The Steel Guitar Forum

I've been trying to teach myself how to read tabs for a while, but still can't grasp it. I understand that the strings are numbered to the left, and I believe the numbers in between are the frets that each string is played.....but that's pretty much all I understand about them. Can anyone give me some tips on how to read them? I have a bit of trouble grasping new information, so please try to have patience with me. I know I won't have a light bulb moment over night LOL!

Here's a tab for a waltz intro that I'm trying to learn.

Jason start always with the first note at left and follow the rest

your note

frst second string 0 open
then 4th string open , 2 fret , open
second string open
then 3rd string open , 1 , open

etc

You might want to start out with this thread, Jason...
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=204753

Dennis Wireman wrote:Jason start always with the first note at left and follow the rest

your note

frst second string 0 open
then 4th string open , 2 fret , open
second string open
then 3rd string open , 1 , open

etc

Thanks for the tips! Something is finally starting to gel here LOL But I can't figure out what is meant by the 5's.....I know it can't mean to go to the 5th fret because most of this is played open and on the second fret....not that far up.

This clip of my dad is cut off at the beginning, but what I'm trying to perfect is being done at the 2 second mark....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lkkrQBtYmE

The way that tab is written, Jason, you do move the bar up to the fifth fret (across all strings at the 5th fret) and play the strings one at a time: first string 4, then string 3, string 2, and string 1

tabs read left to right, just like a book

the numbers on the lines ( string lines) represent which fret to play on that particular string.

the 5's as stated correctly above, are played one note at a time on each string in order,

fret 5, 4th string then fret 5 , 3rd string then fret 5 ,2nd string , then fret 5 , 1st string .

I do think bar lines would be a great help in tab. It is often difficult to decide how quickly a sequence of tabbed notes should be played and if one is also counting 1-2-3-4- in one's head as well, the lack of bar lines can make tab very difficult to read. Lyrics (where available) written underneath the tab can also help the player 'fit' all th given notes into a measure.

Jeff Garden wrote:The way that tab is written, Jason, you do move the bar up to the fifth fret (across all strings at the 5th fret) and play the strings one at a time: first string 4, then string 3, string 2, and string 1

Got'cha....what does the linkage on strings 2 and 4 mean, at the 5th fret (the line drawn down in between that goes from string 2-4?)

I haven't seen that exact notation before, Jason. I'll take a guess coming off the open 2nd string you can sort of slide into the 5th fret (quickly) with the bar while picking the 4th string...maybe just hit the 4th string quick on the 4th fret while sliding into 5? Sort of a slur?

Right. You slide from the one fret to the other, then back again.