How To Read Guitar Tabs And Play The Songs You've Always Wanted!

Tablature is a way of indicating the positioning of notes and fingering on the guitar fretboard.

There are 6 tab lines representing 6 strings on the guitar. (The 1st string is the thinnest, and the 6th string is the thickest) They are as follows:

E----------------------------- String 1
B----------------------------- String 2
G----------------------------- String 3
D----------------------------- String 4
A----------------------------- String 5
E----------------------------- String 6


When a number is placed on one of the lines, it indicates the fret location of note for example,

E----------------------------- String 1
B------4---------------------- String 2
G----------------------------- String 3
D----------------------------- String 4
A----------------------------- String 5
E----------------------------- String 6

(This means to play the 4th Fret on the 2nd string)

E----------------------------- String 1
B----------------------------- String 2
G----------------------------- String 3
D----------------------------- String 4
A------0---------------------- String 5
E----------------------------- String 6

(This indicates an open 5th string)

E---1------------------------- String 1
B-----------8----------------- String 2
G-------7--------------------- String 3
D---------------2------------- String 4
A----------------------------- String 5
E------------------------12--- String 6

This indicates:
1st Fret, 1st string then
7th Fret, 3rd string, then
8th Fret, 2nd string, then
2nd Fret, 4th string, then
12th Fret, 6th string.

Tips: Tabs are mainly a few lines with numbers on them. Once you know the basic positioning of where your fingers go, you are able to get a good feel for the song. Tabs are an easy way to read music and play a particular song. Proper music notation is more detailed and requires more study into it, however if all you want to do is play your favorite song, tabs are just as easy in the end.

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