How To Read Tablature

Perhaps you have always wanted to learn how to play guitar, banjo, mandolin or some other stringed  instrument but have held yourself back because the idea of "reading music" is a horrifying idea.  Luckily a person doesn't need to read standard music notation to play your favorite stringed instrument.  In this article you will be introduced to tablature, a music notation method that anyone can learn to read.

Let's get started.

Part 1
Fun with numbers.

Let's take a look at the neck on a Deering Maple Blossom banjo.  If you are holding the instrument as if you were going to play it, the nut would be to your left side.  Each of the little squares (frets) you see after the nut has a number.  In the illustration below you can see frets 1 thru 5.

The strings also have numbers assigned to them.  Once again, if you are holding the instrument as if you were going to play it, string 1 would be the string closest to the bottom of the instrument.  String 1 is also the skinniest string.  From that starting point each string has it's own number from 1 up to 6 in the case of a guitar.

Talking Tablature.

Now let's look at what we have learned so far.  Do you see the yellow X on the fretboard?  That would be the first string - second fret.  How simple can that be?

The notation side of things.

We are using a banjo in our illustrations so we will be using a 5 line music staff.

Each of the lines on the staff represents a string on the instrument - line 1 being the first string, line 2 being the second string, and so on.  Here is how the yellow X would look when written in tablature.  The tablature is telling you to press down on the first string at the second fret.

Let's take a look at a C Chord written in tablature for the banjo.

The tablature is telling you to press down on the first string at the second fret.
The second string at the first fret.
Don't do anything to the third string.  (This is called an open string)
The fourth string at the second fret.
And an open fifth string.

If you ever see an X written in tablature it means don't play that string because it doesn't get along well with the other strings and will cause wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Believe it or not, you are already reading tablature.  Now on to some of the more advanced elements.

Music is a sequence of notes in an arranged pattern.  Let's look at a simple scale played on the banjo and written in tablature.

Reading from left to right the tablature is telling us the sequence of notes to play and which strings the notes are to be play on.  The scale starts on the fourth string with the string open, then moves to the second fret on the fourth string, to the fourth fret of the fourth string , and onward.

Part 2
What to do with your fingers.

First of all we need to assign some names to the little buggers.

T = Thumb
I  = Index
M = Middle
R = Ring
L = Little finger

Let's take a look at our C Chord from earlier on and add the left hand to the mix.

This is called a chord diagram and it shows you where to put your fingers on the fretboard.  It's a snapshot of the C Chord tablature from above.  Many times in tablature, especially when using a finger picking style of playing, the tablature will include which fingers to use to get the desired results.  Examples will follow later.

Part 3
Tablature and Technique

Pickers who reach a degree of proficiency are throwing a lot of embellishments into the mix.  If you really listen to what is going on you will hear techniques like slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and chokes or bends.  What are these techniques?

Slide - involves starting a note on a fret and sliding your finger, while applying pressure to the string, to another fret.  An example would be sliding from the second fret to the third fret on the fourth string.
Hammer-on - involves picking an open or fretted string and then rapidly fretting the same string on another fret.  You hammer down with your finger to change the tone while the string is still ringing.
Pull-off - involves picking a fretted string and then rapidly removing your finger to change the tone while the string is still ringing.  A pull-off can be executed from a fretted to an open position on the string or from a fretted to fretted position.  An example would be fretting a string on the third fret and pulling off to the fretted second fret.
Chokes or Bends - involves picking a fretted string and then applying upward or downward pressure to the string to change the tone.  The easiest way to explain this would be fretting a string and then pushing it toward your chin to make it sound like a different note.

So what do these monstrosities look like in tablature?

The Slide

The Hammer-on

The Pull-off

The Choke or Bend

As they stand independently, these examples of tablature don't mean a lot but when they are strung together they represent a fairly simple method of music notation.  Of course, things like slides and chokes take practice but now you can see how this all fits together.  Here is a simple example of guitar tablature - give it a try - I bet you can read it!