Over the centuries the main way in which music has been written was in standard notation. Standard notation consists of symbols which indicate the length for which notes should be held and how quickly to transition between notes. For many musicians, standard notation is the only way to communicate to other musicians how a song is played. A combination of notes and rhythm actually printed out allows almost any musician to reproduce the music as it was originally written. For guitarists, however, another option exists outside the realm of standard notation.

Guitar tablatures allow guitarists to learn how to play songs without having to know how to read music. Easy guitar tabs help even beginner guitarists to play some of their favorite songs. There are, however, as many drawbacks associated with tabs as there are benefits. While they may be confusing to early guitarists, easy guitar tabs are relatively easy to read. They are set up in a practical way, utilizing six horizontal lines to represent each of the six strings of the guitar. Along each line numbers are printed, indicating which frets to press on each string. In addition to numbers, symbols are used to indicate where certain techniques should be utilized like the "hammer on" or "pull off" effects. Tabs are a great resource for beginning guitarists because they provide an opportunity to apply the skills and techniques developed in practice sessions in a way that is more fulfilling than simply playing notes and chords over and over to memorize them. Such monotonous repetition often causes beginning guitarists to become bored and to quit the guitar before they have moved past the most amateur level.

The major drawback associated with easy acoustic guitar tabs and electric guitar tabs alike is that they do not indicate rhythm. Guitar tablatures can indicate which notes and chords to play but they cannot show how long the note should be held. Some guitarists have developed their own ways to indicate rhythm, but there is no universal method for doing so and each method has its own associated flaws. Tabs can also be difficult to read quickly because the brain needs time to process the numbers printed on the tab and to relate it to the corresponding notes on the guitar. Though there are both benefits and drawbacks associated with guitar tablatures they remain a very popular resource for beginner and professional guitarists alike.