LESSON #1: HOW TO READ TABS

Well lets start by these 6 lines.

e-----------------------
B-----------------------
G-----------------------
D-----------------------
A-----------------------
E-----------------------

Those represent your strings in standard tuning (EADGBe). The main thing to remember about reading tablature is the fact the strings are upside down from your guitar. The top line or e represents the thinnest string, and the bottom line or E represents the fattest string or low E string.

e-----------------------
B-------0---------------
G-----------------------
D-----------------------
A-----------------------
E-----------------------

This would mean you play an open B string.

e----2-----------------
B----3------------------
G----2------------------
D-----------------------
A-----------------------
E-----------------------

This is a D Major Chord

e-------
B-------
G-------
D--5----
A--X----
E--3----

The X on this Powerchord means you need to finger mute that string while playing the other notes.

e--------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------
D--0--3--5-----0-3-6-5--0-3-5-3-0------------
A--0--3--5-----0-3-6-5--0-3-5-3-0------------
E--------------------------------------------

You read tabs left to right. The numbers represent which frets to hold down. so you would do here: D and A open, D and A on the third fret, D and A and the fifth fret. etc. By the way that is "Smoke On The Water" By: Deep Purple, and it is a great song for a beginner.

e-----------------------
B-----------------------
G-----------------------
D--1---------------4----
A---------3-------------
E-----------------------

This would be played on the first fret on the D, then the third fret on the A, and then the 4th fret on the D

Here are your basic symbols you might see on a tab:
h - hammer on(example: -2h3-)
p - pull off (example -3p2-)
b - bend (example -3b--)
/ - slide (example -7/9-)
X- mute
~ - let it ring (example -9~~)sometimes it means vibrato but most tabs have a key saying what each symbol means)

More Info on tabs
e------0-----------0------
B------0-----------0------
G----- 0-----------0------
D----- 2-----------2------
A -----2-----------3------
E------0------------------

Those are strum patterns on the bottom.You would play the first chord and strum down-down-down down-up up-down down-up-down-up. Then after you have played the Em, you have to change to the next chord and play it once more.

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LESSON #1.5: CONTINUATION THE POWERCHORD

So if your new to the guitar, and want to make it sound like you've been playing for years, roll up your sleves, crank up the volume, and practice some of these easy to play shapes this lesson will include.
First though, we will touch upon a little theory. Power chords get their names from the root note. For this reason, it is important to learn the notes along the fretboard. One way to do this is to draw out on a piece of posterboard the six strings, and mark off the notes along the fretboard. Or you could download a copy of such a chart off the internet.

Many guitar players play these notes all the time, and never know what the name of the chord is they are playing. They have learned to play the guitar by ear, or feel, and have learned over time what notes or chords sound good together.

It is also worth noting that there are some famous guitar players who use power chords in place of barre chords, simply because they do not like using barre chords.

Almost all of the major styles of music make use of power chords. From hard rock to metal, from punk to grunge, and even Blues. It is important to note here that Blues players do not refer to power chords as power chords, they merely refer to them as Blues chords.

Now there are a couple of things that make power chords so much fun to use. The main thing is that they sound so damn good. Another reason is that they are easy to play, usually requiring only one to three fingers per shape. And finally, most of the shapes are moveable, meaning once you place that shape on the fretboard, you merely slide it up and down the neck of the guitar to change chords, the same way you would use a barre chord, but a hell of a lot easier on the fingers.

Power chords are usually referred to as fiftth chords, and written out like so; A5, C5, D5, E5, etc. It is also important to note that power chords lack the note required to let you know if they are a major or a minor chord, thus they are neither major nor minor chords.

How to play the power chord; well, most players will use just down strokes, and this is very true for metal players. However, that is not set in stone, and punk players generally favor an up and down stroke. Okay, now that I've bored you beyond belief, we can now begin to get down to business, the power chord shapes themselves.

We will begin with the open position (non-moveable) power chord shapes. Because they contain an open note, they do not move up nor down the fretboard.

e--------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------
G---------------------------------------2----------
D--------------------------2------------0----------
A------------2-------------0-----------------------
E------------0-------------------------------------

In order, you have the E5, A5, and D5 power chords, in open position. (note that the root lies on the open strings).

Now we will look at the same power chords as above, open position, non-moveable, but with one added note. It is up to you rather you use the added note or not. By using the added note, you end up with a fatter sound.

e--------------------------------------------------
B---------------------------------------3----------
G-------------------------2-------------2----------
D------------2------------2-------------0----------
A------------2------------0------------------------
E------------0-------------------------------------

Now it is important to note that one of the shapes has changed, that being the D5 on the D string. The note has to change because of the way the guitar is tuned in standard tuning.

Okay, now we will examine the moveable power chord shapes. The reason they are moveable is because they contain no open strings, and thus can be moved up and down the fretboard at will.

e---------------------------------------------------
B---------------------------------------------------
G---------------------------------------5----------
D-------------------------5-------------3-----------
A-------------5-----------3-------------------------
E-------------3-------------------------------------

Now here is where knowing the notes along the fretboard come in handy. Remember, a power chord gets its name from it's root note. On the low E string, the first power chord is a G5, because the fretted note on the low E string just happens to be a G note.

The power chord that begins on the A string is a C5, because the fretted note on the A string just happens to be a C note.

And the power chord that begins on the D string is a F5, again, because the fretted note on the D string just happens to be a F note.

So how are the notes changable? Well, lets first look at the low E (thick string) and examine the notes along that string, and what you learn from that string will apply to all the strings.

NOTES ALONG THE LOW E STRING

Open E, F, F#, G, G#, A, A#, B, C, C#, D, D#, E and all the notes repeat themselves.

The open E gets its name because we play it open, and do not fret the string to play it. Then F lies on the 1st fret, F# on the second fret, G on the third fret, and so on...

So if I take the power chord shape that begins on the low E string, which is now a G5 - and slide the shape down to the 5th fret, I now have a A5 power chord. If I slide it to the 8th fret, I now have a C5 power chord.

The shape stays the same, I merely move or slide it up and down the fretboard to change the chord, just like you would do to a barre chord. You would treat the D and A streings the same way. So get a copy of the fretboard downloaded and put it up on your wall, and have fun...

Oh yeah, the lesson doesn't end here, does it... Remember back on the open position power chord shapes, we had that shape that made use of an added note? Now we are going back to that added note, but this time we are adding it to our moveable power chord shape that we just went over.

e--------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------6-----------
G-------------------------5------------5-----------
D------------5------------5------------3-----------
A------------5------------3------------------------
E------------3-------------------------------------

Okay, again notice that one of the shapes has changed. The power chord that begins on the D string, and again, it changes because of the way a guitar is tuned in standard tuning. Once again, the root notes are the same as the 2 finger moveable power chords we did, so the names don't change. We have, in order, the G5, C5 and F5 power chords.

And again, to move these around and change the chords, do the same as I've discribed above for the 2 finger chords.

One more little note, when playing these chords, there are two ways to fret them...one way is to use 3 fingers, one on each of the notes above. But many players will use their first finger to fret the root note, and barre the other two notes, and just slide it up and down the neck that way.

Again, there are no major or minor power chords, so let your ear tell you what combinations go good together. With practice, you will find what works and what doesn't. I like to slide between two or three chords on the low E string, then take the shape down to the A streing, slide between two or three chords there, then take it down to the A string, do the same there, and work my way back up to the low E string. Another neat trick is to palm mute some strunms and play one unmuted.

ADDED BONUS

Just for paying attention and doing so well, I'm throwing in one added shape, but this IS NOT a power chord. I simply treat it as if it were, and it has some killer sounds. It is moveable, so slide it up and down the neck and find where it works best for you...AND HAVE FUN.

E--------------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------------
G---------------------------------------------4----
D------------------------------4--------------5----
A-----------------4------------5-------------------
E-----------------5--------------------------------

HOW TO CONVERT A STANDARD SONG INTO A POWERCHORD SONG

This is very easy, simply change your standard chords into powerchords. Example; Cmajor becomes C5, Aminor becomes A5, D minor becomes D5 and G major becomes G5. Remember, there are no major or minor chords in powerchords...have fun...

END OF LESSON