Ukulele · Chapter 6 of 24

Reading Tab

Tab tells your fingers where to go: which string, which fret. It’s the quickest way to learn a tune on the ukulele.

Tablature, or tab, is written music for fretted instruments. Instead of notes on a staff, it shows the strings as lines and the frets as numbers.

Lines and numbers

Four lines

Ukulele tab has four lines, one per string. The top line is string 1 (A), the highest-sounding string, and the bottom line is string 4 (G). Think of it as looking down at the strings while you play.

Numbers

A number on a line is the fret to press on that string. 0 means play the string open. Numbers stacked on top of each other are played together.

Rhythm

Tab alone doesn’t show how long each note lasts, so on this site the rhythm is written under the tab with stems, as in regular music, and the same notes appear in notation above it.

Here is the start of Mary Had a Little Lamb. Press play and watch the numbers light up: 0 on the E string, 2 on the C string, then the open C string.

The notation above the tab is ukulele music written at the pitch it sounds, in the treble clef. You don’t need to read it to play from tab, but it’s there when you want it; the Reading Music course explains it step by step.

Notes together

When numbers are stacked, play those strings together. Here are the open strings one at a time and then all together, which is a strum of the open strings:

Tab is the same for everyone. The left-handed view mirrors chord charts and fretboards, but tab doesn’t change: the top line is always string 1, the A string, whichever hand you strum with.

Try it. Play the two short tabs above along with the player. If that’s too quick, set the player’s tempo lower (try 60%), then raise it as the notes get easy.

Remember

Four lines, top line = string 1 (A), bottom = string 4 (G).
Numbers are frets; 0 is open; stacked numbers sound together.
The rhythm is written under the tab here, with notation above.