Ties, Rests, and Damping

Tunes do not always fit neatly into measures, and sometimes we want to hold over a note from one measure to the next. This is easily done by writing the extra amount as a note in the next measure and tying the two notes together, like this:

In the example, the first fret note is held over through the first beat of the next measure. In practice the tied note will often not be shown in the tablature, so it is important to spot it in the note indications.

Rests are simply silences, but they must have a time value, like notes, and fit into the measures in the same way:

One two (three) four __ one two three four

In the example, the third beat is silent, so the string should be damped. If it was not an open string, it would be sufficient just to lift the left-hand finger. However, to stop the open string from ringing on, it is necessary to touch it lightly. This can be done here with a left-hand finger or with the side of the right-hand thumb.