How to Read Guitar Tabs (Tablature): The Complete Guide With Examples

Short answer: Guitar tabs (tablature) use six lines and numbers to show where to play on the guitar neck. Each line is a string, with the high e at the top and the low E at the bottom. A number is the fret number, and a 0 is an open string. You read from left to right, and numbers stacked on top of each other are played at the same time.

With tabs you can play riffs, melodies and solos without having to read standard notation. They are part of the basics when you want to learn to play guitar, alongside chords and rhythm. Below you can read how tablature works, with examples and a practice routine.

In short:

• A guitar tab has six lines: the top one is the high e string, the bottom one is the low E string.
• A number is the fret number. A 0 is an open string, an x is a muted string.
• Numbers stacked directly on top of each other are played together, as a chord.
• Letters and symbols such as h, p, b and / stand for playing techniques.
• Most tabs do not show rhythm, so always listen to the original.

What Are Tabs?

Tabs are a notation for guitar that shows which string and which fret you play a note on. Tab is short for tablature. Instead of notes on a staff, you see a drawing of the guitar neck: six lines for the strings and numbers for the frets.

That makes guitar tablature usable right away, even for beginners: you do not need to know which note is a G, the tab simply says “third fret, low E string”.

You will come across different kinds of tabs:

• Plain text tab: lines and numbers in plain text, as on tab sites and forums. Quick to read, but without exact rhythm.
• Tab with rhythm notation: under the numbers are stems and flags that show how long each note lasts. You see these in programs like Guitar Pro and on Songsterr.
• Fingerstyle tab: sometimes with letters that indicate which finger of your picking hand plays a string: p (thumb), i (index finger), m (middle finger) and a (ring finger).

How to Read a Tab: Lines and Numbers

You read a tab by first working out which line belongs to which string and then playing the numbers from left to right.

The Six Lines: The Top Line Is the High e

The top line of a tab is the thinnest string, the high e. The bottom line is the thickest string, the low E. That feels backwards at first, because the low E is on top when you look down at your guitar. Remember it this way: high notes are on top, just like on a staff.

The string names are often shown at the start of each line. A mnemonic for standard tuning from low to high is “Eddie Ate Dynamite, Good Bye Eddie”: E, A, D, G, B, E.

Numbers Are Fret Numbers, 0 Is an Open String

A number on a line tells you which fret to press that string at. A 3 means: press the string down just behind the third fret. A 0 means you play the string open, without pressing anything.

Try it right away with this simple exercise:

e|------------------|
B|------------------|
G|------------------|
D|------------------|
A|-----------0-2-3--|
E|--0-1-3-----------|

You play the low E string open and then at fret 1 and fret 3. Then you play the A string open, at fret 2 and at fret 3. Those are the notes E, F, G, A, B and C. Use your index finger for fret 1, your middle finger for fret 2 and your ring finger for fret 3.

Reading Chords in Tabs

You recognize a chord in a tab by numbers stacked directly on top of each other: you play those strings at the same time. If the same numbers are staggered one after another, you play the shape note by note, as a broken chord (an arpeggio).

e|--0-------------0--|
B|--0-----------0----|
G|--1---------1------|
D|--2-------2--------|
A|--2-----2----------|
E|--0---0------------|

On the left you see the E chord as one block: all six strings at once. Then the same shape follows as a broken chord, from the low E to the high e. In chord notation you write this chord as 022100, with the numbers from the low E to the high e. You can read how to form the shape in the explanation of the E major chord.

An x in a chord means you do not let that string sound. C major, for example, is written in a tab as x32010: you skip the low E string. If you know the basic chords by heart, you will recognize them in a tab right away.

Symbols in Guitar Tabs: h, p, b, / and More

Letters and symbols between the numbers tell you how to play a note. These are the symbols you will see most often:

With a bend you will sometimes see “full” (a whole step up) or “1/2” (a half step). With this short exercise you can try out the most important symbols:

e|-----------------------------|
B|-----------------------------|
G|--5h7---7p5---5/7---7\5---7~~|
D|-----------------------------|
A|-----------------------------|
E|-----------------------------|

You play everything on the G string. For the hammer-on and the pull-off, you put your index finger on fret 5 and your ring finger on fret 7, and you only pick the first note. For the slides, one finger glides up and back, and you finish with vibrato.

It is best to practice each technique separately first: practicing hammer-ons and pull-offs, learning slides and bends and palm muting techniques. An x as a percussive click is also called a ghost note: see playing ghost notes on guitar.

Rhythm in Tabs: What a Tab Does Not Tell You

Most tabs show which note you play, but not how long it lasts. The space between the numbers is at best a rough hint: lots of dashes often mean a longer note or a rest, but that is not certain.

So always listen to the original recording before you study a tab. Hum the melody along, count the measure and then play the piece slowly with a metronome. If you are not sure yet how to divide beats and measures, first read how counting rhythm on guitar works.

You do find a few rhythmic clues in a regular tab:

• A vertical line (|) between the numbers is a bar line: it marks the end of a measure.
• x2 or x4 above or after a section means you play that section two or four times. Note the difference: a single x on a line is a muted note.
• Tabs with rhythm notation show stems and flags under the numbers, just like sheet music. Those are the most precise.

Tabs, Chord Charts or Sheet Music?

Tabs are the most useful for riffs, melodies and solos, chord charts for accompanying songs, and sheet music when you want to know rhythm and notes exactly.

A chord chart shows one shape as a picture, a tab shows what you play one after another. If you mainly want to accompany songs, learn the shapes with the guitar chords and use tabs for intros and riffs.

Sheet music shows rhythm much more precisely than a tab. You can read whether you really need to learn to read notes in is learning to read music necessary to play guitar. If you mainly play pop and rock, tabs and chords will take you a long way; this is how learning guitar without reading music works.

Finding Reliable Tabs and Spotting a Wrong Tab

You find reliable tabs at sources that show how good a tab is: with ratings from other players, a playback function or an official publication. Most tabs on the internet are written out by users, so the quality varies.

Where Do You Find Good Tabs?

• Tab sites with ratings, such as Ultimate Guitar. Choose the version with the most and best ratings.
• Tabs you can play back, such as on Songsterr or in Guitar Pro. You hear right away whether the tab sounds like the original, and you see the rhythm.
• Official songbooks from music publishers, often with tab and staff together.
• Video lessons where you can see the guitarist’s hands, so you can check the tab.

You can find an overview of apps you can use to read and play back tabs in digital tablature apps for beginners.

How to Spot a Wrong Tab

• It sounds different from the recording. If notes are missing or a section sounds off, try another version.
• The tuning or capo is missing. A good tab states the tuning at the top (for example standard or Drop D) and whether a capo is needed.
• Shapes that cannot be played. If there are fretted notes stacked together that lie far apart, like 2 and 9, your hand cannot grab them at the same time. Open strings (0) do not count here.
• Repeats that differ for no reason. A riff that keeps coming back looks slightly different every time in a sloppy tab.

Practice Routine: Learn to Read Tabs in 20 Minutes a Day

You learn to read tabs fastest with a short, fixed routine: twenty minutes every day works better than one long session a week. This is what a session looks like:

1. Warm-up (5 minutes): on each string, play frets 1, 2, 3 and 4 with one finger per fret, from the low E to the high e and back.
2. New piece of tab (10 minutes): pick one riff or four measures. First play them note by note, without a tempo. Then set the metronome to a slow tempo and only speed up once it goes flawlessly three times in a row.
3. Playing along (5 minutes): play the piece along with the recording, even if it is not perfect yet.

Record yourself with your phone every now and then: when you listen back, you hear rhythm mistakes you miss while playing. Also try writing out a tab yourself of a melody you know or make up: then you see how the notation fits together.

Once you can play the three exercises in this article without looking, simple rock riffs for beginners are a good next step: they often stay on one or two strings.

Common Mistakes When Reading Tabs

• Flipping the strings: the top line is the high e, not the low E.
• Playing stacked numbers one after another: what is directly on top of each other, you play at the same time.
• Reading a 12 as 1 and 2: two digits right next to each other together form one fret number.
• Skipping symbols: without bends, slides and hammer-ons, a riff does not sound as intended.

Further Reading

• Learning music theory for guitarists: understand why a riff or chord sounds the way it does.
• Practicing the blues scale: a first scale to use your tab knowledge for improvisation.
• Learning metal riffs on electric guitar: more riffs to apply palm muting and other tab symbols.

Frequently asked questions about guitar tabs

What are tabs?

Tabs, short for tablature, are a notation for guitar with six lines for the strings and numbers for the frets. Tabs are mainly used for riffs, melodies and solos.

What does an x mean in a guitar tab?

An x means the string produces no pitch. In a chord, you do not pick that string or you mute it. In a riff, x stands for a muted, percussive hit: you rest your fingers lightly on the string and hear only a click.

How can you tell in a tab which tuning or capo you need?

Tuning and capo are usually shown at the top of the tab, for example “Tuning: Drop D” or “Capo 2”. Sometimes you can see it from the letters in front of the lines, such as a D instead of an E on the bottom line. If nothing is stated, the tab usually assumes standard tuning without a capo.

Can you learn guitar with tabs alone?

Yes, many guitarists have never learned standard notation and play everything from tabs, chord charts and by ear. Just pay extra attention to the rhythm: listen to the recording or use tabs with rhythm notation.

How do you know if a tab is correct?

Play the tab along with the original recording. If it sounds different, check the tuning and the capo, and otherwise try another version.

Are bass tabs the same?

Bass tabs work the same way, but have four lines instead of six: from top to bottom G, D, A and E. A bass with five or six strings also has five or six lines.