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Hi Novelette,
Welcome! I have a feeling if you know how to read the Treble portion of the music, the TAB portion will come quite quickly to you once you get the hang of it. Like you, I could read the Treble portion since I played the keyboard now and then. However, the TAB was foreign to me.
Some tips that helped me:
(1) Write the letters of the strings on the TAB (EBGDAE Top->Bottom) so you know what number corresponds to what string. You have no idea how many times I reversed the strings I was playing.
(2) As you learn new chords, keep notes of the number sequence – (232000 – D Chord, 330023 – G Chord, 01220x – Am Chord, 000220 – Em Chord, etc.). When you see them then you automatically know you’re playing a chord.
(3) If you see X on the TAB, it means to mute the string.
(4) Start learning the relationship between the Treble notes, TAB number sequence to the actual Fretboard. For example, playing 3 on an E string is a G note. And then try to find the same note on other places on the Fretboard with the same pitch or different octaves.
(5) I believe Tony has a video on how to read the TAB, so definitely check it out. I’m unsure where it is located, but I do remember watching it when I first started.
As you dive deeper into the guitar, eventually you might want to consider the Fretboard Wizard or some other type of guitar music theory. You’ll get a lot of “A-Ha” moments especially learning various power chords, CAGED system and how everything relates to each other.
Since you already know how to read the rhythm portion which to me is the hardest, you’ll pick up the TAB portion pretty fast…you’re already in good hands when you have some of the best TAC people respond to you already. Good luck!
