How to Read Guitar Tablature

Although it may seem complex, learning to read tab is quite simple, and you should find yourself reading tab easily in no time.

Basics of Tab
e-----------0-
B--3----------
G-----2-------
D-------------
A------4------
E---------1---

A tab staff for guitar has 6 horizontal lines, each one representing a string of the instrument. The bottom line of the staff represents your lowest "E" string, the second line from the bottom represents your "A" string, etc.

Notice that there are numbers located smack dab in the middle of the lines (aka strings). The numbers simply represent the fret the tab is telling you to play.
For example, in the illustration above, the tab is telling you to play the second string (B) 3rd fret, followed by 3rd String (G) 2nd fret and so on.

Note: The number "0" indicates that the open string should be played.

The "-" indicates the time interval ... more "-"s mean that there is a longer interval between the notes. There is no real time measure like in Music Notations. Hence you need to listen to the song to get the timings correct.

Now if you are playing a chord (a combination of three or more pitches sounded simultaneously), the tab displays a series of numbers stacked vertically.

For e.g., The E Major chord would look like
e--0---------
B--0---------
G--1---------
D--2---------
A--2---------
E--0---------

Hence for the E Major chord, you will strum all the strings with the following frets pressed.
e - Open, B - Open, G - 1st Fret, D - 2nd Fret, A - 2nd Fret, E - Open

Tablature will additionally include the chord name (in this case E major) above the tablature staff, to help guitarists recognize the chord more quickly.

Locating the various notes on the Fingerboard

The horizontal lines are the guitar strings - E (Thickest String) , A ,D ,G ,B ,E (Thinnest String).

The vertical lines are the frets - The thick metal wires placed at equal intervals along the length of the neck.

If you hold the guitar and look at the image, you will see that the guitar has the Thick E at the top and the above diagram has the Thick E at the bottom. Guitar tabs will always follow this structure. So don't get confused - you'll get used to reading it upside down :)

E-A-D-G-B-E on the left side are the notes for the open string.

Elephants And Donkeys Grow Big Ears (E-A-D-G-B-E).

If you pluck the thickest string without pressing on the fretboard, you get the E note. The same thing applies to all the other strings. These are called the open notes.

Now if you press the E string on the fretboard and pluck it you get the F note.

Refer to the above pic and try the various notes. Don't try to memorize it - You'll eventually get it.

In the next post, we'll talk about how to tune your guitar.

Rock On!

Know your notes

You will need to understand at least the very basic theory behind music.

Please refer to the above pic.

Notes are named after the first seven letters in the alphabet.

In order, they are:
A - B - C - D - E - F - G

Between any two notes, except B - C and E - F, we also have a sharp and/or flat note.

Go through the above picture so that you get a better idea.

You can see the corresponding Indian term (Sa, Re, Ga, ....)

In the next post, we'll see where they are located on the Fingerboard.

Rock On!

How to hold the Guitar?

Here is what you'll need.

a) A standard acoustic guitar (with six strings).
Go to your local music shop and talk to their staff. Most of these guys are very knowledgeable and will help you pick the right instrument.

b) A guitar pick
There are a lot of different types of picks. Againm the music shop staff can help you with this. Buy about a dozen or so - They usually sell the beginner picks in packs of 10/12.

c) A chair without arms.

d) Lots of patience :)

How to hold the Guitar
You should be sitting comfortably, with your back against the back of the chair - Avoid slouching.
Remember the chair should not have arms.

The guitar itself is rested on the right leg (assuming. you’re playing right-handed) at its waist The guitar is slightly tilted back towards your chest. The thicker string should be towards you. If not, you are holding it upside down.

Another important point to remember is to keep a slight arch in your right forearm. Otherwise you will tend to pull the strings out to gain volume and in the process cause a horrible "thwacking" sound.

Parts of a Guitar

To know the guitar, you must first learn what the different parts of the guitar are.

Parts of a Guitar

Tuning Keys: The Tuning Keys or Pegs located at the head are used to tune the guitar. The machine heads have gears that can tighten or loosen the string when turned.

Neck: The long narrow part of the guitar where notes are fretted. It’s located between the body and head of the guitar.

Fingerboard: It is a thin, long strip of wood that is laminated to the front of the neck of an instrument and above which the strings run. A musician presses the strings down towards it in order to change their vibrating lengths, causing changes in pitch. It's also known as a Fretboard.

Strings: A guitar string is a string made of a particular material, typically, gut, nylon or steel, which is spanned over the neck. The purpose of the string is to vibrate and produce a particular musical note. A standard guitar has 6 strings.

Body: The main part of the guitar, which connects to the guitar neck. This is also where the bridge is located. Sound hole: The sound hole is, as the name implies, the hole in the acoustic guitar.

Head: The area of the guitar at the end of the neck where the strings are tuned.

Nut: The point on the guitar neck where the strings touch the neck and join the head.

Frets: Vertical metal wires that sit vertically on the guitar neck.

Position Markers: Position markers are the small circles that can be found on certain frets. They serve as a map of the fingerboard. The third fret is the first fret to have a position marker. The fifth fret has one as well, as does the seventh and the ninth. Note that two position markers are placed at the twelfth fret.

Rock On!

Getting acquainted with the Guitar.

Before we start on our musical journey, let’s get acquainted with the Guitar.

The Guitar is a musical instrument with ancient roots that is used in a wide variety of musical styles. It typically has six strings, but four, seven, eight, ten, twelve and eighteen string guitars also exist. Guitars are made and repaired by luthiers. There are many brands of guitars, but some commonly known brands are Gibson, Taylor, Gretsch, Ibanez, and Fender.

Guitars can be divided into two broad categories, acoustic and electric:

Acoustic guitars: An acoustic guitar is one which is not dependent on an external device to be heard but uses a soundboard which is a wooden piece mounted on the front of the guitar's body. The acoustic guitar is quieter than other instruments commonly found in bands and orchestras so when playing within such groups it is often externally amplified. Many acoustic guitars available today feature a variety of pickups which enable the player to amplify and modify the raw guitar sound.

Electric guitars: Electric guitars can have solid, semi-hollow, or hollow bodies, and produce little sound without amplification. Electromagnetic pickups convert the vibration of the steel strings into electrical signals which are fed to an amplifier through a cable or radio transmitter. The electric guitar is used extensively in jazz, blues, and rock and roll, and was commercialized by Gibson in collaboration with Les Paul, and independently by Leo Fender of Fender Music

In the next post, I shall cover the different parts of the Guitar.

Rock On!

Welcome to Bollywood Guitar !

Hello and welcome to Bollywood Guitar!

After watching Dasvidaniya, I decided it was time for me to create my very own 'Bucket List'. 'Learn to play the Guitar' was # 1 on this list.

I always wanted to learn it, but never really got around to it. A friend of mine had gifted me a guitar about 6 years ago - Thanks, Minhaaj!. It was now time to get the guitar out of the closet and put it to good use. Surprisingly it is still in great working condition.

Rock On was a huge inspiration. I loved the Desi Rock and Ballads in the movie. As always Shankar Ehsaan and Loy have created another fab album.

When I was younger, I used to listen to a lot of different genres -though Rock was my favorite. My all time favorite bands included The Beatles, The Doors, Eric Clapton, G&R, Metallica, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Pink Floyd, Bryan Adams, The Eagles, Boney M etc. Yes, Boney M - Though I think this is first time I have admitted in public :).

I never had a liking for Hindi numbers during that period. I could never figure out why my friend Shanky would never miss a single episode of Chitrahaar and Chayageet. Anyways, cut to Today. I love Bollywood music. I think Bollywood music has improved tremendously over the past 6 years or so - Post Dil Chahatha Hai. I think this movie kick started a new era for Bollywood both in terms of music and content.

So now I wanna learn how to play Bollywood Songs. I would love to pick up a few Eagles or Beatles numbers on the way.

There is a lot of info on the internet for all skill levels - Beginner to Expert. There are plenty of sites which have a lot of information. Unfortunately most of them are geared towards Western Music. There a few music boards where you can find some really good info around tabs for bollywood music. IndianGuitarTabs is a great site for Guitar tabs for desi music. YouTube has a lot of video tutorials - Check them out.

In spite of the wealth of information out there, I was unable to find one website which was for Beginners who want to learn how to play Bollywood songs. Of late, I have been spending a lot of time surfing the net for gyan on finger exercises, chords, hindi music tabs etc. The information is out there - You just need to search for it. The search process is a tedious one. I am currently fortunate enough to have the time to do this. But I am sure there are a lot of folks out there who are busy with work, school, and family. Hence I thought I should start this blog which would document my 'Bollywood Guitar' journey.

I plan to provide everything which I learn along the way so that it's easier for someone who is just starting out. Hopefully by following my blog, they would be able to learn how to play hindi songs.
Rock On!