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It is a simple system, using numbers and letters to indicate what or how a specific tune or exercise should be played in as straight a manner as is possible. This is particularly helpful as a practicing tool, because once you know the tune you'll maybe add in some variation or embellishments. All the tab files archived on this website are geared towards playing banjo in the frailing style. The system may be used for other instruments, but that would require additional abbreviations and such as playing techniques will differ.
The first thing you'll find in a tab file will be the name of the tune, the key or tuning it is played in, the timing and optionally the speed or the feeling it should be played in. This is pretty important, especially on banjo with all it's hundreds of tunings and as tab tells you which fret to use you want to be in the right tuning. It will look like this:
Cripple CreekFor navigational purposes only one measure will be written on a line. This is because it gets cluttered otherwise. Also the measure number will be added in front to make referring to or memorizing your last position easier.
The basic formula is: string number - fret number - note value. The note value for most frailing tunes will be a quarter note, so if the meaning is clear this can be left off. examples: 1-0-q (first string open for a quarter note), 3-2 (third string, second fret), 4-4 (forth string, forth fret). Note that on the last two examples the note value was left off, so for frailing banjo that's going to be a standard quarter note. Just to clarify the writing of different note values, in case you come across them:
Chords in frailing are most commonly strummed using the "strum-thumb". In the braille-friendly tab the formula for this is: chord name - st. examples: G-st, D7-st, C-st, Em-st. Another thing that you will encounter is, for instance G-br, C-br, etc. This means that you have to brush across the strings rather than do a strum-thumb.
Something you'll find often is:
1. 3-0 G-st 4-0 G-stThese are part of the basics in frailing and their purpose is to break up a quarter note into two eighth notes, but as this is pretty much understood, we don't necessarily have to write two separate eighth notes. The formula is: string number - fret number - h, p, or s - fret number. The first fret number is the fret you start on, the second is the fret or open string you end the note on.
We're just going to modify the above four measures and add in some hammer-ons, pull-offs, slides and switch some strings.
1. 3-0 G-st 4-0h2 G-stIt will sometimes happen that you'll see these effects used with whole chords: GhC. Technically it should be written down as G-br-HC, but as this is quite annoying, the brush before the hammered-on chord is understood.
Bends and double thumbing, unlike hammer-ons, pull-offs and slides happen on one fret only, therefore the formula is: string number - fret number - b or dt.
Examples: 3-2b, 1-5b, 2-5b, 1-5dt, 1-2dt.
Drop thumbing is a string of four eighth notes, that is done by alternating thumb and picking finger, of which the first thumb motion will be on another string than the fifth for a change. This requires a sign to indicate what the thumb is doing, which will come in handy in for instance clawhammer tunes where the thumb picks out melody notes alongside the picking finger. For a note played with the thumb add "*" before the regular formula of string number - fret number - note value. It is advisable to write down that these are eighth notes in the tab file for clarity's sake. for example: 1-2-e *2-1-e 1-2dt. Note that on the end it tells you to double thumb, which is the usual second part of a double thumbing motion and it is understood that the thumb goes back to the fifth string.
Rests are simply indicated by "r" followed by the appropriate note value. example R-e, R-q.
It happens quite a lot that chords are played in an alternative position, are only partially played or have added notes. For instance a simple bar chord would be indicated by a number in parren before the chord name, so not to get confused with D7 for instance while it was supposed to be the barred D on the seventh fret, which would be (7)D-st as opposed to D7-st.
Whenever we're dealing with another position up the neck, we could write, for example (5-4-3-5)G-st, (4-4-3-4)Bm-st or (5-4-5-5)Em-st. These numbers inbetween parren are the fret numbers indicating which frets should be played on the forth, third, second and first strings respectively. This method also applies for partial chords, but most often a chord name isn't required, for example: (0-4-3-0)-st.
This actually has two ways of being written down, depending whether the fretting on two or more strings is on the same or different frets.
Method 1:Method 1 involves putting a "+" in between the string numbers and then continuing the regular formula. "1+2-5" means you have to play the first and second strings at the same time, both fretted at the fifth fret. Effects like hammer-ons, pull-offs and slides can be added in this: 1+2-5s3, 1+4-0h2.
Method 2:Method 2 is a bit longer to write as it involves two or more strings played simultaneously on different frets. "2-1_3-2" means your playing both the second string at the first fret and the third string at the second fret. Like method 1 effects can be added in: 2-1s3_3-2s4. This method can also be used to express phantom effects: 1-0_3-0ph2. As you see in the example a p is added before the "h", "p" or "s" to make the distinction between phantom effects and regular embellishments.
You will find some variety in the tabs, this is because the braille-friendly tab system had to evolve and be smoothed out over a period of time. It may still be subject to change or influenced by the writer's personal preferences, but nevertheless the tabs should be clear enough to work with.