Arts >> Music >> Music Basics

What is a method for writing music that shows hands positions instead of notes?

Tablature, or "tab" for short, is a system of musical notation that shows the positions of the fingers on a musical instrument rather than the notes themselves. Tablature is commonly used for fretted instruments such as guitars, banjos, and ukuleles.

In tablature, each string of the instrument is represented by a horizontal line. The numbers on the lines indicate which fret to press on that string. For example, a "0" means to play the string open (without pressing any frets), a "1" means to press the first fret, a "2" means to press the second fret, and so on.

Tablature can also include other symbols, such as "h" for hammer-on, "p" for pull-off, and "b" for bend.

Here is an example of a guitar tablature:

```

E|------------------|

A|------------------|

D|-----2---------4---|

G|----2----3-----5---|

B|--0--------3-------|

E|------------------|

```

This tablature shows the chords G and D. The G chord is played by pressing the 3rd fret on the D string, the 2nd fret on the G string, and the 0th fret on the B string. The D chord is played by pressing the 2nd fret on the A string, the 3rd fret on the D string, and the 2nd fret on the G string.

Tablature is a simple and easy-to-read form of musical notation. It is especially useful for beginners who are still learning the notes on a musical instrument.

Music Basics

Related Categories