Guitar String Number	Tuning Note
1st	e
2nd	B
3rd	G
4th	D
5th	A
6th	E

 

Numbering Frets

On a guitar neck, there are frets. Frets divide the neck into musical intervals or musical degrees. Each fret represents a particular musical note on a guitar neck.

Frets on a guitar are numbered starting from 0 and generally go up till 20 on an acoustic guitar and 22 or 24 on an electric guitar.

0 represents open strings, which means you play the strings open. 1 represents the first fret, 2 represents the second fret and so on.

What are Guitar Tabs For Beginners?

Guitar tabs are simplified music notations that enable guitar players to quickly learn songs and music. Guitar tabs or Guitar Tablature show you what to play in a simplified method using the guitar number system. Tabs can be used to learn leads, chords, phrases, melodies, practice exercises, and a lot more.

How Do You Read a Guitar Tab For Beginners?

Guitar tabs consist of horizontal lines. Each horizontal line represents a string on a guitar. For 6-string guitar, there will be 6 horizontal lines on the guitar tab. The top line on the guitar tab represents the 1st string and the bottom line on the guitar tab represents the 6th string.

Frets are represented on tabs using numbers. 1 represents the first fret, 2 represents 2nd fret, and so on. Number 0 in tabs represents open fret.

Fret numbers are placed on the horizontal lines in guitar tabs to indicate the particular fret that needs to be played on a particular string.

So for example, if you are given the below tab

You will play 3rd Fret on 1st String, 1st Fret on 2nd string, 3rd string open twice, 6th fret on 4th string, 2nd fret on 5th string, and 6th string open twice.

What Does 0 Mean in Guitar Tabs?

Zero refers to open fret. Zero means that you play the string open and do not fret that string. E.g., If a guitar tab states 0 on the 1st string that means you play the first string open, without fretting it.

What Are Chords?

Simply put, chords are two or more music notes(also called 'pitches') played simultaneously. Depending on the note choice, chords can be consonant or dissonant in nature.

There are several chord types like major chords, minor chords, augmented chords, 7th chords, etc. All these chords can easily be learned with chord diagrams.

What is a Chord Chart or Chord Diagram?

A chord chart also known as a chord diagram, helps represent a chord shape on a piece of paper or music sheet. Similar to guitar tabs, chord charts also use the guitar number system to simplify reading, learning, and playing chords.

How to Read Chord Diagrams?

Chord charts or chord diagrams consist of vertical lines. These vertical lines represent strings on a guitar. The rightmost line represents the 1st string on a guitar and the leftmost line represents the 6th string on the guitar.

These lines are divided into different blocks using horizontal lines. These blocks represent a fret on a guitar neck. The thick top horizontal line represents the 0th fret, i.e., open strings. The first block represents the first fret, the second block represents the second fret, and so on.

Black filled dots, marked on vertical lines, indicate which fret needs to be fretted on the particular strings. Dots without fill indicate open fret. Generally, dots are also marked with numbers 1,2,3,4. These numbers indicate the left-hand finger that is used to fret.

If a chord shape starts from a higher fret, then the starting fret number is stated in the chord diagram. A straight line across all strings represents a bar chord.

Now you know the basics of reading guitar chords and tabs. Now, you can easily learn to play any piece of music on guitar by reading guitar tabs.

 

FAQ

What is the difference between guitar tabs and chord diagrams?

Guitar Tabs can be used to represent any form of music that can be played on guitar. It could be lead lines, rhythms, chords, harmonies, etc. Chord diagrams on the other hand are only used to graphically illustrate guitar chord shapes.

Should I learn tabs or chords?

You should learn both. Beginners often confuse guitar tabs as lead playing and guitar chords as rhythm playing. Guitar tabs or guitar tablature can be used to represent any piece of music in a simplified manner. It can be lead phrases, chords, rhythm, arpeggios, etc. Guitar tabs can contain chord charts within them, and you should be comfortable reading both guitar tabs and chord diagrams.

Are tabs a good way to learn guitar?

Guitar Tabs are one of the easiest and most efficient ways to learn to play the guitar. Unlike music notations or music sheets, learning to read guitar tabs is very easy. You can easily find guitar tabs for music that you wish to learn and start learning within few minutes.

What is the difference between a tab and sheet music?

The main difference between guitar tabs and sheet music is the ease of understanding. Guitar Tabs use a numbering system, making them very easy to read and understand. Music Notation, used in sheet music, is far more complex and difficult to understand for beginner musicians.

The purpose of both guitar tabs and sheet music is to transcribe any piece of music in written form.

That being said, sheet music is still the conventional way to learn music.

Should I learn sheet music or tabs?

If your goal is just to play the guitar and produce music for yourself. You will do fine learning just Guitar Tabs. If you wish to play as a session musician or produce music professionally, you should consider learning to read sheet music as well.

Are tabs or sheet music better?

Both guitar tab and sheet music are equally good. The purpose of both guitar tabs and sheet music is to transcribe any piece of music in written form. Earlier Guitar Tabs used to lack the ability to convey the rhythm of the music. With the advancement in tab writing software programs, guitar tabs can also convey the rhythm using a hybrid of tabs and conventional music notation.

Do guitar players need to read music?

The ability to read sheet music is always a major advantage as a professional musician. Most session musicians are well versed in reading sheet music. Given the complex nature of sheet music and the learning curve, a guitar player should learn to read sheet music only if he/she wishes to perform as a session musician with other producers/orchestras.