As shown in the diagram below, tablature has six lines. Each line represents one string. The top string represents the first string on the guitar. The bottom string represents the 6th string. For a bass guitar, the praise and worship TABS would have just four lines, representing the four strings.

The frets for praise and worship tabs are represented with numbers. 0 is no fret, or the open string. 1 is the first fret, 2 is the second fret, etc.

E- – – – – -3- 3 – 5- 5- -3 – – –
B- -1- 1 – – – – – – – – – – – – –
G- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
D- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
A- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
E- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Do you recognize this tune? It starts on the second string, first fret. Play it twice than jump up to the first string, third fret. Like a book, tablature reads from right to left. This first example was a single note melody. For chords, you just stack the numbers.

E- – – -2 – – – – – – – – – – – – –
B- – – -3 – – – – – – – – – – – – –
G- – – -2- – – – – – – – – – – – –
D- – – -0- – – – – – – – – – – – –
A- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
E- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Do you recognize this chord? It’s a D chord, a common one in praise and worship tabs.

There are other symbols that you could encounter in praise and worship tab. Two are the hammer on, h, and pull off, p. These are both made with the left hand, or hand holding down the strings.

A hammer on is when you pluck the initial note with your left hand, but make the next note sound by hammering on it with a finger from your left hand. Here’s a blues scale with hammer ons.

BLUES SCALE...

E- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 0h3- – – – –
B- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -0h3- – – – – – – –
G- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 0h2- – – – – – – – – – – – –
D- – – – – – – – – – – -0h2 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
A- – – – – – -0h2 – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
E- – 0h3- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Pluck the 6th string open, then with all your strength hammer it with the 3rd finger of your left hand, hit the third fret, etc.

Pull offs are just the reverse. Again plug the note using your right hand, but then plug it with the finger you’re using to hold the note, on the left hand. You’ll see both these symbols in praise and worship tabs.
Here’s that scale in reverse, using pull offs.
E- – 3p0- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
B- – – – – – 3p0- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
G- – – – – – – – – – – 2p0- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –
D- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – -2p0 – – – – – – – – – – – – –
A- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 2p0- – – – – – – – –
E- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 3p0- – – –

Bends, b, and returns, r, work best on electric guitars. If you see, for example 11b13. That means to pluck the 11th fret, then bend it to the pitch that would sound on the 13th fret. That’s easy on electric guitars because the strings are so thin. Not as easy on higher tension acoustic guitar strings. The r stand for releasing the bend.

Slides are written with either an s or a slash, / or \\\\\\\\. A slide is again where you pluck the first note with your right hand, but get to the next note by keeping the weight down with your left hand and literally sliding it to the next note. You’ll hear all the notes between them. 5/8 would mean to pluck the 5th fret, then slide up to the 8th fret with the finger holding the string down.

A v stands for vibrato, shaking the note with your left hand. A t stands for tap. You tap with the strumming hand. And the x stands for a muted string.

You can’t take a current copyrighted song and publish it with different words. But, if it’s just for fun and not going to be sold, it can be an easy jumping start for writing a song.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a little song for friends expecting their first baby, Tim and Lisa Jang. There are both in ministry at our church. Tim is one of the pastors and Lisa heads the Women’s Ministry. In thinking about what to write in the current newsletter, I thought it might be fun to wrap it in a video and share it with you. It’s here:

You probably recognize the melody and chord structure of this popular worship song! I hope this inspires you to create new words on songs you already play. It’s fun to ‘personalize’ songs for friends and family!

There are currently 132 videos completed. You can join their website for free and even keep track of what videos you’ve watched. You may download the videos and freely use them anywhere. They just ask that you give them credit and do not change the videos.

I think this would also include showing them at your church, etc. What a wonderful resource!

Here a sample from the Old Testament.

Here’s a sample from the New Testament

As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Here’s a little video with the music I wrote…

Here are the chords I used in the video with the added words. I’ve put the chords right before the word in parentheses since every browser may use a different font and it probably won’t line up right.

(Am)“As far as the east is from the (E) west,

so (E) far has he removed our trans – (Am) gres – (E) sions from (Am) us.”

They are (Dm) gone, completely (G) gone, re – (C) membered no (Am) more,

As (Dm) far as the (E) east is from the (Am)west.  (E Am)

        E Am E Am
Psalm 10 (Dm) 3: (E  Am) 12 (E Am)

If you find the above music hard to follow, you may also download the PDF below. It may be easier to follow:

Watching videos like these always reminds me that as Christians we are adopted into the family of Christ. We are blessed by having God as our Heavenly Father and then we instantly gain a whole new family in Christ!

I’m so grateful for the body of Christ! One time I played background music for an art show and afterwards one of the artists helped me carry the equipment to my car. When he saw the fish on the back of my car he asked if I knew Jesus. He and his wife loved the LORD. He ran to his wife saying, “Honey, she loves Jesus too!” So sweet!!