How to read the tabs piano tabs, tablature, sheet music forum

1 year ago

Re: How to read the tabs?

tabber dude

[Tabologist]
188 Posts
tabber dude will receive replies by email

Tabs are much easier than sheet music. Here's the basics:

BASICS

Here's an example of a piano tab:

5|-------------------------------------|
4|----f--------f--------f--------f-----|
4|-C-----D--C-----D--C-----D--C-----D--|
3|-G-----------------------------------|
3|-C-----------------------------------|
2|-------------------------------------|

Three main things you need to know are:

1. The notes on your piano are represented by the letters in the tab.
2. An lowercase letter means a natural note (white notes). The uppercase
letters mean a sharp (#) (black notes).
3. The numbers to the left of the tab tell you the octave (the pitch)

For example the tab below tells you to play a "C#" in the forth octave, a "G#" in the third octave, and another "C#" in the third octave (so eight notes below the first "C#")

5|----|
4|----|
4|-C--|
3|-G--|
3|-C--|
2|----|

ADVANCED

RH 5|-------------------------------------|
RH 4|----f--------f--------f--------f-----|
RH 4|-C-----D--C-----D--C-----D--C-----D--|
LH 3|-G>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.|
LH 3|-C>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.|
LH 2|-------------------------------------|

"RH" = Suggestion to play everything on this line with your right hand.
"LH" = Suggestion to play everything on this line with your left hand.
">>>>" = Sustain (so hold the note down until the arrows end)
"." = Stop playing the note.

Hope this helps!

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