How To Read Guitar Tabs Part 2

Slides

To perform a slide, just play a note and move your finger up the fretboard along the same string, keeping the pressure on the string as it moves up (or down). Slides are written like this:

This indicates an upward slide from fret 5 to fret 12 on the B string followed by a downward slide from fret 9 to 5 on the D string.

Hammer-Ons

To perform a hammer-on, just play a note and as it is still ringing, simply slam down another finger on the same string on a higher fret so that the new note rings out clearly without being picked. Hammer-ons are written like this:

This indicates a hammer-on from fret 3 to 5 on the G string followed by another from fret 5 to 8 on the D string.

Pull-Offs

To perform a pull-off, two fingers need to be on the same string at different frets, then just play the higher note and as it is still ringing, lift the finger off the fretboard (using a flicking motion) so that the lower fretted note plays without being picked. Pull-offs are written like this:

This indicates a pull-off from fret 5 to 3 on the G string followed by a pull-off from fret 6 to 3 on the A string.

Bends

To perform a string-bend, just play a note and push the string up or down across the fretboard, stretching the string so that the pitch is raised. You will need to place extra fingers on the fretboard to raise the pitch by any large amount.

You will often see a bend followed by a release, which is a relaxing of the string back to its original position so that the pitch goes up and then down.

A bend is indicated by a letter 'b' and a release by a letter 'r'.

This indicates a bend from fret 5 to 7 on the B string followed by a bend-and-release that goes from fret 7 to 10 and back to 7 on the G string.

Numbers above the bend arrows tell you the size of the bend in frets. 'Full' means 2 frets.

Vibrato

To perform vibrato, just lightly bend and release the fretted note continuously for the duration of the note. It can be any speed, according to taste. Vibrato is written like this:

Palm-Mute

To perform a palm-mute, just place the heel of your right-hand palm across the bridge, which will mute the strings being played. A palm-mute is written like this:

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