How to Read Guitar Tabs: Complete Beginner's Guide
Guitar tablature (tab) is a visual system for notating guitar music without needing to read standard notation. Millions of songs are tabbed out online. Here's everything you need to read them.
What is guitar tab?
Tab uses six horizontal lines representing the six strings of the guitar. Numbers on those lines tell you which fret to press. That's it — the whole system. You can learn the basics in about five minutes, though mastering all the technique symbols takes longer.
Tab is guitar-specific: it doesn't show you exact note durations (unless rhythm symbols are added), but it tells you exactly where to put your fingers. It's optimised for guitarists who want to learn a song quickly, which is why it became the dominant notation system for guitar on the internet.
The six strings
B |-------|
G |-------|
D |-------|
A |-------|
E |-------|
The top line in tab is the thinnest, highest-pitched string (high e). The bottom line is the thickest, lowest-pitched string (low E). This is the opposite of how you'd physically see the strings if you looked down at the guitar while playing — in tab, high = top, low = bottom.
String names and standard tuning from thickest to thinnest: E A D G B e. The MusoKit chromatic tuner will tune each string by ear.
Reading fret numbers
B |-----------|
G |-----------|
D |-----------|
A |-----------|
E |-----------|
A number on a line means: press that string at that fret and pluck it. The number 0 means play the open string (no finger on the fret). Reading left to right, the example above plays fret 0, then fret 3, then fret 5 on the high e string — a short ascending run.
Reading chords
B |--1--|
G |--0--|
D |--2--|
A |--3--|
E |--x--|
When numbers are stacked vertically, play all those strings at the same time — that's a chord. An "x" means don't play (mute) that string. The example above is an open C major chord in standard tuning.
Common technique symbols
| Symbol | Name | How to play it |
|---|---|---|
| h | Hammer-on | Play first note, then tap second fret without re-picking |
| p | Pull-off | Play first note, pull finger off to sound lower note |
| b | Bend | Push string sideways to raise pitch (e.g. b9 = bend to sound as if at fret 9) |
| r | Release bend | Return bent string to original pitch |
| / | Slide up | Slide finger up the fretboard to next note |
| \ | Slide down | Slide finger down the fretboard to next note |
| ~ | Vibrato | Repeatedly bend and release slightly for wavering pitch |
| x | Mute / dead note | Touch string lightly without pressing — a percussive thud |
| t | Right-hand tap | Tap fret with picking-hand finger |
| PM | Palm mute | Rest palm lightly near bridge to dampen strings |
A full example: "Smoke on the Water" main riff
B |------------------------|
G |--0--3--5--0--3-6-5-----|
D |--0--3--5--0--3-6-5-----|
A |------------------------|
E |------------------------|
Read left to right. Fret 0 on both G and D simultaneously, then fret 3 on both, then fret 5 on both — that's the opening phrase. The numbers stacked vertically are played together. This is the Deep Purple riff that guitarists have been playing since 1972 and that tab websites have listed more times than any other piece of music.
Tab vs. standard notation
Tab tells you where to play; standard notation tells you what pitch and when (with precise duration values). Tab is faster to read for guitarists who want to learn a song; standard notation is more precise for reading music accurately. Most working guitarists read both — tab for learning by ear, standard notation for session work and sight-reading.
Finding the right chords while reading tab
When you encounter a chord in tab you don't recognise, the MusoKit chord finder lets you input the fret positions and identify the chord name — useful for understanding the harmony of what you're playing, not just the mechanics.
Identify any chord from tab
Input the notes from your tab and find the chord name, see it on piano, guitar, and ukulele.
Open Chord Finder →