How to Read Guitar Tablature

When learning to play the guitar, many people are quickly discouraged when learning to read music because it is difficult and time consuming if you don't understand what is going on. Luckily, for guitar, there is another method in which to read music besides the funny little black and white dots. Although sometimes referred to as "pictionary for the music illiterate", tablature is a quick and easy way to get started without having to learn too much at first

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Guitar
• Pick
• Tablature

1. First, find a simple tablature song online. Try searching keywords like "Mary had a Little Lamb Tablature".

2. Once you have found your music, look at it closely. Notice that there are six lines. Each one of these lines represents a string on your guitar.

3. The top and bottom lines are your low and high E string. The order of the strings is (starting from the bottom line) E-A-D-G-B-E, or an easier way to remember is: Every Average Dog Growls But Eats.

4. Now, the next thing you should notice is that there are numbers on the lines. Look at the first number. Notice what line this number is on. If it is a 3 on the top line, that would mean that you place your finger on the third fret and strum the string.

5. Sometimes you will see several numbers in a line together. This is called a chord. You will play these notes all at the same time. If there is a o, then you play the string without any fingers on it. If there is an x, then don't play that string.

6. You may notice that there occasionally will be symbols or drawings. These can vary from person to person as to what their meanings are. The easiest way to determine what the writer wants, is to listen the song and then play along with it.

7. Since there is no determination generally on how to long or short to play the notes, you will have to make that determination yourself. Well, pick up that guitar and start reading some tab!