How to Read Guitar Tabs

Guitar tablature, or "tabs," is a simple visual system for writing down music. It allows you to play songs quickly without learning standard musical sheet notation.

The Basic Layout

A guitar tab is drawn with 6 horizontal lines representing the 6 strings:

e|------------------------| (1st String - High E)

B|------------------------| (2nd String)

G|-----------2------------| (3rd String - 2nd Fret)

D|--------0---------------| (4th String - Open)

A|-----3------------------| (5th String - 3rd Fret)

E|------------------------| (6th String - Low E)

Read tabs from left to right. The numbers represent the **fret position** you should hold down on that string when plucking.

Tab Symbols Explained

Tabs use standard text characters to indicate playing techniques:

h (Hammer-on): E.g., 5h7
p (Pull-off): E.g., 7p5
/ or \ (Slide): E.g., 5/7 (Up) or 7\5 (Down)
b (String Bend): E.g., 7b9 (Bend 7th fret pitch to 9)

Practice Reading Tabs Online

We provide note layouts and fret markers on our virtual guitar to help you transition from tabs to playing.

Open Virtual Guitar