Read the notes in standard musical notation. If you want to transfer a guitar song written in standard notation you must first interpret the notes. For instance, if there is a note in treble clef located below the first line with a small line through it, this is the note "C." It is also called "middle C" because on the piano it is the C in the middle of the instrument. Above the "C" is the note "D," and so on in alphabetical order until you reach the note after "G" which is also called "C." This C is an octave higher than "middle C," but it's still called "C."
Determine the note on the guitar. Each guitar string represents a note. Moving from the widest string (i.e., the bass string) to the thinnest string, these notes are labeled "E-A-D-G-B-E." These are the notes that are played on the guitar if you strum or pick the strings without holding any of them down with your non-strumming hand. For example, If you want to play the "D" note, you pluck the third string with your strumming hand without fretting any notes with your opposite hand. If you press your finger on any of the strings on the guitar's first fret, closest to the top, it raises the note by a half step. For example, if you place the index finger of your fretting hand on the first fret on the third string it raises the open "D" to a "D#" (D-sharp). Placing your finger on the second fret of the third string raises it another half step to "E."
Convert single notes to tab format. In tab format there are six horizontal, parallel lines representing the guitar strings. The lowest line corresponds to the low E string and the highest line corresponds to the high E string. Numbers are placed on the lines to indicate which fret to play, i.e., which part of the string should be pressed with the non-strumming hand. In this case, to notate a "D" you place a "0" on the third line from the bottom. This indicates that you pluck the open "D" string, i.e., the third string, with your strumming hand, without pressing a fret with your opposite hand. If you want to notate the "E" above the "D" you place a "2" on the third string, telling the player to place a finger of his fretting hand on the second fret of the third string.
Write chords in tablature. Chords are indicated in tablature by stacking numbers on top of each other. While two single notes would be spaced apart, the notes of the chord are stacked vertically. For example, the common chord C is built with the single notes C, E and G. In standard musical notation this is indicated by the following: a note below the first line with a small line through it, middle C; a note on the first line of the staff, E; and a note on the second line of the staff, G. To write in tablature you place a "3" on second line, a "2" on the third line and a "0" on the fourth line. All of the numbers are stacked vertically, instructing the mucisian to play the three notes together.