Techniques used in my tabs Lesson by axehappy OK...there's been some questions about techniques and what they are lately, so I decided to write this lesson. Most of it won't be much use to an advanced guitarist, so its more for the beginners. I'm gonna base it on my style of tabbing...so if you want examples of the techniques explained in here, check out some of my tabs. h = hammer-on ---------------- A hammer-on is when you play a note by pressing it hard with your finger or 'hammering on'. You pick the note before the hammer-on, and press the note after...Example: E--5h7--- Pick the note on the 5th fret, and hammer to the note on the 7th. p = pulloff -------------- A pulloff is the opposite of a hammer-on. You sound the note by pulling your finger off the previous note. Example... E--7p5--- You pick the note on the 7th fret, and pull your finger off the note to sound the note on the 5th fret. / = slide up \ = slide down ---------------------------------- A slide is just what it says....you slide your finger from one note to another. Example... E--3/5\3--- You pick the first note and then slide to the 5th fret then back down to the 3rd. b = bend ----------- To bend a note, you just push or pull the string towards or away from yourself, whilst still fretting a note. Example... E--7b--- If that's the high E string, you'd tend to pull the string towards you, low E string, you'd push it away. ~ = vibrato -------------- Vibrato makes a note sound a bit more alive, and it also makes it last longer if done properly. A good technique for vibrato is to move your finger either side to side, up and down, or around in a circular motion when holding a note. Example... E--5~~~--- br = bend & release ---------------------- Bend and release just means you bend the note indicated and then return it to its original pitch, but only pick the note once. Example... E--7br--- You pick the note be |