Log In My Account Join Upgrade Premium VIP Beta Tester Free Trial
Menu Search Join VIP Beta Tester Premium
 

How to Recognize Chord Shapes within Guitar Tabs

Lesson #404 • Dec 14, 2021

Video lesson

Instructional PDF 2 pages

Follow along with the print-friendly PDF! It includes all of my notes for this lesson, allowing you to follow along at your own pace. You're free to download, print, and share the PDF across your devices.

Thanks for being a Premium member of Song Notes! Your support makes these lessons possible.

Download PDF

Follow along with the print-friendly PDF!

It includes all of my notes for this lesson, allowing you to follow along at your own pace. You're free to download, print, and share the PDF across your devices.

To download the PDF, upgrade to premium or log in.

Editor’s notes

Hey friends! New lesson today where I share a must-know technique when it comes to reading guitar tabs. Specifically, I’m talking about “reading tabs backwards” – which is a way to easily identify the chord shapes implied within a tabbed riff. This is tremendously helpful, as it let you know how your left hand should be positioned (i.e. playing a specific chord shape) while your right hand tackles the picked or strum notes.

I wish I knew about this when I first started guitar. Back then, I would dive into reading guitar tabs head first, memorizing the exact fret numbers and string numbers shown in any tab – but the movement of my left hand was entirely chaotic and inefficient, always scrambling to get into place for the next note. My advice to my past self? Learn how to recognize the chord shapes inferred by any tab: and use that as a guide to how your left hand should be placed.

The end result is tabs & riffs that are easier to play, which is a huge win!

Special thanks to Patreon supporter Greg, who’s recent email turned me on to a riff I’d never learned before (the 5th example I show in this video) – and when tackling this riff, it sparked the idea of sharing this incredibly helpful technique. I hope you find it helpful in all of your playing!

Thanks again to all of you for the support, it makes these lessons possible. All the best!

  • David Pots.

Unlock My Secret Stash!

Gain instant access to my library of 287 print-friendly cheat sheets! Also includes my extended video lessons, jam tracks, courses, and more.

Join Song Notes Premium

Have questions? Watch video tour »

Browse Related Lessons

Click any tag below to view other lessons I've made in that category:

Enjoy My Lessons? Show Your Support!

Most of the lessons on my website are 100% free. If you have the means, please show your support with a tip jar contribution. I put many hours into every lesson — but it only takes you a minute to make a donation. You have my thanks!

Donate

Looking for More Song Lessons?

Recently Added
Most Popular
Beginner-Friendly
Browse by Artist
Browse by Song Title
Browse by Song Year
1950s
1960s
1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s

Featured Courses

Guitar for Beginners

A guide to getting started with guitar! Everything you need to know to begin your journey. Choosing a guitar, other gear you'll need, fretting notes & chords, learning your first songs, and more.

14 lessons

View

Beginner Chord Guide

A guide to the must-know chords you'll need when getting started with guitar! The quickest way to learn major chords, minor chords, the chords in each key, and more.

22 lessons

View

Reading Music for Guitarists

Learn to read tabs, chord charts, fretboard diagrams, strumming patterns, and more! This course explains how to understand all of these must-know notation styles.

6 lessons

View

Blues Starter Kit

A guide to must-know elements of beginner blues guitar! I'll walk you through the essential topics, showing you fun things to play along the way.

18 lessons

View
Strumming & Rhythm
Learning Lead Guitar
Fingerstyle & Travis Picking
Practical Music Theory
Major Keys
Minor Keys
Double Stops
Diagonal Pentatonics
Walk Ups & Walk Downs
Using a Capo
CAGED Shapes
Practice Tips
Barre Chords

Fun & Helpful Tools I've Made

Fret Monster

Interactive fretboard map! See the patterns behind every scale in any key.

View

Capo Captain

An easy way to calculate key & chord combinations, for any capo location!

View

Key Master

See and hear the notes, chords, scales used in each of the most common keys.

View

Blank Tabs

Free PDF templates to download, print, and write out your own guitar tabs!

View

Coming soon is Jambox – which shows all the video jam tracks I've made. It's note quite ready for the spotlight, but check it out if you like!

Subscribe to my YouTube channel

Be sure to never miss a lesson by subscribing on YouTube. I put out 2-3 new videos every week. These include full song lessons, as well as covers, practice tips, behind-the-scenes updates. Thanks!

Recent Lessons

  • Sept 10, 2025

    Diagonal Pentatonics, Explained!

    A deep-dive into one of the most helpful techniques when learning to unlock the fretboard for lead guitar fun! Includes a 15-page PDF handbook, along with ten new play-along practice tracks.

  • August 29, 2025

    "Margaritaville" by Jimmy Buffett

    After dozens and dozens of requests over the last few years, the time has come! Learn to play Jimmy Buffett's 1977 classic Margaritaville. Intro riff and melodic strumming fills included!

  • Aug 22, 2025

    First Steps with Double Stops — 16 Page Handbook Included!

    Take your first step with double stops — specifically harmonized 3rds, 6ths, and 10ths. These are useful in fingerstyle, lead guitar, improvsation, and more! Don't miss my Double Stop Handbook, which has over 15 pages of tabs, diagrams, and easy-to-digest theory.

  • Aug 3, 2025

    Fingerstyle Fun feat. Ozzy Osbourne's "Mama I'm Coming Home"

    Learn a bite-sized fingerstyle groove, inspired by the opening intro & verse of Ozzy Osbourne's 1991 hit "Mama I'm Coming Home."

  • July 31, 2025

    [Updated] "Lola" Instrumental Intro, with Melody

    I've updated my practice notes teaching an extended intro to Lola by The Kinks. "Part 2" video teaching the lead guitar fill riff also added.

  • July 25, 2025

    "Sloop John B" by The Beach Boys

    Let's dive into this Bahamian folk-rock classic made most famous by The Beach Boys! It's a somewhat simple to get the hang of, but I'll show various ways you can make it your own.

  • July 22, 2025

    [Updated] Beginner Blues Groove in A minor

    I've added a new video jam track to this beginner blues lesson — which lets you play along with a minor 12-bar blues, showing the chords on screen. Check it out!

  • July 18, 2025

    Minor Key Handbook – Now Available!

    I’m so excited to release the Minor Key Handbook – featuring 8 print-friendly pages with the must-know essentials for playing guitar in minor keys!

  • July 11, 2025

    Melody & Chords, Together! ft. Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah"

    Learn to play the Hallelujah melody, with chords, at the same time! This is an incredibly satisfying way to play one of the all-time great songs.

Browse All Recent Lessons →

← back to homepage