Tablature is a picture of the fretboard. Six lines stand for the six strings, numbers stand for frets, and the reader moves from left to right. It is the fastest way to learn a guitar part, and it has one large blind spot: it usually does not show rhythm. This guide explains how to read tablature accurately, how to recover the rhythm, and how to practise a part until it is clean.

The six lines and the tuning

Tab is written with the highest string at the top. From top to bottom the lines are e, B, G, D, A and E. Standard tuning is E A D G B E from low to high. The letters at the left of a tab are a reminder, not a requirement. A tab that says Drop D changes the sixth string to D.

e|----------------|
B|----------------|
G|----------------|
D|----------------|
A|----------------|
E|----------------|

Numbers are frets. 0 means an open string. A number on the third line means the note is played on the G string at that fret. When two or more numbers line up vertically, play them together. A chord may use two, three or six strings.

A first riff

e|---------------------------|
B|---------------------------|
G|---------------------------|
D|---------------------------|
A|--2--3--5--3--2------------|
E|-----------------3--2--0---|

This riff uses the A and low E strings. The first note is A at the second fret of the A string. The next notes are C, D, C and A, all on the same string. The low E string then gives G, F# and E. Play the phrase slowly and let each note ring until the next one starts.

The spacing in the tab is only a rough guide to time. The tab shows the order of notes, not their duration. To learn the rhythm, listen to the recording or read the standard notation if it is provided.

Techniques and symbols

h    hammer-on: pick the first note, then sound the next with a finger
p    pull-off: the reverse of a hammer-on
/    slide up to the next note
\    slide down to the next note
b    bend the string
r    release a bend
~    vibrato
x    muted or dead note
PM   palm mute
N.H. natural harmonic
A.H. artificial harmonic
T    tap

Slides and bends are often written between two numbers, for example 5/7 or 7b9. Read 7b9 as bend the seventh fret until it sounds like the ninth fret. A tie or a let-ring marking tells you to hold the note. A rest tells you to stop it.

Position and string choice

Tab numbers are frets, not positions. The same pitch can be played on different strings. The fifth fret of the low E string is the same pitch as the open A string. The choice of string changes the tone and the shape of the phrase. Use the recording and the surrounding notes to decide.

A phrase that stays between frets 5 and 8 is probably in fifth position. A phrase that moves from fret 2 to fret 10 may be a position shift or an open-string phrase. Mark the shifts in the tab before you play.

The rhythm problem

Tablature without rhythm is a list, not a piece of music. There are three reliable ways to recover the rhythm. Listen to the recording and tap the pulse. Read the standard notation if it is provided. Use a metronome and count the notes into the bar.

Start with the smallest repeating unit. If the riff is two bars, loop two bars. Count 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and. Place each note on a counted position. Write the counting above the tab by hand. Be careful with pickup notes, ties and rests. A note that looks like it starts on the beat may begin an eighth note before it.

Tab and standard notation

Tab shows where to put the fingers. Notation shows what the music is. Tab is good for a quick shape, a riff or a chord voicing. Notation is better for rhythm, key, harmony and a line that must be understood rather than copied. A player who reads both can learn faster and remember longer.

A 20-minute practice routine

1. Warm up for three minutes with the chromatic 1-2-3-4 pattern on each string, using alternate picking at a slow tempo.
2. Loop two bars for seven minutes at 60 to 70 percent of the target tempo. Stop at the first mistake and restart.
3. Isolate the difficult change or shift for five minutes.
4. Play along with the recording for five minutes, even if you simplify the part.

Common mistakes

• Starting at full speed and hoping that accuracy will follow.
• Ignoring the strings that should be muted.
• Gripping the neck too hard.
• Learning only the intro and never the whole song.
• Counting the notes but not the rests.
• Using tablature as the only source.

A short reading exercise

    1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and
e|---------------------------|
B|---------------------------|
G|---------------------------|
D|---------------------------|
A|--2--2--3--3--5--5--3--2---|
E|---------------------------|

Play this two-bar phrase at 60 beats per minute. Count aloud. Then play it at 70, 80 and 90. If a note buzzes, stop and fix the finger placement before raising the tempo. When the phrase is clean, play it with the recording and listen for the attack of each note.