Guitar and technique
Tablature (tab)
Tablature (tab) is a guitar notation with six lines, one per string, where each number shows which fret to play: it tells you where to put your fingers, not the rhythm.
What is guitar tablature?
Tablature, or tab, shows the six strings as six horizontal lines. The top line is the 1st string (high E) and the bottom line is the 6th string (low E): the opposite of what you see looking down at your guitar, but it is the universal convention.
On each line, a number tells you which fret to play: 0 for the open string, 3 for the 3rd fret. Unless stated otherwise, tab assumes standard tuning, E A D G B E, sometimes written at the left of the lines.
How do you read tab step by step?
Read from left to right. Numbers stacked vertically are played together, numbers spread out are played one after another. Here are five single notes, then a C chord:
| String | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| e | - | - | - | - | - | 0 |
| B | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
| G | - | - | - | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| D | - | 0 | 2 | - | - | 2 |
| A | 3 | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| E | - | - | - | - | - | x |
You play C (5th string, 3rd fret), D, E, G, A, then strum the five strings of the C chord. The x on the 6th string means don't play it, or mute it. Always find the string before the fret: that is where beginners slip.
What do h, p, b and / mean in tab?
Letters between numbers describe the technique:
- 5h7: hammer-on, pick the 5th fret then hammer onto the 7th without picking again;
- 7p5: pull-off, the reverse, pull your finger off so the 5th fret sounds;
- 5/7 and 7\5: slide up or down;
- 7b9: bend, push the string at the 7th fret up to the pitch of the 9th fret;
- ~: vibrato; PM: palm mute.
A "7b9" bend must really reach the 9th-fret note: check by playing the 9th fret right before.
What are the limits of tablature?
Standard tab shows neither note lengths nor rhythm. You need to hear the song, or read a version with rhythm stems. Vertical bar lines split the bars, which already helps you count. For rhythm guitar, chord sheets often give a strumming pattern with down and up arrows.
Another limit: tab tells you where to play, not which notes you are playing. Learn the note names on the fretboard alongside it, or you will always depend on tab. To write your own riffs, print blank tab paper from the guitar toolbox.
Key takeaways
- Six lines, and the top line is the highest string.
- The number is the fret, 0 is open, x is muted.
- Numbers stacked vertically are played together.
- Tab does not show rhythm: always listen to the recording.
Frequently asked questions
Should I learn tab or standard notation?
Tab is faster for learning riffs and songs on guitar. Standard notation gives exact rhythm and works on any instrument. Many books combine both: tab for position, the staff above it for rhythm.
How do you read tab in an alternate tuning?
The tuning is written at the top or on the left, for example DADGAD or Drop D. The numbers are still fret numbers, but relative to that tuning. Retune first, or every note will be wrong.
Why is guitar tab upside down?
It mirrors the musical staff: high sounds at the top, low sounds at the bottom. So the highest string sits on the top line, even though it is physically closest to the floor when you hold the guitar.
Related terms
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