Right, so I'm a fairly new guitarist. Going on probably 5 months or something now.
In my practicing, I've come across a section of tablature that looks like this:

-10----
--------
--8-----

Can someone point out what the hell I'm supposed to do here? I've listened to the song, and tried looking up videos, and tab reading lessons and stuff, but I've had no luck finding anything that's covered it. By the looks of it, I'm meant to skip the middle string, but hit the other two at the same time?
It's definitely not finger picked, either.

Thanks a lot.

Heya Napalm

That right there is an octave chord (1-8) it means that you put your 1st finger on the 8th fret and the 3rd on the 10th fret of the string that's 2 up (pitch wise)

So lets say that's on the low E string, the 1st finger would be on the 8th fret on E string and the 3rd finger would be on the 10th fret on the D string... Capeesh?

Hope that helps
Stephen B

What's the song? Looks like an octave chord dude, i think there should be an x on the string in between? I don't remember, I havn't looked at a tab in a while, the writer probs was lazy. You gotta mute the string in between, usually with the finger that's pressing down the 8th fret so a note doesn't come out if that makes sense.. I don't know what song it is but maybes watch a vid of someone playing it, then i think the penny'll drop. I learnt a lot of my techniques from watching others.... Good luck.

Yeah, I get that bit, but my problem is I don't know what to do with the string between then. Do I just strum it as well? Do I try and mute it?

It's just a little confusing, for me, at least, because generally I take that if there's nothing displayed on a line/string, then it's not touched for that particular chord?

EDIT: Ninja'd :P

Thanks guys. The song is Hollow Ground, by The Haunted, by the way.

yep as stated above, thats a Octave chord

how id play it is place your index finger on the eighth fret, and mute the string below it with the same finger, if you understand what i mean, and then place your pinky on the 10th fret.

as above also staid was rooted on the low E string, the 8th fret would be placed on the 8th fret low E and slightly on the A string, (just enough so the A string doesnt ring outm and the
4th finger would be placed on the 10th fret on the D string


..

edit: just realised that ive just basically written the same as Mr.Steve.... oops

To put this as simple as possible,

Index finger holds note on 8th fret and is on such an angle that it mutes the A string in between the 2 fretted notes.

Middle finger holds down the 10th fret on D

Edit: I meant ring finger.

Another way of doing it is using your 2nd finger to mute the middle string... This could get confusing

am i the only guy here that uses his first and pinky for these type chords?

I use my index and ring fingers as it is very similar to doing a 2 note powerchord. Just easier but different style for everyone.

Muting it depends on what you should do.

If you should strum it, then yes, mute it

But if you pick the strings one by one (even at "high" speeds), you can just leave it unmuted, since you won't touch it.

You can also do it like you would play a classical, I think it's called "plucking" but I'm not sure, it's "plucking" the strings at the same time, but with different fingers.


Good, you have to know, I'm not a good guitar player, but I try to help whenever I can.

Also, as stated above, the writer was probably lazy, one thing you have to know about reading tabs, is the fact that you have to be critic, don't always believe what the other one has written. It could be wrong. So try and bend it a bit to your "correct", that's what I do. The stuff I play isn't 100% correct with the song, but who gives a damn! I play for myself, and if people don't like it, they can go to the highest bridge they can find and die by a plane crashing right on the spot where they stand.