How to Read Tabs on an Electric Guitar
Reading guitar tabs for electric or acoustic guitar is an alternative to standard musical notation, and is used primarily by beginners or more advanced players with no formal music education. Tablature for stringed instruments enjoyed widespread use starting around the European Renaissance period in the 14th through 16th centuries, along with other various forms of written music. Tablature remained a popular alternative because its written form mirrors the strings and fretboard of a particular instrument, allowing the player to more readily "visualize" well-defined playing positions than with standard musical notation common to all instruments.
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Instructions
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Look at the tablature and familiarize yourself with the string layout. The horizontal lines represent the guitar strings, with the top line representing the thinnest string (bottom string on the guitar, or high E) and the bottom line representing the thickest (top string on the guitar, or low E). From top to bottom, the lines correspond to high E (first string), B (second string), G (third string), D (fourth string), A (fifth string) and low E (sixth string). The string names are sometimes marked on the left side, next to the string lines.
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Follow along with the numbers placed on the individual strings. These numbers represent the fret on which a finger will be placed. When two or more numbers appear in a stacked vertical group, this represents a chord, and the frets on each string to be played for that chord. Chord names are sometimes written above the top line in these cases.
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Play the tab numbers from left to right. When you reach the end of the tablature line, move down to the next line and play left to right--the same way you would read a sentence. In some cases, the fingers used for individual notes will be written below the bottom line to correspond with the fret number on the string line above.
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Notice small details placed above or below fret numbers, especially for electric guitar tabs. Common symbols include: an arrow pointing upward next to the number for a note bend, and a "U" shape connecting numbers underneath the numbers for a finger slide from the first fret number to the next. Other symbols, which often accompany tablature on a "legend" or symbol map, include whammy bar up or down, palm muting, trills, ghost noting, finger tapping and other techniques. Look at the tablature music for a symbol map for particular symbols used within the tab and memorize as many as you can for future reference.
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Tips & Warnings
Use tabs as a learning and writing tool in conjunction with formal guitar lessons, and music notation and theory lessons. This will make you a well-rounded player and further your understanding of all aspects of music.
Learning standard musical notation can help you be a better tab reader, too. Some tabs are complex, and include elements of tablature combined with music notation to make the tab more accurate.
Practicing solos, scales and songs with a metronome or drum machine is an excellent way to improve your timing, speed and accuracy.
Tablature is not a substitute for standard musical notation if you wish you further your formal music education and become a professional guitar player or teacher. Learning standard musical notation is a must for acceptance into music schools, employment as a recording session player, and for many other professional music positions.
Tablature is not a substitute for formal guitar lessons with a qualified teacher. Since tabs don't always provide finger positions, picking patterns and certain other key aspects of guitar playing, bad playing habits are easily formed and can be difficult to break.
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