How To Map A Song In 6-String Tablature To 3-String Chords
WARNING: Long post ahead! Read only if you wanna learn something!
A couple of days ago, one of our newer members, Russ Oakes, put out a request for The Allman Brothers Band's "Midnight Rider" in 3-string tablature, or as it is commonly known, tab. Several people, including myself, responded with versions of the 6-string tab from various websites; one showed the basic chords, in DADGBD tuning, while another showed the main lead riff. But this wasn't exactly what Russ wanted, or needed.
I replied back, without knowing how much musical education or playing experience he had, suggesting that he needed to do two things:
1)Select a suitable 3-string tuning, and create a fretboard map of the notes for that tuning ( the examples I gave were: ADF#, popularized by Keni Lee Burgess, and useful because of movable chord shapes familiar to 6-string players; and DGB, familiar to banjo players. The reason I selected these was that they are buried right there in the middle of that DADGBD 6-string tuning: DGB is there using the 2, 3, and 4 strings, while ADF# is there, too, using the 5, 4, and 3 strings, but tuning the 3 string down from G to F#. I'm partial to the latter tuning...)
2)Map the chords from the 6-string tab to the 3-string fretboard.
Russ replied back that he was new to playing, but that he would give it a shot, because he liked learning new things. I then typed back a long-winded reply (thinking perhaps that "new to playing" might mean "never touched a musical instrument in my life!"), that included how to create a fretboard map for any 3-string tuning - I used ADF# for my example - and some basic musical theory, that can be looked up on Wikipedia. Unfortunately, when I was looking for an illustration to make a point, my session timed out, and I had neglected to Save my verbiage.
It then occurred to me that maybe other newbie, and perhaps even some oldie, CBN members might benefit from seeing how this is done, in excruciating detail (otherwise, what's the point, right?). Here is that Discussion ( otherwise known as, How I Personally Do It. YMMV. ).
First, create, using pencil and paper, Powerpoint, or some other method, two fretboard maps, one for 6-string, and one for 3-string. They will look something like these:
6-string version:
----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----
----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----
----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----
----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----
----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----
----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----
3-string version:
----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----
----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----
----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----
These are your blank fretboard maps, from the nut at the extreme left (assuming a right-handed player); the vertical lines represent frets 1-12, while the horizontal lines represent 6- and 3-strings, respectively. Also, get yourself a decent clip-on tuner, that shows note frequencies, and sharp and flatted notes; these can be had for anywhere from $12-35.
Second, mark your tunings to the far left of each string, assuming the bottom horizontal line in each diagram represents the thickest, lowest-in-pitch string, and the top horizontal line represents the thinnest, highest-in-pitch string, again for right-handed player reference. Mark then like so:
6-string version:
D --|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
B --|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
G --|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
D --|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
A --|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
D --|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
3-string version (using ADF# as an example tuning):
F# --|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
D --|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
A --|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
Sorry, letter spacing got thrown off slightly, but you get the idea. Now you have something to work with. Make a coupla three blank copies of each, because we're gonna do several things with these.
Third, map the 12 standard, Western musical tones within each octave, from the open note on each string, to the same note at the 12-th fret for both the 6-string and 3-string tunings. Remember the 12-th fret note is an octave (eight whole steps) above the open, unfretted note on each string ( see Wikipedia for more detail on musical notation, piano note frequencies, circle of fifths, etc. ). The new versions of your fretboard maps should look something like these, with the vertical fret lines and horizontal string lines removed for clarity:
6-string fretboard note map, DADGBD tuning:
D - D#/Eb - E - F -F#/Gb - G - G#/Ab - A - A#/Bb - B -C - C#/Db - D
B - C -C#/Db- D -D#/Eb - E - F - F#/Gb- G - G#/Ab -A - A#/Bb - A
G - G#/Ab - A - A#/Bb- B - C - C#/Db - D - D#/Eb - E -F - F#/Gb - G
D - D#/Eb - E - F -F#/Gb - G - G#/Ab - A - A#/Bb - B - C - C#/Db - D
A - A#/Bb - B - C -C#/Db - D - D#/Eb - E - F - F#/Gb- G - G#/Ab - A
D - D#/Eb - E - F -F#/Gb - G - G#/Ab - A - A#/Bb - B - C - C#/Db - D
3-string fretboard note map, ADF# tuning:
G - G#/Ab - A - A#/Bb - B - C -C#/Db- D - D#/Eb - E - F - F#/Gb - G
D - D#/Eb - E - F - F#/Gb- G -G#/Ab- A - A#/Bb - B - C - C#/Db - D
A - A#/Bb - B - C - C#/Db- D -D#/Eb- E - F - F#/Gb- G - G#/Ab - A
You'll notice, I copied the open G string; you'll need to tune it down to F#, to get this:
F#/Gb - G - G#/Ab - A -A#/Bb - B - C -C#/Db - D - D#/Eb - E - F - F#/Gb
D - D#/Eb- E - F -F#/Gb - G - G#/Ab-A -A#/Bb- B - C - C#/Db- D
A - A#/Bb- B - C -C#/Db - D - D#/Eb-E - F - F#/Gb - G - G#/Ab- A
Now you know where all your notes are, for each open string to the 12-th fret, in either tuning. Remember,mod this exercise by hand; it'll help you retain the knowledge, especially if you do it a few times.
Fourth, use another blank 6-string and 3-string fretboard map, with just the open notes and fret numbers marked, like so:
6-string version:
D ---|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|---
B ---|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|---
G ---|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|---
D ---|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|---
A ---|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|---
D ---|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|
3-string version (using ADF# as an example tuning):
F# --|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
D --|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
A --|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
Here comes the tricky bit: you're gonna translate from 6-string tabbed chords to 3-string chords, then to 3-string tabs, between the DADBGD 6-string tuning to the example ADF# tuning.
First, let's look at the tabbed chords for Midnight Rider in DADGBD tuning, from guitaretab.com :
CHORDS:
D Gm7 Am7 Gm Gm7addE
D -----0------3--------5--------5--------3-----
B -----3------3--------5--------3--------5-----
G -----2------3--------5--------3--------3-----
D -----0------5--------7--------5--------5-----
A -----0------5--------7--------5--------5-----
D -----0------5--------7--------5--------5-----
Remember that tab only shows you which fretted notes to play, not how you should finger them, and that each chord is listed vertically, across the strings. For example, the initial D chord is essentially the top 3 notes on the above tuning, or 2-3-0. This means that the lowest note is played on the G string at the second fret, the next highest note is played on the B string at the 3rd fret, and the highest note is allowed to ring open. The other bottom 3 open notes, the DAD, can be allowed to ring as drones, or omitted. The same logic follows for the rest of the chords above. Notice that all of the rest of them can be simplified to two-position chords with drone notes; that is because the DADGBD 6-string tuning simplifies the fingering from a standard EADGBE 6-string tuning. Those of you who have migrated over from 6-stringers to 3- and 4-string CBGs should instantly recognize this; those of you who have just picked up a 3-string CBG because you were told it is simpler to play, should begin to see why, too.
So, let's get out our 6-string fretboard note map we just made, and see which notes the tabbed chords correspond to. For the D chord example above, you've got 2-3-0. On your 6-string fretboard note map for DADGBD tuning, these notes will be:
2 fret on the G string = A
3 fret on the B string = D
0 fret (open string) on the D string = D
Whoa! Guess what? You are now looking at a two-note chord with a drone, in this case the high D string. Well, okey-dokey, then; get out your 3-string fretboard note map for ADF# tuning, and let's find those A and D notes.
Holy smokes, Batman! Lookie there! You can play a two-note D chord with just the bottom two open strings, and either 1) mute the F# open string, and strum the bottom two notes, or 2), using only one finger, find a D note at the VIII (or 8th) fret, and strum all three! How kewl izzat?!
I bet you're excited now, ain'tcha, homeboy? Ready to do another one? OK, let's find that Gm7 chord.
Using the tabbed chords above, you can see that the Gm7 is applied at the 5th fret for the bottom DAD strings, and the 3rd fret for the top GBD strings. On a 6-stringer tuned DADGBD, this would most likely be done by making a partial barre across the top 3 strings with your first finger, and another partial barre across the 5th fret with your 3rd or ring finger. Not too comfortable, eh? But let's map all 6, for fun:
1st D string, 3rd fret = A
2nd B string, 3rd fret = D
3rd G string, 3rd fret = A#/Bb;one of the enharmonic notes from the Circle of Fifths
4th D string, 5th fret = G
5th A string, 5th fret = D (hey, wait, we got two D's -we can maybe drop one, maybe? )
6th D string, 5th fret = G (dang, now we got two G's; let's maybe drop one )
Now you can see that, essentially, that Gm7 chord consists of four notes: G-Bb-D-A. Now get out your 3-string fretboard note map, and...wait, what? But we only have 3-strings, and a four note chord; how the heck we gonna do that? Coupla ways.
First, we could drop that pesky Bb note, and just use G, D, and A. Since our example tuning is ADF#, this is ridiculously easy: the open A and D string are already there, and again, using only one finger, find the G at the first fret on the F# string. You could theoretically imply that Bb note, but many people simply won't hear it.
Second, we could try dropping the G note, and substitute the Bb in the chord. Again, you could leave the A and D strings open, and again, using only one finger, find the Bb at the IV (4th) fret on the F# string. Now, you're implying the G note, but again, many people won't "hear" that. Is there a third way?
Yes, there's another way, that involves two fingers, and a pull-off. You do this by fingering the Bb at the 4th fret on the F# string with your 3rd or ring finger, or for those of you with smallish hands, your pinkie finger, and setting your first finger at the first fret on the same string at the same time. You strum the A, D and Bb notes, then pull off your ring or pinkie finger, leaving your first finger fretting that G note at the 1st fret on the F# string. This will give you a little movement, and also you'll hear the two notes needed to make that Gm7 four-note chord - not simultaneously, but most people's brains will register it as a fuller chord.
OK, this may be starting to feel complicated for some of you, but I assure you, it works in ADF# tuning. I leave it to you to find other fingerings for this chord. Let's move on to the Am7 chord, shall we?
In the tabs above, the Am7 chord is listed as another two finger two partial barres chord, this time at frets 5 and 7. Using the same mapping technique, we find that the 6-string notes for Am7 in DADGBD tuning are:
1st D string, 5th fret = G
2nd B string, 5th fret = E
3rd G string, 5th fret = C
4th D string, 7th fret = A
5th A string, 7th fret = E ( hey, wait, we got two E's - let's drop one )
6th D string, 7th fret = A ( dang, now we got two A's; let's drop one )
As you can see, we have another 4-note chord for Am7, comprised of, low to high: ACEG can we do the same thing for this one? Sure! Get out your 3-string fretboard note map and let's see where these are:
1st F# string, 1st fret = G
3rd string A string, open = A
So we're left with C and E. If we drop the E, then we have ACG. To simplify fingering, we can use an inversion of ACG, using the same notes, but rearranging them like so: CAG. You can play this with 3 fingers in a downward-pointing triangle pattern, like a standard D chord on a 6-string. You place your index finger on the A string at the 3rd fret ( the C note), your 3rd or ring finger on the D string at the 5th fret (the A note), and your second finger on the F# string at the 3rd fret. But what about that E that we dropped?
You could invert those fingers to an upward pointing triangle, like a D7 chord on a 6-string, and catch the E on the next strum. Place your first and third fingers on the A and F# strings at the third fret, and place your second finger on the D string at the 2nd fret to catch the E. It can be tricky for first timers, but like many things, simply requires slow, steady practice.
Let's keep going, shall we? Let's get that Gm chord. Using your fretboard map, we find that tabbed Gm in DADGBD tuning looks like:
1st D string, 5th fret = G
2nd B string, 3rd fret = D
3rd G string, 3rd fret = Bb
4th D string, 5th fret = G ( hey, two G's! You know what to do... )
5th A string, 5th fret = D ( hey, wait, we got two D's too - let's drop one )
6th D string, 5th fret = G ( dang, now we got three G's; let's drop this one, too )
So now, our Gm chord reduces to...3 notes!: G, Bb, and D. Let's map this to our 3-stringer:
1st F# string, 1st fret = G
2nd D string, open = D
3rd A string, 1st fret = Bb
Notice that this is merely an inversion again of G, Bb, D, but rearranged to Bb, D, G. This can be played with two fingers, either 1) your index finger, 1st fret on the A string, and 2nd finger, 1st fret on the F# string, or 2) your 2nd finger, 1st fret on the A string, and 3rd finger, 1st fret on the F# string. You may want to do it the second way, because you could have previously played the Am7 chord at the 3rd fret on the A and F# strings; it's just sliding those two fingers toward the head stock two frets, from the 3rd fret to the first, and removing your index finger.
Another way to do the Gm7 and Am7 chords, which is even simpler, is to imply the 7th note by merely playing Gm and Am. You just figured out how to play Gm, so Am should be easy, right? Remember that the 4-note Am7 chord was ACEG. In standard EADGBE tuning, Am7 is played:
1st fret on the 2nd B string = C
2nd fret on the 3rd G string = A
2nd fret on the 4th D string = E
So a simple Am chord is EAC, or some inversion of that. Let's see if we can find a simple one on our 3-string fretboard...oh. Wait. We did that already! Remember above, the upward pointing triangle shape? CEA, low to high, bottom to top:
3rd finger, 3rd fret of F# string = A
1st finger, 2nd fret of the D string = E
2nd finger, 3rd fret of the A string = C
Do you see how much simpler this song can be on a 3-stringer? We've now reduced it to just 3 chords: D, Gm, and Am!
So now, you can strum Midnight Rider, on a 3-string CBG tuned ADF#, using this chord pattern:
D Gm Am Gm Gm
It would look something like this on your 3-string fretboard map:
D chord version one (muted F# string, signified by XF#, strum open A and D strings)
XF# --|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
D --|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
A --|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
D chord version two (O just behind the VII (8th) fret for a high D drone, strum all three strings):
F# --|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----O|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
D --|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
A --|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
Gm chord (O just behind 1st fret on A and F# strings, D is open, strum all three):
F# --O|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
D ---|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
A --O|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
Am chord (O just behind 3rd fret on A and F# strings, and just behind 2nd fret on D string):
F# --|-----|----O|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
D --|----O|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
A --|-----|----O|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
Gm chord, repeated twice (O just behind 1st fret on A and F# strings, D is open, strum all three):
F# --O|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
D ---|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
A --O|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|-----|----
If you've managed to get this far, you should have learned quite a bit of simple music theory, and most importantly, how to map your fingerboard for any tuning. This should open up lots of 6-string tabbed songs to you, by remapping them from 6-strings to 3- and 4-string CBGs.
If you have any clarifications, please feel free to add them. If you have any questions, please contact me either in this thread, or PM me here on CBN.
Enjoy!
You need to be a member of Cigar Box Nation to add comments!
But what if you couldn't find a 6-string tablature for the song you want to play nor the song text and notes along with chord symbols neither? Now you have to find out the chords of the key of the song you want to accompany with the help of your fretboard map ruler.
Let's take the triads of key of G major as a basic example, for a CBG tuned GDG:
First we have to get the notes of the scale of this key: from
we get G-A-B-C-D E-F#-G: with these notes we will construct the triads of the scale, built up on root, minor or major third and fifth; thirds are three or four halftones off the root, fifth seven halftones.
For G we get three halftones off G an A# which is not part of the scale, but four halftones off G a B which is, and seven halftones off G we find a D: the chord is G-B-D and we can play it with low G string open, D string open and high G string on fourth fret.
For A we get three halftones off A a C and seven halftones off A an E which are part of the scale: the chord is A-C-E and we can play A and E with a barre on the second fret and C on the fifth fret of high G string.
You see: we have a major scale, but a minor chord: the triads with roots G, C, D are major and with roots A, B, E minor chords.
But what about the chord with root F#? Three halftones off F# we find A which is part of the scale, but seven halftones off F# we find C# which is not: in this case the chord is F#-A-C with a dimished fifth, a diminished chord.
For G we get three halftones off G a Bb and seven halftones off G we find a D which are both part of the scale: the chord is G-Bb-D and we can play it with low G string open, D string open and high G string on third fret.
For A we get three halftones off A a C which is part of the scale, and seven halftones off A we find an E which is not: the chord is A-C-Eb; with the diminished chord on the second note of the scale; we can play A on second fret of low G string, Eb on first fret of D string and C on fifth fret of high G string.
For Bb we get four halftones off Bb a D and seven halftones off Bb an F which are both part of the scale: the chord is Bb-D-F and we can play it with a barre on third fret and high G on seventh fret.
You see: we have a minor scale, but a major chord: the triads with roots G, C, D are minor and with roots Bb, Eb, F major chords, and with root A with a dimished fifth a diminished chord.
P.S. Ron if you have a better idea about how to explain this basic topic, do it and I will cancel this post.
First, some people need the explanation of what a chord, and a triad is. Then you can get into major and minor versions of same.
This is where visuals can help...hmmmm. Can you do a shot of your GDG fretboard ruler, to highlight where the notes for
1) a major chord in GDG, plus the notes that make up the triad
2) ditto for a minor chord.
I'd say do a little at a time...sez the guy who posted the first behemoth in this Discussion ;-)
Moritz Voegeli > Ron "Oily" SpragueDecember 15, 2016 at 5:55am
On my part, that's it for the moment. Let's hope folks have a look at http://musictheorysite.com/ or a similar site for the basic basics. I wouldn't even try to explain why a minor chord sounds different from a major one: you have to hear it.
What if you couldn't find 6-string tablatures for the songs you wanted to play but only song texts and notes along with strange chord symbols you don't understand? Check
for detailed explanations. To get the intervals on your fretboard map rulers you have to know how much halftones make up the desired intervals which are part of the chord you are looking for:
1 minor second
2 major second
3 minor third
4 major third
5 fourth, perfect fourth
6 flat fifth
7 fifth, perfect fifth
8 minor sixth
9 major sixth
10 minor seventh
11 major seventh
12 octave
For seventh and other chords made up by more than three notes you have to decide which note you have to omit on your three strings: in the case of seventh chords you have the choice between fifth, third or base note: try them out...
Moritz Voegeli > Ron "Oily" SpragueDecember 13, 2016 at 9:01am
Not at all, I have to let open the crucial question about how to deal with the omitted notes of a chord... That's the butter on the bread... If you are preparing a similar post I will cancel my own.
Nononono...I was joking. While I would love for everyone to DIY music theory, the reality is that people need to see, be shown, and have others do the work for them. Go right ahead...
Replies
This is where visuals can help...hmmmm. Can you do a shot of your GDG fretboard ruler, to highlight where the notes for
1) a major chord in GDG, plus the notes that make up the triad
2) ditto for a minor chord.
I'd say do a little at a time...sez the guy who posted the first behemoth in this Discussion ;-)
On my part, that's it for the moment. Let's hope folks have a look at http://musictheorysite.com/ or a similar site for the basic basics. I wouldn't even try to explain why a minor chord sounds different from a major one: you have to hear it.
I made this one using a spreadsheet...
I'll be happy to share same with folks on CBN...
Not at all, I have to let open the crucial question about how to deal with the omitted notes of a chord... That's the butter on the bread... If you are preparing a similar post I will cancel my own.
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