| Even if you haven't played guitar tablature | | | | previous guitar tablature notation is telling |
| before you can impress or maybe shock your | | | | you. |
| friends by playing Twinkle, Twinkle, Little | | | | |
| Star. Let's start playing guitar tab! | | | | Let's play the first notes of Twinkle, |
| | | | Twinkle, Little Star with guitar tablature: |
| Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star is a popular | | | | |
| English nursery rhyme with the French melody | | | | 1. ------------0--0-------------------------- |
| Ah! Vous dirais-je, Maman. You can play this | | | | 2. ------3--3-------3----1--1--0--0---------- |
| song on the first three strings on the | | | | 3. 0--0-----------------------------2--2--0-- |
| guitar. | | | | |
| | | | If you want to use your left hand in a |
| The text is from a poem, "The Star", by Jane | | | | professional way you can play the guitar tab |
| Taylor. It was first published in 1806. Here | | | | notes on the first fret with your first |
| you have the English lyrics: | | | | finger, notes on the second fret with your |
| | | | middle finger and the notes on the third fret |
| Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder | | | | with your ring finger. |
| what you are! Up above the world so high, | | | | |
| Like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle, | | | | Now it's only one guitar tablature part left: |
| little star, How I wonder what you are! | | | | |
| | | | 1. 3--3--1--1--0--0----- 2. |
| We will use guitar tablature so you will not | | | | ------------------3-- 3. |
| need to read sheet music. You will only use | | | | --------------------- |
| the thinnest strings on the guitar. The | | | | |
| string with the highest pitch is called the | | | | After having played this part twice, go back |
| first string or E-string. Look at the | | | | and play the first guitar tablature part and |
| following guitar tab: | | | | the melody is complete. |
| | | | |
| 1. 0-0-0-0----------------- 2. | | | | Now when you understand guitar tablature |
| --------1-1-1-1--------- 3. | | | | notation you can find many songs written this |
| ----------------2-2-2-2- | | | | way on the internet. Search for guitar tab or |
| | | | guitar tablature. A complete guitar tablature |
| This is a tablature staff and the four number | | | | staff has six lines representing the six |
| 0 indicate that you play the first string | | | | strings. |
| four times without pressing down any finger | | | | |
| on your right hand. This is called to play on | | | | If you have an ukulele hanging somewhere you |
| an open string. | | | | can use the previous tablature too. The first |
| | | | three strings on an ukulele is tuned the same |
| The four number 1 coming after is played on | | | | way as on the guitar. |
| the second string pressing down your first | | | | |
| finger on the first fret. Then you will play | | | | Just one more thing for you to do. Play the |
| the third string four times pressing down the | | | | song for your friends! Good luck! |
| string on the second fret. This is what the | | | | |