| Understanding Tabluature
'Tabluature' is a different kind of notation to the most widely used written music called 'musical notation'., and is specifically for guitar. The short form for tabluature is 'TAB'. Your EasyTAB software is based on this system. E|---------------- Visualize these six lines as the six strings on your guitar. The letters on the side are the note names of each of the open strings (unfingered). Now consider this: E|---------------- This indicates that you must play the 1st fret of the fifth string. E|---------------- This indicates that you must play the 1st fret of the fifth string, then play the 2nd fret of the fourth string, then play the 2nd fret of the 3rd string. Get the idea? We read from left to right, just like writing, and the first note that comes along is the first note we play. Now consider the following: E|---------------- This indicates that we must play all these notes simultaneously, like a chord. When they are stacked vertically, we play them simultaneously. When they are arranged horizontally, we play them in succession. E|---------------- This indicates that we are to play 3 chords, one after the other. This is basically what tabluature is all about. If you can understand that each line represents a string, and each number represents a fret number that should be played at that given moment, then you're all set to go. There will also be other things that we'll want to communicate, such as slides, hammer on, pull offs, vibrato and so on. h - hammer on |