The word tablature originates from the Latin word tabulatura.
Tabula is a table or slate, in Latin. To tabulate something means to put it into a table or chart.
Tab is shown with 6 horizontal lines representing the strings of the six string guitar or the 4 strings of a bass guitar. The vertical lines are the frets.
The numbers on the vertical lines are the fingers that are placed on the string.
At this point I strongly urge you to learn how to read music notes.
This does not mean sight reading the music notes of songs you want to learn, although that would be a good option.
What you need to know is the difference between the duration of the notes, whole, half, quarter, eighth, etc.
The tab below the music notes shows you where to place your fingers on the guitar neck.
Simple and effective!
The music notes shows you how long to hold (play) the note.
This example uses quarter notes, that is one beat to a note.
The last note is a whole note.
You will notice that tab is layed out just as you view you guitar.
Strings are horizontal and frets are verticle.
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