[chyk4christ]

please i have tried and tried can someone dumb it down for me

[mtlmouth]

Okay, so you have a tab like this:

E-----------------------0--------4--2-0--------------------------
B---0--------------0---------------------------------0-----------
G------1------1----------------------------1----3----------------
D--------2-------------------------------------------------------
A----------------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------------

The top line is the high E string. The bottom one is the low E, and the strings are arranged just like they are on your guitar. The numbers along those lines tell you what fret to play on which string. Read them left to right just like you would read any sentence in English. So in this tab, you'll play the B string open, then G string on the first fret, then D string on the second fret, etc.
Tab won't tell you the rhythm to play the notes with, so it's much easier to start with tabs for songs you're quite familiar with, so you know how it should sound. Tab also won't tell you which fingers to use... you'll have to figure that out on your own, to find what's most comfortable for you.
If you haven't read this already, it ought to help you. That's how I learned to read tabs.
Hope that helped!

[chyk4christ]

Yea that kinda helped...but sorry i have to ask again.

In this example you gave:
E-----------------------0--------4--2-0--------------------------
B---0--------------0---------------------------------0-----------
G------1------1----------------------------1----3----------------
D--------2-------------------------------------------------------
A----------------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------------

So its G ***STRUM****
D ***STRUM****
D ***STRUM****
G***STRUM****
and so on?
is that what you mean?

[headbanger13]

Originally Posted by chyk4christ

Yea that kinda helped...but sorry i have to ask again.

In this example you gave:
E-----------------------0--------4--2-0--------------------------
B---0--------------0---------------------------------0-----------
G------1------1----------------------------1----3----------------
D--------2-------------------------------------------------------
A----------------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------------

So its G ***STRUM****
D ***STRUM****
D ***STRUM****
G***STRUM****
and so on?
is that what you mean?

No, each line in the tab corresponds to a string on your guitar. The numbers show which fret the note is at.

[bobthecockroach]

Tab is like drawing a little picture of your guitar and telling you exactly where to play. Sort of. Each line is a string. Each number is a fret. Read left to right.

[mtlmouth]

Originally Posted by chyk4christ

Yea that kinda helped...but sorry i have to ask again.

In this example you gave:
E-----------------------0--------4--2-0--------------------------
B---0--------------0---------------------------------0-----------
G------1------1----------------------------1----3----------------
D--------2-------------------------------------------------------
A----------------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------------

So its G ***STRUM****
D ***STRUM****
D ***STRUM****
G***STRUM****
and so on?
is that what you mean?

Not really. You only play the notes that are marked, one at a time. So you're not playing chords, you're playing individual notes.

[saveddave]

A G chord would look like this

E---3--
B------
G------
D------
A---2--
E---3--

The low E string fingered at the 3rd fret, The A string fingered at the second fret, the high E string fingered at the 3rd fret. All strummed on one beat. Most tab doesn't help much with the rythm of the music, you just get what notes are played. The previous examples given were more if you were playing a little lead guitar melody, one note after the other. I hope that helps.

[chyk4christ]

yea it does help! but the how come the numbers like slant i don't get that part?

[Adam K]

Originally Posted by chyk4christ

yea it does help! but the how come the numbers like slant i don't get that part?

You read it left to right.


E-----------------------0--------4--2-0--------------------------
B---0--------------0---------------------------------0-----------
G------1------1----------------------------1----3----------------
D--------2-------------------------------------------------------
A----------------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------------


Like on this tab, you would play the "0" on the B-string first, then the "1" on the G-string etc.,

The reason it is slanted is because the notes are on different strings.

[Sith of blades]

okay, a single notation TAB looks like the above example:
E-----------------------0--------4--2-0--------------------------
B---0--------------0---------------------------------0-----------
G------1------1----------------------------1----3----------------
D--------2-------------------------------------------------------
A----------------------------------------------------------------
E----------------------------------------------------------------

Read from left to right, you only play the string that is inticated.
E----
B--0-
G----
D----
A----
E----

In that example, '0' is the only note indicated, and it's indicated on the B string. There is no indication to play any other notes. So, you would only play 0 fret on the B string.

Chord TAB:
Chord TAB is the same thing, just a little more to it:
E---3--
B------
G------
D------
A---2--
E---3--
Above is the chord 'G' Major. The tab has three different frets indicated to play at the same time. You can tell that because each number appears directly on top of the other. They are in a straight line upwards.
The difference in reading Chords from Single Notes is that just because there is not a marking on a line doesn't mean you don't play it.
Really, 'G' Major could also be tabbed like this:
E---3--
B---0--
G---0--
D---0--
A---2--
E---3--

With Chords, you usually strum from the first indicated note to the last.
So:
E-----
B-----
G---3-
D---3-
A---1-
E-----
In this example, the first note indicated (going up from low E) is fret 1 on the A string. From then it's the 3rd fret on the D string, and the 3rd fret on the G string. After the last one (3rd fret, G string) there is no indication to play any more notes, and there is no indication to play anything before the 1st fret on the A string. So, you would simply play the three notes indicated all at once as a chord.

Another chord you might see:
E------
B------
G---1--
D------
A---2--
E------
In this chord, only frets 2 on the A string, and 1 on the G string are indicated, and there is no marking on the D string inbetween them. So, you would just assume that you strum the D string open, so you'd really be playing:
E------
B------
G---1--
D---0--
A---2--
E------

If a TAB wants you to play two strings, but NOT the strings inbetween them, then usually it will look like this:
E------
B------
G---1--
D---x--
A---2--
E------
The 'x' on that string, tells you to either not play that string, or palm mute it.

Here is a legend of marking you might find in a TAB:
x = do not play, or palm mute, a string.
/ = slide from one note to the next. (EX: ---3/4---) (EX: ---4/3---)
h = hammer on to a note. (EX: ---3h4---)
p = Pull off a note. (EX: ---4p3---)
~ = Hold a note or let it ring. (EX: ---4~~~~~~~---)

I hope that helps!!!

[chyk4christ]

yea...yea....I'm starting to get the picture...thanks!
God Bless