A Guide to Reading Tablature
by Kole and Zack Uidl
Tablature is a system of notation that is used to notate music for instruments with frets. While most popularly used for the guitar, any instrument with frets can be written in tablature. Keep in mind, however, that all these examples are written for guitar. Rather than having note names and pitches of five staff lines, there are numbers on six lines. Each line represents one string of the guitar while the numbers represent what fret is to be played on that particular fret. Looking at the image below, notice how the 0 represent the open string and how the strings are in order on the tablature from the low E string (left) to the high E string (right).
When the numbers appear individually, one after the other, they will be played separately. The example below uses a G major scale and each note is played one note at a time.
However, if the numbers appear on top of each other, they will be played at the same time. The example below is a G Major chord and each note of that chord is to be played at the same time as the others.
Frequently, tablature will not have note durations notated as tablature was designed to accompany you with a song or piece of music that you are already familiar with. While it can be done, commonly, you will see standard notation and tablature together. When this method is present, you can do any of the following:
- Use just the standard notation
- Use the standard notation for the rhythms of the music, and the tablature for the notes
- Only use the tablature, but use your ear to match the rhythms to the song or piece
Option 1 and 2 are the best choices.
Just like in standard notation, tablature has a series of symbols that are used to notate a particular sound, ornamentation, or articulation. Below is a key that notes and explains each of these symbols. (This list merely shows the tablature specific symbols. Many things such as triplets, ties, and slurs are the same in standard notation and tablature.)
Fretting Hand Fingerings
These numbers simply represent what finger to use in order to be most efficient or to play it correctly. Index finger = 1, Middle finger = 2, Ring finger = 3. Pinkie = 4. Occasionally you may see a T which represents your fretting hands thumb.
Picking Hand Fingerings
These numbers simply represent what finger to use in order to be most efficient or to play it correctly. P = Thumb, I = Index finger, M = Middle finger, A = Ring finger. Occasionally, the pickings hands pinkie can be used as well.
Picking Strokes
Down Stroke (towards the ground): 
Up Stroke (towards the sky): 
Tremolo Picking
When tremolo picking, each note that is to be tremolo picked will be alternate picked rapidly. (Alternate picking is simply down, up, down, up, etc.)
Palm Muting
Palm muting is used to create a dynamic difference between the accented notes/beats and those that are not. To palm mute, one must rest their picking hand's palm slightly on the strings very close to the bridge. The abbreviation for the palm muting symbol is P.M.
Fret-Hand Muting
Fret-handed muting is done by resting the fingers of your fretting hand slightly on the strings and picking the strings notated with and X. This gives a very percussive sound.
Let Ring
This symbol represents that after playing a note, you want it to continue to sound and not stop as the next note starts. By the end of the section, you want all the notes, or as many as possible, to still be sounding.
Arpeggiate Chord
When arpeggiating a chord, you will strum the chord one note at a time, in the direction of where the arrow is pointing towards. If the arrow is pointing down, you will play the notes of the chord from highest string to lowest string. If the arrow is pointing upwards, you will do the opposite.
Hammer-On
When playing a hammer-on, the first note will be picked while the next note(s) will not. They will be sounded by a quick motion by your fretting hand to the appropriate fret.
Pull-Off
When playing a pull-off, the first note will be picked while the next note(s) will not. They will be sounded by a quick flicking motion off of the string by your fretting hand to the appropriate fret.
Trills
A trill is an ornamentation that is alternating between two notes quickly. They can be written like the first staff or more like the ending of the second staff. Trills can also be notated with a combination of both methods.
Slides
A slide is when you pick the first note and either slide your finger up or down to the appropriate fret without allowing it to come off of the fret board.
1/2 Bend
A 1/2 bend is when a note is played and then the string is bent in a pushing or pulling motion to raise the pitch of that note 1/2 step higher, which is the equivalent of 1 fret being higher.
Full Bend
A full bend is when a note is played and then the string is bent in a pushing or pulling motion to raise the pitch of that note 1 step higher, which is the equivalent of 2 fret being higher.
1/4 Bend
A 1/4 bend is when a note is played and then the string is bent in a pushing or pulling motion to raise the pitch of that note 1/4 step higher.
Bend and Release
A bend and release is when a note is bent to particular pitch and then returns to the original pitch.
Pre-Bend
A pre-bend is when the string or pitch is already bent up to the particular interval and then the string is slowly straightened to return to a desired note.
Hold Bend
A held bend will keep the string bent to the proper note before dropping the pitch back to the original when it is released.
Vibrato
Vibrato is when a note is held and the fretting hand/finger vibrates in order to fluctuate the pitch higher and lower.
Rake (Pick Rake)
A rake, or pick rake, is when strings are muted with your fretting hand as the pick hits the notes in order before reaching the desires string and note.
Pick-Scrape
While holding the pick in you picking hand, slide the pick on the strings towards the headstock of the guitar or away from the headstock of the guitar.
Natural Harmonic
Pick the note while lightly touching the string directly over the fret indicated. Frets 12, 9, 7 and 5 are considered natural harmonics. Notes that are harmonics can also be indicated by shapes such as a circle around the fret number.
Artificial Harmonic
Fret the note as shown. Then lightly touch the string with your fretting hand's index finger twelve frets above and pick with your thumb. Notes that are harmonics can also be indicated by shapes such as a circle around the fret number.
Pick/Pinch Harmonic
Fret the note as shown, but dig into the string with the side of your thumb as you sound the note with the pick. Notes that are harmonics can also be indicated by shapes such as a circle around the fret number.
Picking Hand Tapping
Tapping is executed with your fretting hands fingers. Notes will be indicated as tapped when a “T” appears above the note. Sometimes, the note will also have a shape such as a circle surrounding it. The fingers from your fretting hand that you will be tapping with will be indicated as: Index finger = T1 — Middle finger = T2 — Ring finger = T3 — Pinkie = T4
© Kole and Zack Uidl. All Rights Reserved. Used with Permission.
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