18 - How to Read Ukulele Tabs
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Transcript of 18 - How to Read Ukulele Tabs
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25/06/2015 HowtoReadUkuleleTabs
http://www.ukuleletricks.com/howtoreadukuleletabs/ 1/13
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Lastweek,Iposted3EasySongsYouCanFingerpickonUkuleleToday.
Whenyoudownloadthesheetmusicforthesesongs,youarepresentedwithamusicalstaffandtablature.
Afteracoupleemails,Irealizewevelookedathowtoreadmusic,butonethingwehaventlookedatyetishowtoreadtabs.
Musictablature,ortab,isasimplifiedformofmusicalnotationusedforstringedinstrumentsliketheukulele.
Mostpeoplelearnanewpieceofmusicbyusingtab.Unlikearegularpieceofmusic,tabsshowyouexactlywheretoplaythenotesonthefretboard.
Letstakealookatsomeexamplesoftablature.
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Fortheukulele,inapieceoftablature,youwillseefourlines:
A
E
C
g
Eachlinerepresentsastringontheukulele.Thetoplinerepresentsthebottomstringoftheukulelewherethebottomlinerepresentsthetopstringoftheukulele.
Whenyoulookatapieceoftab,youllseenumbersscatteredacrossthedifferentstringsor
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lines:
3
00
00
0
Eachnumberreferstoafretnumber.
Forexample,inthepieceoftababove,youwouldpluckthe3rdfretofthebottomstringontheukulele.Aswereadacrossthepieceoftab,weseethatwewouldthenplucktheopenEstring,thesecondtobottomstring.Then,wewouldplucktheopenCstring,thesecondtotopstring.Then,wewouldplucktheopenGstring,thetopstring.Andsoon
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Inapieceoftab,youmightseeallthenumberslineupvertically:
023032
130021
020022
200220
Whenyouseethis,thismeansyouplayachord.Inotherwords,youplayallthenotesverticallyalignedtogether.
Intheaboveexample,weseethechordsplayedfromlefttoright:F,G,C,Am,D7,andG7.
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Atthispoint,youshouldbeabletoreadtablikeapro,butthereareacouplemoresymbolsthatwewillseeonoccasion.
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Hammeronsaredesignatedbyanhsymbolthatseparatesthetwonotes.
1
1
2h3
3
Inthisexample,youwouldpluckthe2ndfretofthesecondtotopstring,andthenhammerontothe3rdfret.
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Pulloffsaredesignatedbyapsymbolthatseparatesthetwonotes.
3p2
3
2
0
Inthisexample,youwouldpluckthe3rdfretofthebottomstring,andthenpullofftothe2ndfret.
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Hammeronsandpulloffscanalsobedesignatedbyusingthe^symbol.
0
0^3^0
0
2
Inthisexample,youwouldplucktheopenEstring,thenhammerontothe3rdfret,andthenpulloffbacktotheopenEstring.
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Ascendingslidesarerepresentedbythe/symbol,whiledescendingslidesarerepresentedbythe\symbol.
2/5
3\2
4
Inthisexample,youwouldpluckthe2ndfretofthebottomstringandslideuptothe5thfret.Then,youwouldpluckthe3rdfretofthesecondtobottomstringandslidedowntothe2ndfret.
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Bendsarerepresentedbythebsymbol.Anrsymbolwillbeusedtoindicateabendthatreturnsbacktotheoriginalpluckednote.
5b63
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Inthisexample,youpluckthe5thfretofthebottomstringandbendittothe6thfretandholdthebend.Then,youwouldpluckthe3rdfretofthebottomstring,andthen,the3rdfretofthesecondtobottomstring.
Next,onthesamestring,youwouldpluckthe5thfretofthesecond,benduptothe6thfret,andthen,returnthebendbacktothe5thfret.Lastly,youwouldpluckthe3rdfret.
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Asyoucansee,readingtabisaveryintuitivewaytolearnasong.
However,thebigproblemisthatwithtabyoudontgetasenseoftherhythm.Meaning,youdontknowwhentoplaythenoteswrittenonapieceoftaborhowlongtoholdtheminrelationtotheothernotes.
Thebestwaytousetabisincombinationwithyourear.Forexample,youveheardasongyouwanttolearnhowtoplayonukulele,andbecauseyouknowhowitsounds,youcanusethetabasanaid.
Usingtabincombinationwithreadingmusicisextremelypowerful.ThisistheformatinwhichIpostedthefingerpickingsongslastweek.Besuretocheckthoseoutifyouwantsomerealpracticalapplicationforusingtabs.
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AntonTsenovHi,Brett!Iwentthroughyouremailregardingthe3EasySongsandunderstoodthereshouldhavebeenapreviousmailwiththetopicHowtoreadmusicstrangebutIdidntgetit.Doesntmatter,Ifoundthelinktheninthe3EasySongs.Imustsaythisisverywelldonebyyoutohavethepossibilitytogobacktosometopics,whichsomeonecouldeverhavenotreceivedbefore.AtthelastweeksIveseenalotoftabsininternet,andwantedtowritetoyouaskingtoexplainethemtous.Isee,youhavetelepathy:).Yesterdayyoupostedit.TNANKYOUverymuchforallyourmarvelouseworkbyteachingusallyourlessonsarecompact,clear,easyunderstandableandmakingpeoplehappybylearningplayingmusiconsuchapleasantway!GreetingsfromVienna,AUT.Reply
AntonTsenovHi,Brett!Itsmeagain.Couldyoupleaseshowbyvideofilehowtopracticeallthesehammerons,pulloffsandsoon.ThankyouReply
BrettHeyAnton!Thanksforthecomments.Itmakesreallyhappytohearthattheselessonshavebeenhelpful.
Ithinkyouarenowreadingmymind,becauseeventually,Iwanttodoapostthatlooksathammerons,pulloffs,etc.Thatsanexcellentidea. StaytunedReply
PaulineMcCarthyBrettademovideowillbegreatbutpleasedothemreallyslowlyatfirstforthestrugglers.Manythanks.Reply
berniecainetksveryinformativebutiprefertoseethefingerdotsmyselfmuchmoreeasiertoreadReply
AntonTsenovYes,formeasabeginnerisalsomuchmoreeasiertousefingerdotsfornow,butIseeeverywereininternetthesongsaregivenbytabsastheygivemuchmoreinformationhowasongtobeplayed,right?
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Ithink,Bernie,thatBrettwillteachuswellhowtogetusedtothetabs,rightBrett:)?Thanksalot!Reply
DaveDoddHiBrett,Thanksforthelessonontabs.Ifounditreallyuseful.However,whileIcanunderstandwhataslideis,Ihopeyoucanexplainhammerons,pulloffsandbendsThanks,DaveReply
BrettDave,thanksforyourcomment!Illbesuretodoalessoninthefutureexplaininghammerons,pulloffs,andbends.Reply
ClydeOrtegoHeyBrett:
AretabsanydifferentfromGCEAtoDGBEUkuleles?
Thanks
ClydeReply
BrettHeyClyde,tabscanbespecifictoeitherGCEAorDGBEtuning.Usuallyatthetopofatabitwillindicatewhattuningthetabisin.Reply
ClydeOrtegoHeyBrett:
JustwatchedyourvideoonfingerpositionforpickingofaGCEAuku.
Myqueationisdoesthefingerpositionchangebetweenthetwodifferenttuningsandwhichiseasiertouseonabaritoneuku?
Thanks
ClydeReply
BrettHeyClyde,thefingerpositiondoesntreallychangebetweenthetwoukuleles.Iliketousemythumbforthetoptwostringsandthenmyindexfingerforthesecondtobottomandmymiddlefingerforthebottom.Illusethisonanyfourstringukulele.Reply
sophiehithisisgreaTSTUFFTHANXReply
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AlainaHeyBrett,InoticedononeofthesitesIusefortabs(ukuleletabs.com)thattheyusethelyricswithxsandchordsabovethem.
Iwaswonderingwhatthexsmean?Dotheystandforarhythmoraretheyjustthereforthesakeofbeingthere?
Thanks.Alaina.Reply
BrettHeyAlaina,myunderstandingisthattheXsforthelyricsaresubstituteforthelyrics.Theydonotindicatetherhythmofthesong.Reply
EliThankyou!!!nowicanplayukulelebrothersbyjakeshimabukurowithmylittlebro!Reply
BrettMcQueenOhyeah!Reply
chagi_ukeHeytherebrah,itsmyfirsttimetovisitthissiteAndicansaysupersolidlol.Butthereasonicamehereistoaskyouaquestion.Icanunderstandmostofthesymbolsonthetabs,buticantfigureoutwattheXsmeanafterasetofcordsisplay?Doesthatmeantomutethecordorsomething?000X0111X1000X0222X2Reply
BrettMcQueenYep,Xsmeantomutethechord,ortheyspecifynotesthatyoushouldntstruminachord.Intheexample,itlookslikeyouwouldperformamutedstrum.Reply
DavidKimIsawtabsthatwentc4whatdoesthatmean?Reply
BrettMcQueenHiDavid,myguessisthatitisreferringtoC4ormiddleConapiano,alsotheopenCstringoftheukulele.Reply
HeatherECHiBrett,
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25/06/2015 HowtoReadUkuleleTabs
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thanksfortheinformationitexplainsaproblemIhadtoday.Ihaveneverplayedtheukeleleandduetopoorspatialskillshaveneverreallynoticedwhichwaypeopleholdstringedinstruments.Iworkasasubstituteteacherandtodayhadmusic.ThekidswereingroupsdoingdifferentactivitiesleftbytheirmusicteacherandonegroupwasplayingMaryHadaLittleLambontheukeleleusingTabs.ImrighthandedandsoIheldtheukeleleasfeltcomfortable,assumingthatwouldbetherightway.
Thekidsinthefirstclasstoldmethatthetoptabshowedthenoteforthetopstringandsoon.Igaveitagoandplayedatunethatsoundedright.
HoweveragirlinthethirdclassItaughtrealizedIwasholdingtheukelelebacktofrontandupsidedown!ApparentlyeventhoughIwriteandcutrighthandedandonlydothingslikeopeningjarsorturningtapslefthandedIalsoammorecomfortableplayingukelelelefthanded.ItriedtherightwayaroundwhichIfoundawkwardbutpossible,butnowthetunedidntsoundright.IcheckedwithafewmorekidsifthetoptabindicatedthetopstringandtheyinsisteditdidsoIwasreallyconfused.NowIrealisetheymustbeconfusedabouthowtoreadtabs.Ididwonderwhytheirplayingwasuntuneful,butastheywereallplayingtogetheratdifferenttimesIdidntrealisetheywereplayingthetuneincorrectly.AfewkidswhotakeguitarlessonsweremuchmoretunefulbutwerenotintheclasswhoIaskedabouttheTabs.
SadlyIdontknowwhenIllseethemagaintocorrecttheirmisunderstandingandIdontknowifthemusicteachertaughtthemincorrectly,ormorelikelytheymisunderstoodtheirmusicteachersinstructions.Reply
BrettMcQueenHowinteresting,Heather.Iwonderifthekidsthoughtthetoplineindicatedthetopstring,asinthehigheststringinpitchtheAstring.Itsoundsliketheymusthavebeenconfusedbytheirteachersinstructions.Feelfreetopassthisinformationalongifyouwish.
Also,sinceyouareanewukuleleplayer,Iwouldrecommendlearningrighthanded.Thiswillmakeplayingandlearningwithothersaloteasierinthelongrun.Reply
HeatherECImnotsureifIlltakeupplaying,butmyMumislearningtoplayandhastwoukelelesnowsoImightborrowoneandhaveago.Ireallyenjoyedplayingukelelewiththeschoolkids.IthinkIcanmanageitrighthandedthoughitmademerealizehowlefthandershavetoadjusttoarighthandedworld!Howeveroneofmybrothersislefthandedandfindsiteasytoplayguitarrighthanded.Reply
MichaelGutteridgeHiBrett,justaquestiononreadingTabs.yousaywhenyouhavenumbersoneachlineundereachotheryouplaythemasachord.Howwouldyoureadatabiftherewerenumbersundereachotherononly2ofthelineandor3lines?Reply
BrettMcQueenHiMichael,inthecaseswheretherearenumbersundereachotherononlyacoupleofthelines,justplaythenotesonthoseindicatedstrings.Youmightdothisbyassigning
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individualfingerstoplucktheindicatedstringsatthesametime,oryoumightstrumthechordwithyourthumbsoyouaremissingoneortwoofthestrings.Reply
DiojeanMendadorThankusomuchthismakessomuchsensehahahaReply
HannahRandallThanksBrett!IhaveseenTablaturesandhadnoideahowtoreadthem.YourexplanationwasveryclearandnowIgetit!Thankyou,thankyou!HappyThanksgivingtoo!Reply
BrettMcQueenHappyThanksgiving,Hannah!Reply
TiaralWhatdoesthe0onthetabsstandforandifthenumberisonlyonthatcertainstringdoWejustplaythatpaticularstring?Reply
CoreneOnthetabletureforSilentNightyouuseseveralsymbolsthatIdonotunderstand.Thedotsafterthenumbersandthecurvedlinethattiestwosetsofidenticalnumberstogether.Anyhelpwouldbegreat.Thanks
VeryKindly,CoreneReply
BrettMcQueenHiCorene,thedotsnexttonotesinthetabornotesinthemusicstaffindicatedottednotes.Dottednotesareheldfor1.5timestheregularlengthofthenote.Forexample,inmeasure1,onthefirstbeat,therearetwonotespluckedsimultaneouslyandtheyarebothadottedquarternoteinlength.Aquarternoteisheldforonebeatpermeasure,soadottedquarternoteisheldfor1.5beatspermeasure(quarternote+eighthnote).Reply
CassidyHiBrettSoonsomeormostonlinetabstheyjusthavethenotewrittenaboveacertainlyric.IdontgetwhentoplayitorforhowlongorhowmanystrumsbeforethenextnoteReply
BrettMcQueenCassidy,indeed,alotofsongsonlinearepresentedinachordchartformatwheretherearethelyricsofthesongwiththechordswrittenabove.Thechordswrittenabovethelyricsaremeanttomatchcloselyasifyouweresingingthemelodyofthesong,however,thesechartsarentthemostpreciseorexact.IcreatedanentirecourseabouthowtofindtherightstrummingpatternandunderstandhowtoreadchordchartsinthecompletestrummingcourseStrummingTricks,whichisavailablehere:
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http://www.ukuleletricks.com/strummingtricks/Reply
ElizabethWheelerThetroublewithtabsisthatwhenyouwritetheminasentence,ortalkaboutthem,yousaythefrettedstringsstartingwiththeGstring.Soonastandardtuneduke,Cwouldbe0003,Gwouldbe0232,etc.Butwhenyoulookattabs,asinthediagramspostedhereonthispage,theGstringisonthebottom.Thistakessomegettingusedto,andthereareargumentsonlotsofukuleleforumsastohowtosaythetabs.IwishsomeonewoulddeclareanInternationalHowtoTalkAboutUkuleleTabsDay,sowedallgetitrightallthetime!!!Reply
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