whats the trick for timing guitar tabs?

Question

i have the beat in my head and i know how to play it but when it comes to playing it i can't get it right. i listen to the music and try to do the strumming and stuff while listening but it makes it harder.. should i give up or get someone to teach me instead of trying to teach myself?

i'm trying to play violet by hole. its on ultimate-guitar.com and it seems like it would be right

i can't get the rhythm down.. and i can't read notes either.. i can read the tabs and know where to put my fingers but i think i can't strum right

Answer 1

r u asking - how do i read guitar tab for the correct rhythm?
tab shows the place you put your finger, standard notation, with treble clef, key signatures, dotted eighth notes and all that, attempts to capture the pitch and 'rhythm'
Here's what I do
try to learn the song first (what the rhythm guitar player or bass player is doing, the chord changes, the arrangement)
I try to graph out a map (intro, verse, chorus. . .16 bar verse 4 bar pre-chorus, 8 bar chorus repeated 2x)
once I can account for the arrangement, then I can go after the little riffs
THAT"S when tab is most useful
wanna an example?
OK Guns and Roses sweet child of mine
the intro is very cool but very hard to pick out
but the chords under it are D,C, G and D (well tuned down another half step)
8 measures, 2 measures of each chord
after fiddling around, the notes are up at the 12th fret
Since I know the most common 'patterns' I hack away until I get it
it takes time, don't get discouraged
I learned it from tab, I VERY SLOWLY taught my fingers the run and then I could play it, after years of not playing it, I tried it, and stunk!!

If I cannot play it even after reading an accurate tab (and this happened to me for years with LZ's Black Dog) I need to forget what I think it is, and really listen to what it REALLY is
rawk on

Answer 2

where did u get the guitar tab at? a lot of times the tablature posted on the net is not 100% correct. it could be a wrong tab.

If the tabs right you should be able to make out certain notes in the song on the tab sheet.

Don't give up!!!! many a musician taught themselves guitar through sheer will, dedication and hard work. Stick it out, all the great guitarists had to.....

what song are you trying to play? let's start with that.......