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The second line names the duration of ''Most tab will not display each note. q = quarter note, h = half note, and e = eighth note. In n/4 time, a quarter note lasts one beat long, a half note lasts 2 beats, number - it is rather basic and an eighth note lasts 1/2 beatimplied. Like the top line, tab usually does not have this line, unless the rhythm gets particularly Usually you only see it pop up for complex. Normally the spacing in rhythms where the tab is enough without it has difficulty demonstrating how each note lines up to determine the note durationbeat.''
→Hot Cross Buns
Ready for your first song?
fig.117
1 2 3 4 |1 2 3 4 |1 n 2 n 3 n 4 n|1 2 3 4 |
q q h |q q h |e e e e e e e e|q q h |
r i o |r i o |o o o o i i i i|r i o |
Figure 11 7 is a tab representation of "Hot Cross Buns", possibly the worst song ever. However, it will help us be able to read tab, understand rhythm, count time, and familiarize us with the major scale.
The vertical bars indicate the end of a measure.
The top line is couting the beat. The tune is in 4/4, which means 4 beats per measure and a quarter note = 1 beat. To keep time, we count "1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4" with each number falling on a beat. Use a metronome. If you don't have one, try google for a free software version. Start with a low tempo, even as low as 60 bpm. Don't turn up the tempo until everything feels natural and comfortable. Most tab will not list this - it is rather basic and implied. Usually you only see it pop up for complex rhythms where the tab without it has difficulty demonstrating how each note lines up to the beat.
The second line names the duration of each note. '''q''' = ''quarter note'', '''h''' = ''half note'', and '''e''' = ''eighth note''. In n/4 time, a quarter note lasts one beat long, a half note lasts 2 beats, and an eighth note lasts 1/2 beat. Like the top line, tab usually does not have this line, unless the rhythm gets particularly complex. Normally the spacing in the tab is enough to determine the note duration. Notice the "'n"'s on the first line in the 3rd measure. This is the way to count eighth notes. "1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and"('n' = "and"). When counting this, make sure your 1,2,3,4 line up directly on the beat, with the "and"s falling directly in between each beat.
The 3rd line is the common tablature. The 'e' in front indicates we are using the E string. This is the only string we need for this tune. Notice the (0) in the first measure - this indicates to sustain the 0 from the third beat. This is more common for tab that has more than one string, where one note is intended to be sustained on one string while a new note is intended to be plucked on a different string. I include it here just to develop familiarity. However, it is also implied by the "h" above for half note, which spans 2 beats.