CAN YOU READ GUITAR TABLATURE?

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Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Guitar Tablature - Learn To Play Yankee Doodle

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Peter_Edvinsson]Peter Edvinsson

You can learn to play melodies on your guitar even if you do not know sheet music notation. You will instead use easy to learn guitar tab or guitar tablature. Let's learn Yankee Doodle!

"Yankee Doodle" is a well-known American song, often sung patriotically today (although originally satirical). It is the state anthem of Connecticut.

The first verse and refrain goes like this:

Yankee Doodle went to town

A-Riding on a pony

He stuck a feather in his hat

And called it macaroni



Yankee Doodle, keep it up

Yankee Doodle dandy

Mind the music and the step

And with the girls be handy


We will use guitar tablature so you will not need to read sheet music notation. You will only use the thinnest strings on the guitar. The string with the highest pitch is called the first string or E-string. Look at the following guitar tab:


1. 0--0--0--------------------

2. --------- 1--1--1-----------

3. ------------------2--2--2--



This is a guitar tablature staff and the four number 0 indicate that you play the first string four times without pressing down any finger on your right hand. This is called to play on an open string.

The four number 1 coming after is played on the second string pressing down your first finger on the first fret. Then you will play the third string four times pressing down the string on the second fret. This is what the previous guitar tablature notation is telling you.

Let's take a look at Yankee Doodle and see what the melody looks like with guitar tab notation. We will start playing the melody to the following lyrics:

Yankee Doodle went to town

This will look as follows with guitar tablature:


1. ----------0-----0-----

2. -1--1--3-----1-----3--

3. ----------------------

4. ----------------------



The names of the four notes you have played are C C D E C E D

If you want to use your left hand in a professional way you can play the guitar tab notes on the first fret with your first finger, notes on the second fret with your middle finger and the notes on the third fret with your ring finger.

Let's proceed with the next words:

A-Riding on a pony


1. --------------0--------

2. -----1--1--3-----1--0--

3. --0--------------------

4. -----------------------



The names of the seven notes are G C C D E C B

How do you play guitar tab with your right hand?

Well, there are many ways to pluck or play the strings with your right hand. The easiest way is to use your right hand thumb.

Here's the next lyrics and guitar tablature:

He stuck a feather in his hat


1. --------------0--1--0-----

2. -----1--1--3-----------3--

3. --0-----------------------

4. --------------------------



The names of the tablature notes are G C C D E F E D

And called it macaroni


1. -----------------------

2. --1--0--------0--1--1--

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

4. -----------------------



The names of the guitar tab notes: C B G A B C C

Yankee Doodle, keep it up


1. -----------------------

2. -----0-----------0--1--

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

4. -----------------------



Guitar tablature notes: A B A G A B C

Yankee Doodle dandy


1. --------------------

2. --------------------

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

4. -----------3--2-----



Guitar tab notes: G A G F E G

Mind the music and the step


1. -----------------------

2. -----0-----------0--1--

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

4. -----------------------



Guitar tablature notes: A B A G A B C

And with the girls be handy


1. -----------------------

2. --------1--0--3--1--1--

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

4. -----------------------



Guitar tab notes: A G C B D C C

Now when you understand guitar tablature notation you can find many songs written this way on the internet. Search for guitar tab or guitar tablature. A complete guitar tablature staff has six lines representing the six strings.

Peter Edvinsson invites you to download your [http://www.capotastomusic.com]free guitar tabs at http:www.capotastomusic.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Edvinsson http://EzineArticles.com/?Guitar-Tablature---Learn-To-Play-Yankee-Doodle&id=731118

Monday, January 14, 2008

Acoustic Guitar Tabs

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Damian_Sofsian]Damian Sofsian

A guitar tablature, known as tab, is a diagram of strings where finger positions are indicated using numerals corresponding to the appropriate frets. Vertical lines represent the strings of an instrument and the horizontal lines represent the frets and dots indicate finger positions.

The series of horizontal lines forms what is called a staff or stave. Each line represents a string, and the standard acoustic guitar tab has a six-line staff. Numbers are written on the lines. Each represents a fret on the instrument. For example, a number 3 written on the top line means that the player should press down on the high E (top/thin) string (and not the low E, which is thicker) at the third fret. Number 0 stands for an open string.

To denote bends, hammer-ons and so forth, various lines, arrows and other symbols are used. A guitar tab is standardized, but different sheet music publishers adopt different styles in writing guitar music. Songbooks, guitar magazines and journals usually give a legend that specifies the style used.

The tab notation has several advantages over the standard musical notation, which uses a five-line staff. It is often easier and quicker for the player to interpret. Even those adept at reading the standard notation usually prefer the tab notation when it comes to learning to play guitar, because the acoustic guitar is a “harmonic” instrument, meaning that it plays multiple notes simultaneously. Moreover, acoustic guitar staff notation is written on a single staff compared with two for keyboard music. Therefore, it takes less time to read. The tab can also be easily represented using the ASCII code, which makes it easier to distribute electronically.

However, the tab is instrument specific, meaning that music written can only be played on guitar. Also, the tab only includes the pitch of the notes, and not rhythm. But rhythm can be indicated by notes or note stems written above the tab staff. This practice is sometimes adopted in guitar tab notation. [http://www.e-AcousticGuitars.com]Acoustic Guitars provides detailed information on Acoustic Guitars, Acoustic Guitar Tabs, Left Handed Acoustic Guitars, Used Acoustic Guitars and more. Acoustic Guitars is affiliated with [http://www.e-Banjos.com]Used Banjos.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Damian_Sofsian http://EzineArticles.com/?Acoustic-Guitar-Tabs&id=272553

Monday, January 7, 2008

Free Guitar Tablatures

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Morva]Thomas Morva

Guitar tabs or guitar tablatures are of utmost importance to those who play guitar. Guitar tabs are one of the important components for learning new tunes. Usually the guitar tabs come with the lyrics of the song for which the guitar tab is played, and sometimes the interlude or prelude lead part of the music is given through these guitar tabs.

Depending on the nature of the guitar, i.e. a rhythm guitar, a classical guitar, a bass guitar, a twelve string guitar and so on, the guitar tabs vary as these guitars and their arrangements and frets vary in shape, size and purpose. However, a guitar tab is a system of notations, letters, symbols and other visual representations - instead of the traditional musical notation.

The sole purpose of a guitar tab is to give the direction to the player as to how to play a musical piece through a diagram of strings of the guitar. Guitar tabs or a tablature nonetheless consists of a diagram of strings of the guitar with finger positions indicated by numbers corresponding to the appropriate frets and sometimes with the numerical representations of the fingers.

Free guitar tabs are very important for those who are young enthusiasts and are keen on learning the new tunes and technicalities of guitar and especially those songs which have extensive guitar uses, both plucking and other types of fingering as well as lead parts. The Web is the biggest resource for gathering these free guitar tablatures and is much conducive than those costly books at the nearby music stations and book stalls. Free guitar tablatures are those available on the Internet that give oneself the freedom to explore and choose the song or the music he wants the guitar tablatures for. [http://www.e-GuitarTabs.com]Guitar Tabs provides detailed information on Guitar Tabs, Free Guitar Tablatures, Classical Guitar Tablatures, Bass Guitar Tablatures and more. Guitar Tabs is affiliated with [http://www.Guitars-source.com]Guitar Tabs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Morva http://EzineArticles.com/?Free-Guitar-Tablatures&id=197243

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

What is Guitar Tab or Tablature

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Bill_McRea]Bill McRea

The guitar tablature is a notation that shows you were to place your fingers on a guitar fretboard in order to achieve certain chords. It does not deal with pitches as in standard music notation.

Guitar tablature is popular in music genres like rock and pop. They are rarely used in classical music. It is also a lot easier to use since it is a direct representation of the fretboard with the fingers.

If you are a budding guitarist you may meet guitar tablature while at a gig. It may also be standard for a band you'll like to join. So, how do you learn to read and write guitar tablature?

Like everything else in life, you can hang out with those who do use them and try to figure it out all by yourself. You can also get someone who'll explain it to you.

Now that we have the internet, there are several sites that have guitar tablature lessons. Just do a search in any of the popular search engines and you'll get help.

There is also another option: Guitar tablature software. They come with different features. Playing around with this kind of software will teach you a lot while you'll still be developing your guitar skills.

All you need to do is to follow the tune and begin to decode it. This assumes that you either have knowledge of standard music notation or use guitar tablature software that shows you what you're doing either by showing you keyboard notes or something else that will give you a reference point.

If you want to become a guitar pro, you'll have to learn to use guitar tablature sooner or later. Don't look at it as something evil. It will give you more opportunities since you'll have easier access to stuff from other guitarists. And guess what? Knowing how to write guitar tablature will make it very easy for you to share and store your inspirations.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_McRea http://EzineArticles.com/?What-is-Guitar-Tab-or-Tablature&id=449730