Tablature is a form of musical notation that was invented to make reading music easier for fretted and string instruments like guitar , bass, and violin. The premise is operationally-based, meaning that rather than showing rhythm, duration, and pitch, violin tabs will show the player where and when to place their fingers on the instrument.
For an improvising musician, violin tabs allow you to improvise while staying within the chord structure of a song. Tablature-style notation is most commonly used when notating pop music, and is often seen in folk and bluegrass, as well. For the beginning violinist, violin tabs can help you learn positions and individual notes quickly and efficiently, but ultimately, it’s important to learn to read standard musical notation as well.
Let’s look at the origin of violin tabs, how violin tabs work, the advantages and disadvantages of using violin tabs, and how to read them.