Learning guitar can feel like unlocking a new world of musical expression. For beginners, the journey often starts with wanting to play your favorite songs right away. This is where guitar tabs come in as a game-changer. Guitar tabs, short for tablatures, are a simplified form of musical notation that’s incredibly intuitive, especially when you’re just starting out. Forget struggling with complex sheet music; guitar tabs show you exactly where to put your fingers on the fretboard to play notes and chords.
In this article, we’ll demystify guitar tabs, showing you how to read them quickly and easily. We’ll also provide a list of fun and Easy Guitar Song Tabs that will get you playing recognizable tunes in no time. Get ready to strum your way to musical satisfaction!
What are Guitar Tabs?
Guitar tabs are a user-friendly way to read and play music on your guitar. Think of them as a visual shortcut to learning songs. Unlike traditional music notation, which uses symbols on a staff to represent notes, tabs use numbers and lines to represent the guitar itself. This makes them much more accessible, especially if you’re new to music theory.
Instead of trying to decipher notes on a musical staff, guitar tabs show you a diagram of your guitar’s fretboard. The lines represent the strings, and the numbers tell you which fret to press down on each string. It’s like having a map directly to the notes and chords you need to play. For beginners, this direct approach can be incredibly encouraging and speed up the learning process significantly, allowing you to jump into playing easy guitar song tabs almost immediately.
How to Read Guitar Tabs?
At first glance, guitar tabs might seem like a jumble of lines and numbers. But once you understand the basics, you’ll find they are remarkably straightforward. If you’ve never encountered them before, don’t worry! We’ll break it down step-by-step.
Before we dive into reading tabs, it’s beneficial to spend a little time familiarizing yourself with your guitar. Knowing the names of the strings and the parts of your guitar, like the neck and frets, will make understanding tabs even easier.
Guitar Tabs Staff
In standard sheet music, the staff is that set of five horizontal lines where notes are placed. Guitar tabs also use horizontal lines, but their meaning is different and directly related to your guitar.
In guitar tabs, you’ll see six horizontal lines stacked on top of each other. These lines represent the six strings of your guitar. It’s important to note that the top line represents the thinnest string, which is the high E string, and the lines go downwards to the thickest string, the low E string. So, from top to bottom, the lines represent:
- Top line: High E string (1st string)
- 2nd line: B string (2nd string)
- 3rd line: G string (3rd string)
- 4th line: D string (4th string)
- 5th line: A string (5th string)
- Bottom line: Low E string (6th string)
You read guitar tabs from left to right, just like reading a sentence. As you move from left to right along the tab, you’re following the progression of the music in time.
Guitar Frets
Frets are those metal strips that are positioned along the neck of your guitar. They divide the fretboard into sections. When you press a string down behind a fret, you shorten the vibrating length of the string, which changes the pitch of the note. Guitars typically have anywhere from 19 to 24 frets.
In guitar tabs, numbers placed on the lines indicate which fret to play on that particular string. The numbers you’ll see usually range from 0 up to 24 (depending on the song and guitar).
- The number “0”: This is crucial! A “0” on any string line means you play that string open, meaning you strum or pick the string without pressing down any fret.
- Numbers 1-24: Any number greater than 0 tells you which fret to press down behind. For example, if you see the number “1” on the top line (high E string), it means you should press down the high E string at the 1st fret (the fret closest to the headstock) and then pluck the string. Similarly, “5” on the 5th line (A string) means you press the A string at the 5th fret.
Beginner guitarist learning to play easy songs using guitar tabs with the Simply Guitar app
Chords
Chords are when you play multiple notes together at the same time, creating harmony. Identifying chords in guitar tabs is quite straightforward.
When you see numbers stacked vertically on the tab, it indicates a chord. Each number in the vertical stack corresponds to a different string, and you are meant to play all of these notes together simultaneously to form the chord.
For example, if you see:
e|--3--
B|--0--
G|--0--
D|--0--
A|--2--
E|--3--This is a G major chord in tab form. It tells you to:
- Play the 3rd fret on the high E string
- Play the open B string
- Play the open G string
- Play the open D string
- Play the 2nd fret on the A string
- Play the 3rd fret on the low E string
You would position your fingers on these frets and strum across all six strings to play the G major chord.
Guitar Tabs Symbols
Beyond numbers, guitar tabs also use symbols to indicate different guitar techniques that add flavor and expression to your playing. Understanding these symbols is key to playing songs accurately and with the intended feel. Here’s a table of common guitar tab symbols you’ll encounter, especially in easy guitar song tabs and more complex ones:
| Symbol | Meaning | Description |
|---|---|---|
| P.M. | Palm Muting | Rest the edge of your palm lightly on the strings near the bridge to create a muffled sound. |
| x | Muting Notes | Strum or pick the string but mute it immediately to create a percussive sound. |
| ^ or b or ⤴ | Bending | Bend the string upwards (or downwards) to raise the pitch. The number after ‘b’ might indicate the fret to bend to (e.g., 7b9 means bend the 7th fret to sound like the 9th). |
| / or ∕ | Slide Up | Slide your finger from a lower fret to a higher fret without lifting off the string. |
| or ＼ | Slide Down | Slide your finger from a higher fret to a lower fret without lifting off the string. |
| h or H⌒ | Hammer-on | Strike a string with your pick or finger and then quickly hammer-on to a higher fret with a fretting finger. |
| p or P⌒ | Pull-off | Pluck a string with a fretting finger to remove it from a higher fret to a lower fret that’s already fretted. |
| ~ or ““““ | Vibrato | Rapidly and slightly bend and release a string to create a wavering or vibrating effect. |
| t or T⌒ | Tapping | Use a finger of your picking hand to tap on a fret to produce a note. |
| ↓ | Downstroke Pick | Use a downward motion with your pick. |
| V or ↑ | Upstroke Pick | Use an upward motion with your pick. |
Easy Guitar Tabs for Beginners: Songs to Get You Started
Now for the fun part: playing songs! The internet is a treasure trove of guitar tabs for virtually any song you can imagine. To get you started on the right foot, here are some catchy riffs and songs that are perfect for beginners. They are relatively simple to play and will help you build confidence and get your fingers moving.
For access to a massive library of tabs, Ultimate Guitar is an excellent resource to explore as you progress.
Sunshine of Your Love by Cream
“Sunshine of Your Love” is a classic riff that’s fantastic for beginners. It’s not too complicated for your fingers, primarily uses just three strings, and sounds instantly recognizable.
Sunshine Your Love by Cream guitar tabs
Pretty Woman by Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Woman” is another iconic and simple song to learn on guitar. Like “Sunshine of Your Love,” the main riff is finger-friendly and focuses on just three strings, making it great for practicing basic picking and timing.
Pro tip: Listen to the original song a few times. Pay attention to the rhythm and timing. This will help you play the riff correctly and make it sound like the song you know and love!
I Stand Alone by Godsmack
“I Stand Alone” by Godsmack is surprisingly simple to play, especially the main riff. While the original song has a faster tempo, don’t feel pressured to play it at full speed right away. Focus on accuracy and getting the notes right first. Speed will come with practice. Taking your time to internalize the movements is key, and eventually, playing faster will become second nature.
I Stand Alone by Godsmack guitar tabs
Play That Funky Music by Wild Cherry
Get ready to play a funky riff! “Play That Funky Music” by Wild Cherry can be played using just two strings for the main riff. This song is a great introduction to the hammer-on technique (indicated by ‘h’ in tabs). Don’t be afraid to experiment and add new elements as you become more comfortable. Learning guitar is about enjoying the process!
Down With the Sickness by Disturbed
“Down With The Sickness” by Disturbed is another excellent song for practicing hammer-ons. This song heavily features this technique, making it a perfect choice if you want to get comfortable with hammer-ons. The more you practice specific techniques, the quicker you’ll master them.
Down With The Sickness by Disturbed guitar tabs
A Passage to Bangkok by Rush
“A Passage to Bangkok” by Rush is a step up and introduces you to a few more techniques. While the notes themselves are still relatively simple and focus on two strings, this riff incorporates slides, pull-offs, and vibrato. These techniques add more expression to your playing and are valuable to learn as you progress. Remember, patience is key when learning new techniques!
Paralyzer by Finger Eleven
The riff from “Paralyzer” by Finger Eleven is known for its fast and catchy rhythm. This song is excellent for working on your strumming and maintaining focus. It also introduces the concept of muting specific notes, which can be a bit tricky for coordination at first but is a fundamental guitar technique.
Paralyzer by Finger Eleven guitar tabs
Smoke on the Water by Deep Purple
While many beginner riffs focus on single notes, “Smoke On The Water” by Deep Purple is a fantastic starting point for playing chords. Playing chords requires more finger precision and coordination than single notes. Because “Smoke On The Water” has a slower tempo, it’s ideal for practicing chord changes and getting your fingers used to forming chord shapes.
Symphony of Destruction by Megadeth
Time to crank up the intensity a bit! “Symphony of Destruction” by Megadeth is a step towards heavier music. As you can see in the tab example, this riff switches between single notes and chords and also introduces palm muting (P.M.). The chords aren’t overly complex, but transitioning between chords and incorporating palm muting adds a new layer of challenge that’s perfect for intermediate beginners.
Symphony of Destruction by Megadeth guitar tabs
Shepherd of Fire by Avenged Sevenfold
“Shepherd of Fire” by Avenged Sevenfold is another fiery and fun song to play as a beginner. This song brings together several techniques you’ve been learning: slides, vibrato, single notes, and chords. It’s a great way to practice combining different elements in a more dynamic and modern song.
Shepherd Of Fire by Avenged Sevenfold guitar tabs
Guitar Tabs for Beginners and Beyond
These easy guitar song tabs are just the beginning! There’s a vast world of music out there waiting for you to explore on guitar. Tabs exist for almost every song ever recorded, across every genre.
Learning guitar is a journey that requires consistent practice. While learning scales and music theory is important in the long run, guitar tabs offer an immediately rewarding way for beginners to engage with music and learn their favorite songs. It’s like getting to play the game right away instead of just practicing drills.
Whether you choose to learn in a band, with a teacher, or on your own, remember that personal practice is crucial. Consider exploring resources like Simply Guitar (or other guitar learning apps and websites) which offer structured lessons, from basic techniques to reading standard notation, alongside playing cool tunes. Start with these easy guitar song tabs and keep exploring – your guitar playing journey is just beginning!
FAQs
What does a ‘/’ mean in guitar tabs?
A forward slash ‘/’ in guitar tabs indicates a slide up. For example, “8/10” means you should slide your finger from the 8th fret to the 10th fret on that string without lifting your finger off the string.
What do the numbers mean on guitar tabs?
The numbers in guitar tabs represent the fret number on the guitar neck. A number on a string line tells you to press down that string at the specified fret. “0” means play the open string.
How do you recognize chords on tabs?
Chords in tabs are recognized by vertically aligned numbers. When you see numbers stacked directly on top of each other on different string lines, it means you need to play all those notes together as a chord.
