Parts of the Guitar

How To Read Tabs & Play The Songs

You've Always WantedTablature is a way of indicating the positioning of notes and fingering on the guitar fretboard.

Main Points To Remember.

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 indicatesthe fret location of note for example,

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

This means to play the 1st Fret on the 2nd string

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

This indicates an open 1stth 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 then7th Fret, 3rd string, then8th Fret, 2nd string, then2nd Fret, 4th string, then12th Fret, 6th string.Further Points

Other letters & symbols used in tabs.

• h - hammer on
• p - pull off
• b - bend string up
• r - release bend/ - slide up
• \ - slide down
• v - vibrato (sometimes written as ~)
• t - right hand tap
• x - play 'note' with heavy damping

When you see all numbers in a line one after another

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

That means you play the entire chord using all fingers

When you see tabs that have "h"

E----------------------------------String 1
B----------------------------------String 2
G----------------------------------String 3
D----------------------------------String 4
A---------7h9-----------10h12----String 5
E---0--0----------0--0-------------String 6

That means to do a "Hammer On" from the 7th fret to the 9th fret and again for the 10th fret to the 12th fret

When you see other tabs that have "pO"

E-------------------------------------String 1
B-------------------------------------String 2
G-------------------------------------String 3
D-------------------------------------String 4
A---------9pO7-----------12pO10--String 5
E---0--0----------0--0---------------String 6

That means to do a "Pull Off" from the 9th fret to the 7th fret and again for the 12th fret to the 10th fret

When you see other tabs that have "b"
E-----------------------------------String 1
B-----------------------------------String 2
G-----------------------------------String 3
D-----------------------------------String 4
A---------7b9-----------10b12----String 5
E-----------------------------------String 6.

That means strike the string 5 on the 7th fret, then bend the note up so that it sounds the same as the note played on the 9th fret.