| Most guitarists are self-taught. They don't | | | | fret of the second string, followed by the |
| usually go through formal lessons learning | | | | second fret of the third string. The last |
| scales and music theory... People like Jimmi | | | | three lines all have the number zero in them. |
| Hendricks and Eric Clapton made all that | | | | This indicates that these strings are all |
| stuff way too boring long ago. The average | | | | played open. So, in this example we would |
| guitarist's self-taught nature may therefore | | | | play a simple form of the chord, D |
| explain why guitar tabs can sometimes be a | | | | major.Having the numbers all stacked |
| bit of a mystery -- it's a bit too much like | | | | vertically means that the strings depressed |
| reading music. But that's not really the | | | | on the corresponding strings are all to be |
| case. Let me show you how to read guitar | | | | played at the same time.One of the major |
| tabs...Guitar tabs are a form of written | | | | flaws of guitar tabs as a way of notating |
| musical notation, but one that is strictly | | | | music is it's inability to properly convey |
| for guitar. Tabs have six horizontal lines, | | | | rhythm and timing. This means that if you |
| one for each string. Starting with the bottom | | | | haven't heard the particular song or piece of |
| line and working up to the top line, the | | | | music you are trying to play, it may be a bit |
| lines represent the strings, E, A, D, G, B, | | | | like driving with your eyes closed.There's |
| and E like this:E---2---------- (first or top | | | | much more to it than that, things like the |
| string)B---3----------G---2----------D---0--- | | | | letter "h" representing a hammer on, and "b" |
| -------A---0----------E---0----------You will | | | | for string bends, and so on -- it gets |
| notice that there are numbers on the top | | | | complicated. If you're serious about learning |
| three lines. This is how you would represent | | | | how to read guitar tabs, you should find a |
| a chord. The numbers refer to the fret that | | | | good course to teach you.John Coutts is an |
| the corresponding string is pressed down on. | | | | experienced author who writes on a variety of |
| In this case, the second fret of the first, | | | | popular subjects. Did you find these tips |
| or top, string is depressed. Then the third | | | | useful? |