READ Guitar Tabs EASILY | Guitar Tablature | Guitar Lessons For Beginners
• How to read guitar TAB for beginners – STUNG by the Devil’s Toilet Paper!