How to Read a Guitar Note Chart

Whether you are learning a new song or trying to write one for yourself, it is important to know how to read a guitar note chart. Not only will it help you understand the chords and strum patterns of the song, but also the structure of the music itself. Chord charts only show the 3 to 4 unique notes that make up a specific chord, but songs often require single notes, arpeggios (arrangements of chords) and other non-chord related playing. A good chord chart will also include a D.S. or al Fine indication, a coda and sometimes even a transposition of the song into a different key (D.C. or dal capo).

Musical notation is written using thick black lines so that it can be easily read on the bandstand. A 1.0mm gel pen is best. It is also best to avoid using a white or yellow pencil as these can be hard to see in low light. A good chord chart will be clearly readable and will be well organised, with each line representing a bar of the tune. If the chords in a song change on a different beat to other chords, it is helpful to mark this clearly with a repeat sign, which looks like a thin line, a thick line and two dots. If there is a lot of material in the chart it can be useful to put a bar space before the first and after the last chord, so that players can quickly find their place when changing from the previous to the next chord.

Another thing that is important to look out for on a chord chart is the use of fingerings, which are indicated by small numbers and letters. For example, 1 indicates the index finger, 2 the middle finger, 3 the ring finger, and so on. Circled numbers indicate which string a particular note is played on and numbers with a dot on the top are frets. If a number has an X beside it it means that a string should be mute or not played at all, and a 0 indicates an open string.

Beginning guitarists may also encounter a curved arrow on a guitar tab which indicates bending. This allows the guitarist to give their playing a vocal quality and gives the chord an additional dimension. The arrow will tell the guitarist how far up in pitch to bend; it will be either 1/2 or full step. Sometimes the arrow will also have a range indicated.

Other symbols that can be found on a guitar note chart are sharp and flat. A sharp symbol is placed next to a note and raises the pitch by a semitone, while a flat symbol lowers the note by a semitone. These can also be called enharmonic notes. Sharpened and flattened notes can be confused, so it is important to check the chords with an instrument before performing them. This will ensure that they are in the correct key.