0How to Read Guitar Tab Chords
When you see numbers stacked up on top of each other in tablature, this indicates that you are
to play them as a chord. Here is the tab for a C chord:
E--0----------------------------
B--1----------------------------
G--0----------------------------
D--2----------------------------
A--3----------------------------
E-------------------------------
The following example shows that you are to play the C chord four times:
E--0--0--0--0-------------------
B--1--1--1--1-------------------
G--0--0--0--0-------------------
D--2--2--2--2-------------------
A--3--3--3--3-------------------
E------------------------------
In the above example, you would strum the C chord four times. If, instead, you were supposed
to pick the chord one note at a time (an arpeggio), as in a finger-picking song or maybe a slow
ballad section, you would see the numbers of the chord spread out this way:
E------------0---------------------
B----------1-----------------------
G--------0-------------------------
D------2---------------------------
A----3-----------------------------
E----------------------------------
Notice that the above example is the same C chord played in the previous example, but this
time played as an arpeggio.
Expert Tip: I would highly suggest that whenever you are looking at tab, you keep an eye out for
groupings of numbers that actually make up a chord shape. I routinely see students struggling to play a
series of notes one at a time, and to finger them one at a time – and having the song not sound like it's
supposed to sound.
Then I take a look at the tab they're working from and point out to them that that spread out group of
numbers is really just a C chord, or a D chord – or whatever – played one note at a time, as an arpeggio.
And then as soon as they actually hold the chord down and pick the notes, the song starts to sound like it
is supposed to sound.
They were seeing it all as just some random notes, not the chord that I saw it to be. Once they saw it and
played it as a chord, the song came together real quick.
So keep your eye out for chords played as arpeggios, and then hold the entire chord down as if you were
going to strum the chord, even if it is going to be played as an arpeggio.
That's yet another example of why you need to be fluent with all your basic chords. If you need help
smoothing out your chord changes, be sure to check out all the exercises and video lessons in mySo Is There Any Rhythmic Info in Tab?
The best you're going to get with most tab, in regards to any hints at the rhythm of the notes, is
the spacing of the numbers on the tab timeline. If a pause is needed between notes – or if a
note is to be held longer – there will usually be some space between it and the next note. And
when notes are to be played in rapid succession, they will be closer together.
Take a look at the tablature below. This tab represents the intro and repeating riff in the Beatles
"Day Tripper." Notice the space between the first note (the open sixth string) and the 3-4 that
follows on the same string. On the Beatles' recording, that first note – the open E string – rings a
bit before they continue with the rest of the riff. The spacing of the notes in this tablature
example indicates that you are to sustain that note (or at least pause) before playing the notes
at the 3rd and 4th frets.
E-----------------------------
B-----------------------------
G-----------------------------
D-----------2---0---4---0-2--
A---------2-------2---2-------
E-0---3-4---------------------
Watch for the spacing of notes in tablature and treat longer spaces as longer pauses or longer
sustained notes (you'll have to figure that out by listening to the song). You would know for sure
whether the note was to be sustained or simply followed by a rest if you were reading the same
notation in real sheet music.
