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Music
Grade 6-12
Guitar Tab & Chord Reference Cheat Sheet
A printable reference covering guitar tablature, standard tuning, fret numbers, chord diagrams, common chords, and strumming symbols for grades 6-12.
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This cheat sheet covers the basic symbols and diagrams guitarists use to read tabs and chord charts. Students need it because guitar music often uses tablature instead of standard notation, especially for songs, riffs, and practice exercises. A clear reference helps players find the right string, fret, finger, and rhythm pattern quickly. It is useful for beginners learning their first songs and for experienced students reviewing common notation rules.
Key Facts
- Standard guitar tuning from the lowest pitched string to the highest pitched string is E, A, D, G, B, E.
- In guitar tab, the top line represents the thinnest high E string and the bottom line represents the thickest low E string.
- A tab number tells which fret to press, so 0 means play the open string and 3 means press the third fret.
- Numbers stacked vertically in tab are played at the same time as a chord or double stop.
- Numbers written left to right in tab are played in time order from left to right.
- In a chord diagram, vertical lines are strings, horizontal lines are frets, dots show finger placement, X means do not play the string, and O means play it open.
- Common open chord fingerings include Em as 022000, G as 320003, C as x32010, D as xx0232, Am as x02210, and E as 022100.
- Basic strumming symbols often use D for downstroke, U for upstroke, and rhythm counts such as 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and.
Vocabulary
- Tablature
- A guitar notation system that shows strings as lines and fret numbers as notes to play.
- Fret
- A metal strip on the guitar neck, also used to name the spaces where fingers press the strings.
- Open string
- A string played without pressing any fret, shown as 0 in guitar tab or O in a chord diagram.
- Chord diagram
- A visual grid that shows where to place fingers to play a chord on the guitar neck.
- Downstroke
- A strum that moves the pick or fingers downward from the lower pitched strings toward the higher pitched strings.
- Finger number
- A number used in chord charts where 1 is index, 2 is middle, 3 is ring, and 4 is pinky.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Reading the tab lines upside down is wrong because the top tab line is the high E string, not the low E string.
- Treating every number as a finger number is wrong because tab numbers show frets, while chord diagram finger numbers show which finger to use.
- Playing strings marked X in a chord diagram is wrong because X means that string should be muted or avoided.
- Confusing 0 with no sound is wrong because 0 means play the open string, while silence is usually shown with a rest or omitted note.
- Ignoring stacked tab numbers is wrong because numbers aligned vertically should be played together, not one after another.
Practice Questions
- 1 In standard tuning, what are the six guitar strings from lowest pitch to highest pitch?
- 2 If a tab shows 0, 2, and 3 on the same string from left to right, which frets do you play in order?
- 3 For the chord shape x32010, which strings are not played and which strings are played open?
- 4 Why is guitar tablature helpful for beginners even when it does not show every detail of rhythm?