Guitar Tabs for Beginners

Guitar Tabs for Beginners: Guitar tablature (tabs) tell a guitar player what notes are to be played, and because they seem less complex than standard music notation, it’s a popular method used to read music (especially for songs). Here’s more on Guitar tablature, where to find free tabs.

Introduction to Guitar Tabs

If you have always shied away from playing guitar, because you thought you would have to read the standard music notation, then here is an easy way out to learn the guitar.

Use the Guitar Tabs!

In fact, this unique concept has been created by guitarists themselves so that they can easily share their music with other guitarists.

A Guitar Tab is basically an easier way of writing notes, compared to the standard music notation, at least that is what most guitarists feel. A guitar tab consists of 6 horizontal lines denoted to the individual strings of the instrument and often mentions the chord name to aid the guitarist.

When glossing guitar songbooks you see the phrase guitar tabs a lot. In guitar, tabs are musical notations that guide players where to place their fingers along the strings and on which fret.

• Tabs are frequently used for guitars and other stringed and fretted instruments.
• This is the more popular reference for learning guitar for pop and rock music.
• These look easy to understand, compared to the musical notations used in classical music (staff notation that denote rhythm and timing and more).

Read: Standard Music notation vs tabs, what are the differences.

Reading Tabs – Any Prerequisites?

This is why guitar tabulatures aka tabs are so popular, as it is quite easy to play songs using these.

Guitar tabs for beginners allows you to get started with simple songs by easily following the tabs. You will be able to play different songs, without getting confused or bored.

So can you start playing these easy guitar tabs right from day one?

Well, playing these tabs actually requires at least some basic guitar playing skills, and of course the ability to read tab (which is not very difficult).

If you’re a total “newbie”, spend at least a few days strumming the guitar and go through some of the beginner guitar lessons here.

Difference Between Guitar Tab and Guitar Chord?

So what is the difference between Guitar tabs and Guitar chord charts?

Both, Guitar chord charts and tablature (tabs) can help a beginner to learn and play the guitar.

While tabs list the notes and tell you where to place your fingers on the fretboard, chord charts just list all the chords used to play the song.

Most beginners have this perception that chords are something complex, and much difficult to learn. However, the fact is that they’re just differently played or depicted in written music.

Chords are a combination of notes that are used to harmonize the melody notes. For example if the melody note is G, then you’ll most likely play the G major chord (G, B & D notes played together).

A Chord chart is another way to display musical notation, sort of a shorthand format. It simply lists all the chords needed to play the song. A chord chart shows a box instead of the complete measure (as in a tab), the box will have a number beside it that indicates what fret to play.

If you’re a beginner and want to learn to play a few songs (the complete notes from beginning to the end), then you will need a tab. How else are you going to know what the notes of the song are?

But if you already know how to play a few songs on the guitar, and want to improve your harmonizing skills, then a chord chart will help you better understand how to use various chords and chord progressions.

In most likelihood, you will end up using both over time.

Also, I would encourage you to learn the formal way of music notation as well (i mean, don’t just stick to the tabs)..

Basics of Guitar Tabs / Tablature

If you are new to guitar lessons, do not be confused about tabs and tablature. They mean the exact, same thing in guitar lingo. Learning to play the guitar is made easy with guitar tablature. Anybody who has a guitar and is willing to spend some time learning the rudiments can get along fine.

Easy guitar tabs or other guitar tablature provide visual interpretation of the guitar’s fret board so formal training is not necessary to understand guitar tabs. Guitar tabs are also easy to read and interpret hence, application is faster and easier.

Guitar tabs are musical notations that look like a written sheet music document but with some minor differences.

Instead of the usual dots spread on a 5 line stave to show a specific note, the frets are numbered on a six line stave. The line represents a guitar’s string. Therefore, the six lines are the six strings of the guitar. Guitar tabs are also read from left to right. A tab will tell you how to play all the notes of a song, in addition to the chords

 

 

If you have a four-stringed guitar, the guitar tabs will show four horizontal lines representing the four strings. The topmost string is the G string, followed by the D string, the A string, and lastly, the E string.

If you see two numbers (one above the other) on one string, it indicates that the string is to be played simultaneously.

If you’re reading guitar tabs, you will notice that you won’t be determining the position of the fret board where you have to play the note. The guitar notes can be played in various left hand positions and on diverse strings. guitar tabs are also easy to understand because the notations are clear.

Instead of learning how to study the pitch, you are learning where to place your fingers.

Here’s an example that will help you understand this better. Below is an example of G Major Chord denoted on a guitar tab.

3--
0--
0--
0--
2--
3--

And how do you read this? It’s quite easy actually. The top line represents the first string & the bottom string denotes the sixth string. Since all the numbers are stacked vertically, you have to play all vertical notes at the same time.

Number 3 on string 1 means you play fret 3 on the 1st string.
String 2, 3, & 4 are to be played open as 0 means that you play the string open (not fretted).
On string 5 you fret at the 2nd fret.
For string 6 at the bottom you hold down the 3rd fret.

Here’s the G major chord played as an arpeggio.

-----------------3--
--------------0-----
-----------0--------
--------0-----------
-----2--------------
--3-----------------

Here’s an example of a lead riff in G Major.

-------------------2--3-----
----------------0-----------
--------------0-------------
--------0--2----------------
-----2----------------------
0--3---------------------3--

 

Here’s a video that shows how to read tabs for guitar 

Learn to Play Song From Tab: How Long Does it Take for A Beginner?

So how long does it take to be able to play a full song (or Tab) as a Beginner?

Well, it depends on how much you practice. There are some who’re able to do it even in a month. There are some who are able to do it even within two weeks of practice (these are rare cases). Then there are some who take probably a couple of months or even more.

The point is that if you want to do it faster, you have to practice a lot.

In general, the first year of learning the guitar is usually the most difficult because you have to master the basics, and then most of the time you’re not sure about your capabilities.

As you’re able to play more songs, you become more confident and start attempting complex songs. Basically, everybody learns at their own pace.

More ways to Learn to Play Guitar

One of the important skills to be learned in music is to read notes and scales, which turns out to be a challenge for most students.

Some get bored reading notes, while some find it difficult to understand how to read them, while others are not sure how to apply them while playing their guitars.

Sight Reading on Guitar is challenging especially if you have played other music instrument before. But it will help you some great music that has been written or adapted for guitar, besides allowing you to play with other musicians.

The guitar tab may have limitations but it definitely is useful when used for the right reasons. It is best for serious guitarists to use a mix of both standard notation and the guitar tab. Though the standard notation would be used by other musicians as well, guitar tabs will help you to interact with or teach less experienced guitarists.

It may seem like a lot of work initially, but it is definitely doable and worth putting in the efforts to learn to read Guitar Tabs as well.

Play Guitar by Ear
Learning to Play Guitar by Ear is another method of learning, as opposed to the traditional sight-reading based guitar lessons. A lot of guitarists have learned to play guitar this way and you too can learn it if you approach it correctly.

As a beginner, you should always look for more resources that will help you learn better. In addition to the tabs you can also use guitar learning software, which will help you to learn on your own, save traveling time, and also save money.

Guitar Books with Tabs and Tabs for Practice

One of the important things that you will need as a beginner is a good set of practice material so that you can practice and also build a repertoire of songs.

There are several guitar books with songs written in tab format that are great for practice.

 

You can easily find guitar tabs for beginners on the internet, most of them free, which is an inexpensive way of building your music library.

 

Traditional guitar sessions, on the other hand, require you to pay subscription fees for the music notes.

Best Guitar Books with Tabs

• Selections from Rolling Stone Magazine’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time
• Metallica: Black, Guitar Tab
• The Great American Country Songbook (Easy Guitar with Notes & Tab)
• Ultimate Easy Guitar  Collection

Easy Guitar Tabs

Also find Easy Guitar Tabs to help you get started on the guitar. Find guitar tabs for some fairly easy to play songs, mostly rock and pop songs, covering bands like Beatles, Coldplay, Creedance Clearwater Revival, Green Day, Nirvana, U2, and Neil Young among others.

Simply click on the link, and ENJOY playing the song! For some songs, there’s a link to more complete lessons with audio and extensive explanation.

Here you go, guitar tabs to help you play some songs.

1. Every Rose Has Its Thorns video lesson
2. Rock And Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution (AC/DC)
3. House of the Rising Sun
4. Nowhere Man (The Beatles)
5. Iron Man (Black Sabbath)
6. All the Small Things (Blink 182)
7. More Than a Feeling (Boston)
8. God Put a Smile Upon Your Face (Coldplay)
9. Zombie (The Cranberries)
10. Sunshine of Your Love (Cream)
11. Lodi (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
12. Blackwater (The Doobie Brothers)
13. Riders on the Storm (The Doors)
14. Take It Easy (The Eagles)
15. Longview (Green Day)
16. You Really Got Me (The Kinks)
17. Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Syknyrd)
18. Come As You Are (Nirvana)
19. Wonderwall (Oasis)
20. Mary Janes Last Dance (Tom Petty)
21. Hey Their Delilah (Plain White T’s)
22. Californication (Chili Peppers)
23. Everybody Hurts (REM)
24. 19th Nervous Breakdown (The Rolling Stones)
25. Fire (Bruce Springsteen)
26. Wild World (Cat Stevens)
27. Beautiful Day (U2)
28. U2 Tabs
29. Buddy Holly (Weezer)
30. Seven Nation Army (The White Stripes)
31. Heart of Gold (Neil Young)

Wrap Up

Playing the guitar is not that easy as it looks, especially if you are just starting out and it can be challenging. It requires speed, and with all the slapping and sliding, the fingers should be exercised regularly to perform well.

In addition, your fingers should be able to take the impossible chords and switch chords with ease and agility. Practicing the hand is basic in guitar playing. You have to achieve speed without losing accuracy with each pluck. You also have to get used to the sensation of holding the guitar without using your left hand.

In this modern digital age, where access to information is quite easy, learning new things is quite easy and affordable. Reading notes, and going in to theories straight away scares most beginners and that is where guitar tabs are a great alternative to learning the guitar.

Easy Guitar tabs are readily available for download whenever you want. E-books and CDs on all guitar tabs and playing styles can also be found for a small fee. Registering with guitar forums will also improve your information about guitars, tabs and everything related and help you to master this instrument.

Apart from the guitar tabs and acquiring fingering speed, guitarists have to learn the tapping, slapping, and popping techniques. These techniques support the song context, making the notes more appealing and distinctive.

The On-line World has made it practical for just about everyone to obtain guitar tabs. You can select the songs you desire to play, or perhaps complete albums of your most loved rock bands.