Using Simple tabs – Advantages

Playing from a simple tab like the one below offers you several different ways to “attack” the song.

1. First, the melody is right there in tab – played in single notes.
2. Second possibility: you can use the indicated chords to simply play along with the melody.
3. Third you play the melody+simple harmony on 2 strings. Even though the chords consist of more than 2 notes, fingering the chords helps you to choose the appropriate harmony notes.
3. This is also the case for playing “triads” (on 3 strings). If you finger the chords you should be able (fairly easily) to pick out a series of three string combinations that include the primary melody note.

Two more possibilities include
4. Playing the song across 4 or 5 strings. The chords as indicated should help you do this. Just be sure that the string combination you choose includes the melody note you’re looking for.
5. Arpeggiate your string combinations – in other words, rather than playing them as two, three or four string chords, play them as two, three, or four string arpeggios.