Dansm's Key to Tablature Notations

Introduction to Tablature Notation

Welcome to Dansm's Key to Tablature Notations. My name is Dan Smith, I'm a first-year grad student at Harvard, and I've been playing guitar for 5 years now. This page provides a comprehensive list of all notations I use in my tabs. In case you haven't seen my tab pages, I have an Eagles tab page, an acoustic songs page, and a fingerpicking songs page. I also have pages regarding reading music, fingerpicking lessons, guitar techniques, guitar chord theory, and guitar scales. If you are a beginner, make sure you also check out Dansm's Advice for Beginning Guitarists. If you don't understand one of the techniques mentioned below, check out my page on guitar techniques, then go to a guitar instructor for help. I hope this information makes reading my tabs easier! Good luck, and have fun!

To begin I will use an example from one of my tabs.
This is the first two measures of the intro to Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven.
The whole song can be found here.

   +   +   +   +     +   +   +   +    
e:-------5-7-----7-|-8-----8---------|
B:-----5-----5-----|---5-----7-----7-|
G:---5---------5---|-----5-----7-----|
D:-7-------6-------|-5-----------7---|
A:-----------------|---------5-------|
E:-----------------|-----------------|

Each line of ------- refers to a string on your guitar, shown lowest strings on the bottom. These are labelled with the note they represent (E, A, D, G, B, and e). In other tunings, the actual string tunings will be represented (for example, in drop-D tuning, the strings would be labelled D, A, D, G, B, and e).
The numbers on the lines refer to the frets you play on that string. Therefore, the first note you play is 4th string 7th fret, then 3rd string 5th fret, and so on.
The vertical lines ( | ) refer to the end of a measure. If you don't understand this, check out my page on musical notation for guitar.
The addition signs ( + ) refer to the beat. If you don't understand this, check out my page on musical notation for guitar.

Now we will move on to slightly more complex stuff.
This is the intro to the Eagles' Life in the Fast Lane.
The whole song can be found here.

   +       +       +      +      
e:------------------------------|
B:------------------------------|
G:------------------------------|
D:-----7---5--------------------|
A:-5h7---7-----7p5--------------|
E:-----------------6p5-3--0-----|

The h stands for hammer-on. This example shows a hammer-on from the 5th string 5th fret to the 5th string 7th fret.
The p stands for pull-off. In a pull-off, you do not pick the second note. This example shows a pull-off from the 5th string 7th fret to the 5th string 5th fret and a pull-off from the 6th string 6th fret to the 6th string 5th fret.
For instruction on how to play the hammer-on and pull-off, try my page on guitar techniques.

Here are some more techniques. This is part of the solo from the Eagles' Already Gone.
The whole song can be found here.

                                                          1/2                   1         
   +     +    +   +     +     +     +    +     +     +     +   +     +     +     +   +    
e:-------.------------|----------------------|-------.-------------|-------.-------------|
B:-12----12---12------|----------------------|-------13-12^~~~~~~~-|-------15-15^~~~~~~~-|
G:-12-12-12---12------|-11-12-.--------------|-12h14---------------|-12h14---------------|
D:--------------------|-------12----12~~~~~--|---------------------|---------------------|
A:--------------------|----------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
E:--------------------|----------------------|---------------------|---------------------|

The . over a number means staccato. A note marked like this should be very short.
The ~~~~~~ after a note means vibrato.
For instruction on how to play vibrato, try my page on guitar techniques.
The ^ after a note means bend. The number of steps that the bend is shown directly above the ^ in the tab. Therefore, the first bend (2nd string 12th fret) is a half-step bend. There are many different things you can do with bends. Here are some of them:
- If you see a marking like --12^~~~r--, this means hold the bend and then release it.
- If you see -^12~~~~--, this indicates a prebend. To do this, bend the note and then pick it.
- If you see a marking like -12^~~r(12)p10--, this indicates a bend, then release, then a pull-off. Only the first note is picked.
- For instruction on how to play these bends, try my page on guitar techniques.

Many other symbols will appear in my tabs. They are summarized below:

4/6 denotes a slide up from the 4th fret to the 6th fret.
\ denotes a slide down.
//// denotes a gradual slide.
For instruction on how to play slides, try my page on guitar techniques.
! over a note indicate harmonics.
For instruction on how to play harmonics, try my page on guitar techniques.
; over a note indicates a trill.
A note in parentheses, like (12), means that that note should not be picked. It will appear because you released a bend or did a slide to that note.

This indicates an arpeggio. Slowly strum the strings up, letting the notes ring.

    e:-----|
    B:-^1--|
    D:-^2--|
    G:-^2--|
    A:-^0--|
    E:-----|

This indicates a downward arpeggio. Slowly strum the strings down, letting the notes ring.
```
    e:-----|
    B:-v1--|
    D:-v2--|
    G:-v2--|
    A:-v0--|
    E:-----|
```

This should be most of the tab markings I use. I hope this page has been helpful!

Back to Dansm's Musical Notation for Guitar
You are visitor number since 6-22-97
© 1997 Daniel E. Smith. Last updated 6-21-97

Introduction to Tablature Notation

To begin I will use an example from one of my tabs. This is the first two measures of the intro to Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven. The whole song can be found here.

Now we will move on to slightly more complex stuff. This is the intro to the Eagles' Life in the Fast Lane. The whole song can be found here.

Here are some more techniques. This is part of the solo from the Eagles' Already Gone. The whole song can be found here.

Many other symbols will appear in my tabs. They are summarized below:

This should be most of the tab markings I use. I hope this page has been helpful! Back to Dansm's Musical Notation for Guitar You are visitor number since 6-22-97 © 1997 Daniel E. Smith. Last updated 6-21-97

To begin I will use an example from one of my tabs.
This is the first two measures of the intro to Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven.
The whole song can be found here.

Now we will move on to slightly more complex stuff.
This is the intro to the Eagles' Life in the Fast Lane.
The whole song can be found here.

Here are some more techniques. This is part of the solo from the Eagles' Already Gone.
The whole song can be found here.

This should be most of the tab markings I use. I hope this page has been helpful!

Back to Dansm's Musical Notation for Guitar
You are visitor number since 6-22-97
© 1997 Daniel E. Smith. Last updated 6-21-97