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How to Read Tablature

Reading Music

How to Read Tablature

Tablature is a 6 line staff that represents the guitar fingerboard.

The top line represents the highest sounding string (E) on the guitar.

A number on a line indicates the fret and the string that note is played on.

The number 0 indicates an open string.

When you are holding your guitar the string closest to you is the low E-string.

In this example above you would play a. The 2nd fret of the 3rd string b. The 5th fret of the 5th string c. The open 3rd string

When the notes are vertically aligned you would play them at the same time (strum). In the example above you'd play: a. Open High E-string
b. 1st fret 2nd string c. 2nd fret 3rd string d. 2nd fret 4th string e. 5th string open

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