Music paper
Guitar TAB Paper
Blank tablature for any stringed instrument, four to twelve strings, your choice of systems per page, optionally interleaved with standard notation. Print at true size so the string spacing is comfortable to write on.
Four steps
How to print blank guitar TAB paper
- 1
Set the string count
Six for standard guitar, four for bass or ukulele, seven or more for extended range.
- 2
Choose systems per page
Eight to ten is comfortable on A4; fewer if the passage is dense.
- 3
Add notation if needed
Switch on combined mode to interleave a five-line staff above each TAB system.
- 4
Print it
Download the PDF and print at 100% so the string spacing is exactly as set.
How to read and write tablature
Tab maps directly onto the fretboard, which is why guitarists learn it in minutes. Each horizontal line is a string; a number on that line is the fret to press. The highest- pitched string sits on the top line, the reverse of how the instrument looks in your hands, and the single most common source of confusion for beginners.
0, open string, no fret pressed- Numbers stacked vertically, played together as a chord
- Numbers left to right, played in sequence
hhammer-on ·ppull-off ·bbend ·rrelease/slide up ·\slide down ·~vibrato ·xmuted
What tab does not tell you
Tab records where to put your fingers but not when. It carries no rhythmic information at all, which is why it works for songs you already know and fails for music you have never heard. Two fixes:
- Use the combined TAB and staff mode and write the rhythm on the staff above.
- Add stems and beams under the TAB numbers, the convention in published guitar books.
If you are writing music rather than transcribing it, consider working on standard staff paper instead, it forces the rhythm to be explicit from the start.
Always write down the tuning
A tab in drop D read as standard tuning produces nonsense. The header line exists for exactly this reason. Common tunings worth noting:
| Tuning | Strings (low → high) |
|---|---|
| Standard | E A D G B E |
| Drop D | D A D G B E |
| Half step down | E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭ |
| Open G | D G D G B D |
| DADGAD | D A D G A D |
| Bass (4-string) | E A D G |
| Ukulele (soprano) | G C E A |
Practical uses
- Transcribing by ear: the fastest way to capture a riff before you forget it.
- Songwriting: record fingerings for a part you have not yet memorised.
- Teaching: hand a student a written exercise rather than a video link.
- Set lists and arrangements: mark intros, endings and key changes.
Related paper
Blank staff paper covers standard notation and grand staff. For lyrics and chord charts, lined paper with a wide ruling gives room to write chords above the words, and squared paper is handy for drawing fretboard diagrams by hand.
Answers
Frequently asked questions
0 is an open string. Numbers stacked vertically are played together as a chord; numbers left to right are played in sequence. Standard articulation letters are h (hammer-on), p (pull-off), b (bend), / and \ (slides), and ~ (vibrato).