I have been learning the guitar for about four days. I can play some easy tunes like Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, Happy Birthday, etc.
My question is this. I can read the tabs when they only one note and play fine. I can also strum a cord, by looking at all of the number next to each other in a vertical line. However I do not understand how to strum when the numbers are separated(vertically) on the tab.
For instance I can play Silent Night when I just use the notes, which is one version on a tab, then there is another version where there is a 3 on string six string and then a 0 string two in a vertical column. Does this mean I skip strings 3,4, and 5. Or do I play through them all? I hope my question is clear. Any help would be good.
Basically, any notes that are stacked on top of each other are played together.
Say this double-stop bit from Misty Mountain Hop:
e---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
b----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
g---6---7---5---6---7---5---6---7---5---6---7---5---6-6---7---5---6-----
d---5---7---5---5---7---5---5---7---5---5---7---5---5-5---7---5---5-----
a----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
e----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That'ed mean that you'ed play the D and G string on the 6 and 5th fret at the same time, then the 7th fret on D and G, then 5th, and back to 5th and 6th and so on.
-Metaellihead
However I do not understand how to strum when the numbers are separated(vertically) on the tab.
if they are seperated, its not a chord, its a melody line or a broken chord, either way, strumming isnt the only way to play chords, just fret the chord, and play the strings it wants to be played
**
if you see 2 notes played at the same time, you dont strum, it will catch other strings..
strumming is for "full" chords, like
E : 0
B : 0
G : 0
D : 2
A : 2
E : 0
E minor..
but for like
G : 7
D : 4
you would play two strings like you would a single note, just drop your plec over 2 strings instead of one.
so for:
E:
B: 0
G:
D:
A:
E: 3
I would only play the 6th string and then the 2nd string. If this is true then why dont just spread the numbers out? Is this to save room or for some other reason?
If they're directly above each other you need to play both at the same time. Pluck the second and sixth strings -- either with your fingers or pluck the bass string with the pick and the treble string with your finger.
Well we all shine on--like the moon and the stars and the sun.
-- John Lennon
Basically, it's like this......
If the numbers are spread out horizontally they are played as individual notes. It could be a melody line, it could be a lead part, it could be that it's a fingerpicking tab. Like this.....
E--------------------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------------------------
D--------------------------------------------------------------
A--3---------2-3-4-5---------4-5-6-7----------------------------
E----0-1-2-3---------2-3-4-5------------------------------------
If the numbers are lined up vertically, then it's a chord and all notes are played with one stroke.
]|--------------|--------------|-------------|-------------||
|--------------|--------------|-------------|-------------||
|--7--7--7--7--|--5--5--5--5--|-------------|-------------||
|--7--7--9--7--|--5--5--7--5--|--5--5----5--|----5-5-5-5--||
|--5--5--5--5--|--3--3--3--3--|--5--5----5--|----5-5-7-5--||
|--------------|--------------|--3--3----3--|----3-3-3-3--||
When they're mixed, then you're playing both chords and individual notes. Like this.....E ----------------------|---------------------|-----------------------|
B -----------10----10---|13-10----10----10----|10---------------------|
G 8--9----10----12---10-|------12-10----10----|10---------------------|
D 8--9----10------------|---------10----10----|10---------------------|
A 10-11---12------------|------------12----12-|12---------------------|
E ----------------------|---------------------|13---------------------|
Hope that helps a little!
..· ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
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((¸¸.·´ .·´
-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´ -:¦:- Elecktrablue -:¦:-
"Don't wanna ride no shootin' star. Just wanna play on the rhythm guitar." Emmylou Harris, "Rhythm Guitar" from "The Ballad of Sally Rose"
what about for:
--0--
-----
-----
--3--
------
-----
How would I play this tab? Would I have to hit one note with my pic and the other with my finger at the same time.
Another tab question:
Why do some tabs have the chords listed above them(is this just an extra way to show them, eventhough they are written out in the tab, or do they mean something else).
