I need Help with a particular tablature symbol.

[Rosewood99]

I know that the curve lines can mean Hammer ons or pull offs. But why are some of the curves over each note and others are under each note. What does that signify?

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

I know that the curve lines can mean Hammer ons or pull offs. But why are some of the curves over each note and others are under each note. What does that signify?

What you're referring to are known technically as "slurs".
In notation, whether they curve up or down depends on rules to do with the stem direction of the notes, simply as a way of making the notation look neater (neatness also governs stem direction in the first place). Usually stems up mean the slur is below the noteheads (like a smile), and stems down mean the slur goes above and curves the other way.

When the notation is copied to a tab staff, the slurs will keep their shape, even though design and formatting is no longer an issue (unless the tab also contains stems). It makes no difference how you play them in any case.

BTW, slurs are often confused with "ties", which is the same kind of curved line joining two of the same note, just meaning that the first note is extended by that amount. When I'm copying my notation to tab (in Sibelius) ties are not normally copied, meaning you get both notes appearing on the tab, looking like a repeated note. So I'm always having to go through my tab and delete the second note...

[TBman]

A curved line under notes connecting them is a "tie." You add the duration of both notes together and let the note ring out that long. In the notation below the eighth note that is "tied" to the second eighth note is simply played as one quarter note.

[Rosewood99]

Originally Posted by TBman

A curved line under notes connecting them is a "tie." You add the duration of both notes together and let the note ring out that long. In the notation below the eighth note that is "tied" to the second eighth note is simply played as one quarter note.

So what does it mean if the curved line is over the note?

[steelvibe]

Not sure if this legend helps or not. Could it be a slide?

https://www.songsterr.com/a/wa/howtoreadtab

[TBman]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

So what does it mean if the curved line is over the note?

If its like the image below, the first one is a hammer-on, the second a pull-off. This is when you have to listen to a recording of the tune that matches the tab/notation for guidance.
A tie will be with the same notes or note generally and a hammer-on/pull-off the notes will change.

[Psychopasta]

I think the position of the ties are just governed by the direction of the stems of the notes. If the stems point down, the ties and on top, and vice versa

[TBman]

Originally Posted by Psychopasta

I think the position of the ties are just governed by the direction of the stems of the notes. If the stems point down, the ties and on top, and vice versa

For the ties that's right, I agree.

Usually the hammers-on and pull-offs have the H and P and the curved lines for those are always on top (so far that I've seen)

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by paulzoom

So what does it mean if the curved line is over the note?

You mean over just one note, not joining two notes? It doesn't match any of the above answers?

Sometimes a flattened "U" shape is used over a single note to indicate a bend, but usually bends in tab are shown with curved upward arrows, and "1" or "1/2" to show how far to bend.

Can you post an image? Have you listened to the original to check what happens at that point?