The Quick & Pocket Sized Guide to Standard Guitar Tablature Notation |
|
Notation |
Explanation |
| ---0--- | Pluck the open string to produce a musical note. |
| ---5--- | Hold the string against the fifth fret and then pluck it. |
| --x-- | Mute the string with the left hand and use the plectrum to hit it with a percussive blow. |
| --5h-- | Hammer on the fifth fret. |
| --5(b)r/oh(s)-- | Bend the string, pluck it, mute it, take it out to dinner and give it a lot of alcohol then saw through it at the fifth fret. |
| --5b(q)-- | Bend the string by a quarter of a semi tone (half a fret's tonal change). |
| --5b(h)-- | Bend the string by half a semi tone (one fret's tonal change). |
| --5b(f)-- | Bend the string by a full tone (or two fret's tonal change). |
| --5b(?)-- | Bend the string until it tells you what you want to hear. |
| ---5br--- | Bend, then pluck, then release. |
| --b55brw-- | Bend, then pluck twice then bend again, then release into the wild. If it comes back, it's yours. |
| --<12>-- | Produce a natural harmonic over the twelfth fret. |
| --5/7-- | Slide up from the fifth fret to the seventh. |
| --5\7-- | Slide down from the fifth fret to the seventh. Go figure. |
| --3p0-- | Pull off from the third fret to allow the string to sound on the zero fret (open) . |
| --2(4)-- | Trill (twiddle your fretting finger) very quickly between the fret indicated and the fret written in brackets. Do not play the brackets. There are two methods of 'trilling' - single finger trilling and the famous two finger trill, although some Uzbekistan refugees recently attempted to gain entry to the Guiness Book of Records with a very dangerous thirty-seven finger trill. Not to be confused with the bird seed of the same name. |
| --0(PM)-- | Use your palm to partially mute the string. |
| --0(p)\-- | Drag the plectrum along the length of the string to produce an eery scratching sound. An effect best not over used. |
| --5///-- | Pick the note as rapidly and continuously as possible. |
| --- | "s" in morse code |
| --5~-- | Vibrato on the fifth fret, also known as 'wiggle your finger' |
| --5~~~-- | Sustained, extended vibrato on the fifth fret. |
| --5~~~b-- | Sustained, extended vibrato on the fifth fret to the point where the fretting finger begins to bleed. |
| --5S--- | Stomp down on your beastiest distortion pedal at the same time as you pluck the string. |
| --5t-- | Play the fifth fret using your tongue and teeth. |
| --5hk-- | Hold the guitar above your head, kick your leg and play the fifth fret. |
| --5W-- | Use the Pete Townshend style windmill arm to produce a power chord on the fifth fret. |
| --5bb-- | Play the fifth fret with guitar behind back. |
| --5j-- | Set fire to your guitar, Jimi Hendrix style. |
| --5m-- | Set fire to your hair Michael Jackson style. |
| --5um-- | Untie the string and use it to murder an old enemy. |
| -->:+)-- | Unplug your guitar and thank the crowd for coming. |
Copyright sage trip, 1999