Tablature (tab) is the simplest form of music notation on the guitar. This is how it is laid out...

e|-------------------------------6th String-|
B|-------------------------5th String-------|
G|-------------------4th String-------------|
D|-------------3rd String-------------------|
A|-------2nd String-------------------------|
E|-1st String-------------------------------|



It is laid out like this because the higher up the string is on the diagram, the higher the note is. Here is an example of a simple tab...

e|--------0-----------0-----------0-----------0-----|
B|------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0---0---|
G|---0--------0---0-------0---0-------0---0-------0-|
D|--------------------------0-----------0-----------|
A|--------------------------------------------------|
E|-0------------0-----------------------------------|


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Click here to play along to the backing track

Tab is read from left to right. You play the notes in the order you see them. The numbers on the tab represent the fret you hold with your left hand while picking the string with your right. 0 represents an open string (No frets). Now try out the example below...

e|-3-----2-----0-----2-----3-----2-----0-----2-----|
B|---0-----0-----0-----0-----3-----3-----3-----3---|
G|-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-----0-|
D|-------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------|


Click here to listen to the audio by itself
Click here to play along to the backing track

The two previous examples used single notes. If notes are played together, they are written on top of each other and are known as chords. Here are two examples of this...

e|---------| B|---------| G|---------| D|----5----| A|----3----| E|---------|

This shows two notes played together. You have to hold the position while picking the two strings at the same time.

e|----3----| B|----0----| G|----0----| D|----0----| A|----2----| E|----3----|

This is the G Major chord. You hold the above position on the fret board, while strumming all of the numbered strings with either a pick, your thumb or your thumb and index finger pressed together. Here are some more examples of this...

e|----0----|----0----|----2----|----0----|
B|----2----|----1----|----3----|----0----|
G|----2----|----0----|----2----|----1----|
D|----2----|----2----|----0----|----2----|
A|----0----|----3----|---------|----2----|
E|---------|---------|---------|----0----|

Sometimes, chords are written out like this...

022000

The number on the left represents the low E string, and the number on the far right represents your high e string. So on the example above, you would hold the 2nd fret on the 2nd and 3rd string and strum all of the strings. (The example above was the E minor chord)

Tab can also indicate the rhythm of certain parts. For example, if notes are placed close together in tab, the note values are shorter, and if notes are further apart, the note values are longer. See the lesson on Basic Rhythm Guitar for more information on this.

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