Guitar Jargon

Guitar jargon is out there and you need to know what it all means. This is some short definitions and how each technique is performed.

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Tablature

Tablature or tabs is the simpler form of writing music for guitarist. It is shown as 6 strings (the bottom one be the 6th string and the top one being the first...DONT MIX THIS UP!!!) numbers are written in rhythmic order indicated what fret you will press down. It looks like this..

When notes are formulated one on top of another this is a chord, there are several different types of symbols signifying a type of tecnique, which we will discuss further down.

Hammers ons and Pull offs

Not a very creative name if you ask me.. but, this is the method of smoothly connecting notes, in classical terms it is playing legato. To perform a hammer on you need to strum a note and shortly after the note is strummed you need to put another finger on a higher fret on the same string, if you slam your finger hard enough the note will sound. A pull off is pretty much the same thing only you will be going from a higher fret to a lower one. More than one hammer on and pull off can be done at a time. The notation in tablature may look like this 3^5 (3 hammer on to 5) or 7^5 (7 pull off to 5).

Slides

Sliding sounds a little bit like hammer ons and pull offs, it is done by strumming or plucking one (or several) notes and sliding your hand up or down to a higher or lower fret without strumming again. If done correctly you can make the second note you are sliding to just as loud as the original. The notation of sliding looks like this in tablature: 4/5 (4 slide up to 5) 9\6 (9 slide down to 6).

Harmonics

A harmonic is when you lightly touch a note above an indicated fret, it will ring out at a much higher pitch than normally fretted. The notation in tablature may look like this: (5) {lightly touching the 5th fret}.

Tapping

You should be looking forward to this one since the whole site is dedicated to tapping. Tapping is the method of tapping a note with your right hand on the fret board. (you will learn more in the lessons to come) the notation of tapping is usually denoted by a "T" placed above or below the note being tapped.