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How do I play this tab ?

tab

I confused since no fret number is written on the 3rd string, and I guess it's not an open string either. Do I pick those two (2 and 4) strings only?

What I did is just to strum those 3 strings with the middle one as open.

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  • It seems finger style exercise of part of a tune that is to be played in fingerstyle
    – Tanmoy
    Commented Feb 21, 2014 at 10:48

1 Answer 1

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Doing what you say you did sounds pretty awful, as the F#s clash with the open G. If the writer wanted you to play G open, he would have put 'o' on that string. Otherwise someone could play all 6 strings, 4 open and the other 2 as written. So play the 2 F#s, either with finger and thumb, or with a pick, muting the G (3rd) string in between as you strum. You can mute the 3rd string with either the tip of the finger on the 2nd string, or the flesh of the finger on the 4th string. Some tab either side of the posted may put this into a better perspective to analyse.

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    Yes, tab should have notated that to be played as an "x" over the g string. Unless it truly is played finger style in the right hand. No other possible way to skip strings.
    – user6164
    Commented Jun 18, 2013 at 6:14
  • @ShawnStrickland: No, the tab notation is correct. This is just a normal octave. How you avoid playing the G string is up to the player. Commented Feb 21, 2014 at 22:40
  • Ok, split hairs. But try strumming those traditionally while avoiding the half step rub created from F#(4th string) and G(3rd string open) played together. In most professional tablature that is intended for plectrum-style guitar you'll see an "x" on the G string because the best tablature is to be understood without any assumptions. You know what assuming does, don't you?
    – user6164
    Commented Feb 22, 2014 at 2:15

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