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What Is Tab? (or
tablature)
From meem@gnu.ai.mit.edu
Tab is short for tablature (or tabulature, depending on which dictionary you're
using). It's a different way of reading music than you may be used to: instead
of each bar representing a certain note, they each represent a string. They are
arranged so that the high E is represented by the top line and low E is
represented by the lowest bar. If the strings use an unconventional tuning, the
tuning will usually be shown next to the lines so you can see how each string
should be tuned.
Unlike conventional written music, time values are very rarely shown in
the tab. Instead, an estimate of how long it is between every plucked note
(which is represented by the distance between the numbers in the tab) is
commonly shown to roughly indicate timing.
Instead of representing the time of each note on the staff, a number
representing the fret on that string is shown. So, for example:
e------------------- ---0---------------
B---13-------------- ---1-----2---------
G---13-------------- ---0-------4-------
D------------------- ---2------------2--
A------------------- ---3---------------
E------------------- ---0---------------
Play the 13th fret Play a C chord, then wait,
on the second and play the 2nd fret on the B
third strings at the string quickly followed by
same time the 4th fret on the G
string, then wait and play
the 2nd on the D string.
There are many other guitar techniques we all know and love. Usually
these are explained by the author of the tablature, but here are some common
ones:
----7/9------- ----7^9r7------ ----7h9p7-------
Slide from 7th Bend from the From the 7th fret,
to 9th fret. 7th up to a 9, hammer onto the
then release 9th, then pull off
back to the 7th to the 7th.
Of course there are tons of other techniques like tapping and pick
sliding and whammy bar stuff, but all of that has not been standardized across
all compu-tab, magazines, and books (yet).
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