How to Read Guitar TAB

Some people are not able to read normal treble clef music, so TAB was created for those who still want to learn how to play their favorite guitar riffs. In these few easy steps you to can learn how to read TAB and you will be playing your favorite songs in no time.

Step 1: Print off TAB to an easy song. "Sweet Child O' Mine" starts of with single notes so it will be easy to teach from. Go to a guitar TAB site and find this song.

Step 2: This song starts with the numbers 12, 15, 14, 12. Go down to the part of the page with the lines and the numbers 12, 15, 14, 12, etc. This is the intro to the song and the main line.

Step 3: You have to know that TAB is actually written upside down from your guitar strings. Your guitar strings from top to bottom are EADGBe. TAB is written from top to bottom eBGDAE. Keep that in mind when you are reading it. If you play it the opposite way then your song will sound terrible.

Step 4: The numbers stand for what fret the note is played on. The number 12 stand for the 12^th fret. Count from the top of the neck (by the head of the guitar) to the twelfth fret down.

Step 5: Put the two together. The first not is on the 12^th fret on the D string. You can see this because the number 12 in on the 4^th line down. The next note is on the 15^th fret on the B string and so on.

Step 6: Pick all the notes. The closer the numbers are, the quicker the beats. Now you are ready to play the intro to "Sweet Child O' Mine" and any other song.

Quick Tip: When there are numbers on top of each that means that they are strummed at the same time. This is how chords are written in TAB