Tablature

About Tablature

Tablature is one of several ways to write music. Compared to the standard style of staff notation one could think of tablature as a more casual alternative - though its history is actually quite long dating back to the Renaissance and Baroque periods. Where typical notation is written in pitches tablature is written instead in fingerings which makes it naturally well-suited to stringed instruments such as the guitar mandolin banjo ukulele and even the fiddle. Tabs as tablature is sometimes called have the advantage of being legible even to musicians who aren't comfortable reading music from a staff. Several notation publishers produce tablature with Alfred and Hal Leonard being the two standout examples.

A defining characteristic of tablature is that it is instrument-specific meaning that a given book of tabs can only be played on the instrument for which it is written. Therefore it is important for musicians to choose tablature based on the instrument with which they wish to play it. Tab books are readily available for many instruments in a wide variety of genres including rock bluegrass country and even film soundtracks. Those wishing to play the music of a favorite band may also have luck finding tablature with many groups represented including icons such as The Rolling Stones Jimi Hendrix The Beatles and Led Zeppelin.