Wanna Rock? Sean Killeen's Guitar Instruction
Reading tablature

The second thing to look for is the number on the line. The numbers represent the fret on the guitar.(Example 2). The frets are the metal bars that go down the neck. So you count up to the 4th fret and put your finger behind the fret closer to the headstock of your guitar.
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Example 1
e-------------------------------------------------------------------Thin string
B-------------------------------------------------------------------
G-------------------------------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------------------------------Thick string

First thing to recognize is that the lines represent the strings (example 1)

Tablature is a form of reading music for guitar.

 
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Example 2
e----4--------------------------------------
B-------------------------------------------
G-------------------------------------------
D-------------------------------------------
A-------------------------------------------
E-------------------------------------------

Ok so you have the strings and the frets down. Now just like you were reading a book you have to read left to right. So in example three i have a few frets written down for you to play. You are supposed to play them in this order. (4, 1, 6)

Example 3
e----4----1----6-----------------
B---------------------------------
G---------------------------------
D---------------------------------
A---------------------------------
E---------------------------------

Somthing else to look for is the fingering. Underneath the tab it may show the recommended fingers to use. They will be in the form of numbers. 1 represents the index finger, 2 represents the middle finger, 3 represents the ring finger, and 4 represents the pinky. So the 2nd fret gets your index finger, the 3rd fret gets your middle finger, the 4th fret gets ring finger, and the 5th fret gets your pinky.

Example 4
e---------------------------------------------------------------------2-3-4-5
B--------------------------------------------------------2-3-4-5------------
G------------------------------------------2-3-4-5--------------------------
D----------------------------2-3-4-5----------------------------------------
A--------------2-3-4-5------------------------------------------------------
E-2-3-4-5-------------------------------------------------------------------
   1,2,3,4       1,2,3,4     1,2,3,4      1,2,3,4     1,2,3,4      1,2,3,4

Now try to play Mary Had A Little Lamb 

Now for the technical symbols. when you see this symbol "p" it means to pull off of one note to make another.
So you would pull off one fret to go to another fret. Example 5 shows a pull off from fret 7 to fret 5. To do this you have your third finger (ring finger) on the 7th fret and your first finger (index finger) on the 5th fret. You pluck the thin string with both fingers on their frets. Then pull your 3rd finger (ring finger) off leaving your index finger on the 5th fret.

Example 5
e--------7p5--------------------
B--------------------------------
G--------------------------------
D--------------------------------
A--------------------------------
E--------------------------------
             3,1

The next symbol is "h" which means hammer-on. This is the direct opposite of a pull off. In example 6 it shows a hammer-on from 5th fret to 7th fret. To do this, again you have your first and third finger to use. Except you start with just your index finger down on the 5th fret, pluck the string then slam your ring finger down on the seventh fret.

Example 6
e----5h7---------
B-----------------
G-----------------
D-----------------
A-----------------
E-----------------
        1,3

The next two symbols are "/" and"\" which mean slide up and slide down. for this you can use any finger, in fact i suggest you practice doing this with all fingers. In figure 7 it shows a slide up from the 5th fret to the 7th fret. To do this you place any desired finger on the 5th fret, pluck the string and hold your finger down while moving it to the seventh fret. To slide down you do the opposite. Pluck the string hold it down and then move your finger from the 5th from the 7th fret.

Example 7
e------5/7--7\5----
B--------------------
G--------------------
D--------------------
A--------------------
E--------------------

Now for chords in tablature form. Chords have the numbers all in line with each other. This means you play all of these notes together. To do this you have to have your fingers postioned in a certain way so you can strum the guitar. Example 8 shows an Emaj chord. The number 0 means no fret is held down

Example 8
e----0------
B---0------
G---1------
D---2------
A---2------
E---0------

A symbol commonly used along with chords is "x" which means mute. There is 2 ways to mute the notes on a guitar. There is a palm mute and a fret hand mute. The x is usually for the fret hand mute. The palm mute is usually marked with this symbol "pm". To do a fret hand mute you have to lay your fingers across the strings without pushing the strings down. Example 9 shows how mutes in a song may look.

Example 9
e---0-x--0--x--
B--0-x--0--x--
G--1-x--1--x--
D--2-x--2--x--
A--2-x--2--x--
E--0-x--0--x--

Sean Killeen *  Southampton, PA(phila suburbs) * USA * 18966 Phone: (215) 584-0363