ASCII tab

Last updated November 10, 2021

ASCII tab is a text file format used for writing guitar, bass guitar and drum tabulatures (a form of musical notation) that uses plain ASCII numbers, letters and symbols. It is the only widespread file format for representing tabulature, and is extensively used for disseminating tabulature via the Internet.

ASCII tab is intended to be a human-readable format rather than machine-readable, and hence is not strictly defined. Though some standards are used by all ASCII tab files, such as hyphens to represent string lines and digits to represent frets, other things such as barlines, rhythms, bends, chord symbols etc. may be present, absent or represented in a variety of ways. Additionally, ASCII tab files frequently contain lyrics and freeform text in unpredictable places.

There are various computer programs for creating guitar tabulature which can save ASCII tab files, but due to the unpredictability of the format, only a few (e.g. G7) can read arbitrary ASCII tab files created by humans.

ASCII tab files usually have the file extension .tab, .btab (for bass guitar) or .txt.

The tabulature for a C major chord on six-string guitar with standard tuning typically looks something like this:^[1]

        C e |-----0------| B |-----1------| G |-----0------| D |-----2------| A |-----3------| E |------------|

The string tunings at the left-hand side are often omitted. When notating entire songs, usually a note near the beginning of the tabulature tells the reader what tuning the instrument should be in. The number on each line refers to the fret as in guitar tab. Sometimes an 'x' means that the string should be played, but muted with either the left-hand fingers or the right-hand palm. The chord symbol C is written above - again this may or may not be included.

Other techniques, such as hammer-ons, string pulls (or pull-offs), slides, and bends may also be shown. Hammer-ons are usually shown with an "h" in between the fret to strike and the fret to hammer on. String pulls are shown with a "p". "Tribute" by Tenacious D is one example of a song that uses both of these:

    Am (A minor) e |-------------0-0-0-0-0-0-----0-------0-0-0-0-0-| B |-------------1-1-1-1-1-1-1h3p1p0h1---1-1-1-1-1-| G |-----0h2-----2-2-2-2-2-2-----2-------2-2-2-2-2-| D |-0h2-------2-2-2-2-2-2-2-----2-----2-2-2-2-2-2-| A |---------0---0-0-0-0-0-----------0---0-0-0-0-0-| E |-----------------------------------------------|

A trill is a combination of hammer-ons and pull-offs being performed in succession.

Slides are shown in the same format, but with a slash (/) or the letter S in between the fret to slide from and the fret to slide to. "ATWA" by System of a Down is a song that uses these (in Drop D tuning):

e |----------------------------------------------------| B |----------------------------------------------------| G |----3-----2-----5-----7------8------7-----5-----3---| D |----------------------------------------------------| A |----------------------------------------------------| D |--5---5/3---3/7---7/8---8/10---10/8---8/7---7/5---5-|

Bending is often shown by a letter b, but may also be indicated by an ^. A bend can show how far the string is to be bent, when the string is to be released (denoted by an r), or that it is a bend to an unspecific note. Examples:

e |---------------------------------------| B |---------------------------------------| G |--5b7--------5b7r5--------5b--------5br| D |---------------------------------------| A |---------------------------------------| E |---------------------------------------|

In the first example, a note played at the fifth fret on the G string (the note C) is bent up one full step so that it sounds like a note played at the seventh fret on the G string (the note D); secondly, the same note is played, but the bend is released so that the string again sounds a C note; thirdly, the string is bent to an undetermined note; fourthly, the string is bent to an undetermined note, and released back to the C note.

ASCII tab can also indicate rhythms above the staff; however this is rarely done. Barlines can be indicated using '|' characters (pipes). Lyrics may be added above or below the staff, either aligned with the music or as a continuous text block. Freeform text (describing the song, composer, transcriber, notational conventions used, etc.) is also often included at the start or end of the file, or used for relevant comments about a certain part of the song.

ASCII tab can also use various lines, arrows, and other symbols to denote bends, hammer-ons, trills, pull-offs, slides, and so on. These are the symbols that represent various techniques, though these may vary:^[2]

Symbol	Technique
h	hammer on
p	pull off
b	bend string up
r	release bend
/	slide up
\	slide down
v	vibrato (sometimes written as ~)
t	right hand tap
s	legato slide
S	shift slide
*	natural harmonic
[n]	artificial harmonic
n(n)	tapped harmonic
tr	trill
T	tap
TP	tremolo picking
PM	palm muting (also written as _)
\n/	tremolo arm dip; n = amount to dip
\n	tremolo arm down
n/	tremolo arm up
/n\	tremolo arm inverted dip
=	hold bend; also acts as connecting device for hammers/pulls
<>	volume swell (louder/softer)
x	on rhythm slash represents muted slash
o	on rhythm slash represents single note slash
·/.	pick slide

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In music performance and notation, legato indicates that musical notes are played or sung smoothly and connected. That is, the player makes a transition from note to note with no intervening silence. Legato technique is required for slurred performance, but unlike slurring, legato does not forbid re-articulation.

Sweep picking is a guitar playing technique. When sweep picking, the guitarist plays single notes on consecutive strings with a 'sweeping' motion of the pick, while using the fretting hand to produce a specific series of notes that are fast and fluid in sound. Both hands essentially perform an integral motion in unison to achieve the desired effect.

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A hammer-on is a playing technique performed on a stringed instrument by sharply bringing a fretting-hand finger down on to the fingerboard behind a fret, causing a note to sound. This technique is the opposite of the pull-off.

A pull-off is a stringed instrument playing and articulation technique performed by plucking or "pulling" the finger that is grasping the sounding part of a string off the fingerboard of either a fretted or unfretted instrument. This intermediate- to advanced playing technique is done using the tip of a finger or fingernail on the fretting hand. Pull-offs are done to facilitate the playing of embellishments and ornaments such as grace notes. Pull-offs may be notated in sheet music or improvised by the performer, depending on the musical style and context.

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String bending is a guitar technique where fretted strings are displaced by application of a force by the fretting fingers in a direction perpendicular to their vibrating length. This has the net effect of increasing the pitch of a note(or notes as the case may be). String-bending allows exploration of microtonality and can be used to give a distinctive vocal articulation to lead guitar passages.

References

↑ "Guitar Tabs Template | Guitar Lesson". www.ultimate-guitar.com. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
↑ "How to read and write Tab". www.classtab.org. Retrieved 22 October 2019.

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[1] "Guitar Tabs Template | Guitar Lesson". www.ultimate-guitar.com. Retrieved 22 October 2019.

[2] "How to read and write Tab". www.classtab.org. Retrieved 22 October 2019.

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