For aspiring guitarists, learning to read guitar tablature, or guitar tabs, is a crucial step towards unlocking a world of music. If you’re looking to play your favorite songs, learn new riffs, or explore different genres, understanding tabs will give you access to a vast library of Free Guitar Tabs online. While it might seem daunting at first, this guide will break down the essentials, making reading guitar tabs straightforward and enjoyable.
Understanding the Numbering Systems in Guitar Tabs
Before diving into the layout, let’s clarify the three fundamental numbering systems you’ll encounter in guitar tabs. These are essential for translating the tab notation into actual guitar playing.
- Frets: These are the metal bars running along your guitar neck. They are numbered starting from the headstock (the top of the guitar) down towards the body. The fret numbers on tabs tell you where to place your fingers on the fretboard.
- Fingers: When reading tabs, finger numbers refer to the fingers on your fretting hand (usually your non-dominant hand). Typically: 1 = Index finger, 2 = Middle finger, 3 = Ring finger, and 4 = Pinky finger. Knowing finger numbers helps with chord diagrams and more complex tab notations in some resources.
- Strings: Guitar strings are also numbered, but this time from thinnest to thickest. The thinnest string, closest to the floor when you play in a standard position, is string 1 (high E). The thickest string, nearest to the ceiling, is string 6 (low E). Guitar tabs are designed around these six strings.
The Basic Layout of Guitar Tabs
Guitar tabs are visually represented with six horizontal lines, each corresponding to a guitar string.
- Top Line: Represents the thinnest string, the 1st string or high E string.
- Bottom Line: Represents the thickest string, the 6th string or low E string.
Numbers placed on these lines indicate which fret to play on that specific string. A ‘0’ means you play the open string (no fret pressed down). Numbers greater than 0 indicate the fret number you should press down.
Reading Direction: Guitar tabs are read from left to right, just like reading a book. Numbers appearing vertically stacked are played simultaneously, often indicating chords. Numbers appearing horizontally are played sequentially, usually forming melodies or riffs.
Notes, Chords, and Musical Elements in Tabs
Guitar tabs use numbers and symbols to represent various musical elements beyond just notes and chords.
- Notes: Single numbers on a tab represent individual notes played one after another, forming melodies, solos, or riffs. You’ll read these numbers in sequence from left to right.
- Chords: When you see numbers stacked vertically on the tab lines, it indicates a chord. You play all these notes together at the same time, creating harmony.
- Palm Muting (P.M.): Often indicated as “P.M.” followed by dashes ( – – – – ), palm muting adds a dampened, percussive sound. You achieve this by lightly resting the edge of your palm on the bridge of your guitar while picking. The dashes indicate how long the palm muting should be sustained.
- Muted Notes (X): Represented by an “X” on a string line, muted notes, also called dead notes, are played by lightly muting the string with your fretting or picking hand to create a percussive, non-pitched sound. They are common in strumming patterns and rhythmic parts.
- Bending (b): An upward arrow (↑) or the letter “b” followed by numbers (e.g., 7b9) indicates a bend. This technique involves pushing or pulling the string after picking to raise the pitch. “Full bend” means bending a whole step, while “½ bend” (half bend) is bending half a step. Numbers like “7b9” mean bending the string at the 7th fret to the pitch of the 9th fret.
- Sliding ( / or ): Represented by a slanted line between two fret numbers (e.g., 5/7 or 75), sliding involves playing a note and then smoothly sliding your finger up or down the fretboard to another note without lifting the finger from the string. A forward slash (/) usually indicates sliding up (higher pitch), and a backslash () indicates sliding down (lower pitch).
- Hammer-ons (h) and Pull-offs (p): These techniques are often shown with a curved line or arc connecting two notes. A hammer-on (h) involves striking a fretted note with a finger from your fretting hand without picking. A pull-off (p) is the opposite – you pluck a string with a fretting finger to sound a lower note as you remove another finger from a higher fret on the same string. These are collectively known as “legato” techniques.
- Vibrato (~ or v): A squiggly line (~) or the letter “v” above a note indicates vibrato. This is a slight, rapid variation in pitch, achieved by gently and repeatedly bending and releasing the string. The depth and speed of vibrato can vary, adding expression to your playing.
- Downstrokes (↓) and Upstrokes (↑): These symbols indicate the direction of your picking hand. A downward arrow (↓) represents a downstroke (picking downwards), and an upward arrow (↑) represents an upstroke (picking upwards). These are crucial for rhythmic accuracy, especially in specific picking patterns. If these symbols are absent, you have more freedom to choose your picking direction.
Dive into the World of Free Guitar Tabs
Learning to read guitar tabs opens up a vast universe of musical possibilities. The internet is brimming with websites offering free guitar tabs for virtually any song you can imagine. Websites like Ultimate-Guitar, Songsterr, and many others provide massive libraries of tabs for all skill levels.
With this guide, you’re now equipped to navigate and understand guitar tabs. Like any new skill, practice is key. Start with simple tabs and gradually work your way up to more complex pieces. Don’t be afraid to experiment and, most importantly, enjoy the journey of learning to play guitar using free guitar tabs as your guide!
