To read guitar tablature, look at the six lines, which are the strings, from low E on the bottom to high E on the top, and the numbers, which are the frets to play on each string. A 3 on the 6th string means play the 3rd fret of the low E string, and a 0 means play the string open, and the notes are read left to right, in time.
How do you read guitar tablature?
To read guitar tablature, look at the six lines, which are the strings, from low E on the bottom to high E on the top, and the numbers, which are the frets to play on each string. A 3 on the 6th string means play the 3rd fret of the low E string, and a 0 means play the string open, and the notes are read left to right, in time, so the tab is the music, written as frets, not as notes, and the player does not need to read sheet music, only the tab. Tablature, or tab, is the standard way to write guitar music, because it shows the frets, not the notes, and the guitar is a fretted instrument, and the frets are where the fingers go. The tab has six lines, one for each string, with the low E string on the bottom, and the high E string on the top, and the numbers on the lines are the frets, and the numbers are read left to right, in time, so the tab is read like a book, from left to right, and the notes are played in order. The fretboard note finder shows the notes at any fret, and the E major guitar chord is the chord most tabs are built on.
How guitar tablature works
Guitar tablature works by showing the strings as lines, and the frets as numbers, so the player can see where to put their fingers, and when, without reading notes. The six lines are the strings, low E on the bottom, A, D, G, B, and high E on the top, and the numbers are the frets, 0 for open, 1 for the 1st fret, 2 for the 2nd, and so on, and the numbers are placed on the line of the string they are played on, so a 3 on the bottom line means the 3rd fret of the low E string, and a 0 on the top line means the open high E string. The numbers are read left to right, in time, and numbers stacked vertically are played together, as a chord, and numbers in a row are played one at a time, as a melody. The tab can also show techniques, with symbols: h for hammer-on, p for pull-off, / for slide up, \ for slide down, b for bend, and ~ for vibrato, and the symbols are placed between the numbers, so the player knows the technique, and when to use it. The tab does not show the rhythm, usually, so the player must listen to the song, to know the timing, and the tab is the notes, not the rhythm, and the rhythm comes from the ear. The G major guitar chord and the C major guitar chord are the chords most tabs are built on.
Worked example — reading a simple tab. Look at the tab: the bottom line is the low E string, and the number 3 on it means play the 3rd fret of the low E string, which is G, and the next number, 5 on the 5th string, means play the 5th fret of the A string, which is D, and the next number, 0 on the 1st string, means play the open high E string, which is E. The numbers are read left to right, in time, so the melody is G, D, E, played one at a time, and the tab is the music, written as frets, and the player does not need to read the notes, only the numbers, and the strings. The key of G major lists the chords the tab is built for, and the fretboard note finder shows the notes at any fret.
How to practise reading guitar tablature
Practise reading tablature by playing simple tabs, one note at a time, and by checking the notes with the fretboard note finder, so the tab becomes a habit, and the music is played from the tab, not from memory.
- Read a simple tab, with one note at a time, and play each number, on the string and fret it shows, listening for the note to be correct.
- Practise reading chords in tab, with numbers stacked vertically, played together, as a chord, and check the chord with the chord finder.
- Play a melody from tab, reading left to right, in time, and listen to the song, to know the rhythm, because the tab does not show it.
- Use the fretboard note finder to check the notes in the tab, naming each note as you play it, so the tab and the notes are learned together.
- Practise the techniques in tab, h for hammer-on, p for pull-off, / for slide, and b for bend, one at a time, until each is clear.
Common mistakes
- Reading the tab upside down — The tab has the low E string on the bottom, and the high E string on the top, and reading it upside down will play the wrong strings, and the music will be wrong. Check the bottom line, which is the low E, before you play, and the tab will be right.
- Ignoring the rhythm — The tab shows the notes, not the rhythm, and a player who ignores the rhythm will play the notes evenly, when they should be long and short, and the music will sound wrong. Listen to the song, to know the rhythm, and play the tab with that rhythm.
- Playing the numbers as notes, not as frets — The numbers in tab are the frets, not the notes, and a 3 on the 6th string is the 3rd fret, which is G, not the note 3. Read the numbers as frets, on the string they are on, and the tab will be right.
Quick reference
This table shows the symbols in guitar tablature, with the meaning for each one, so you can read any tab, without guessing. The lines are the strings, the numbers are the frets, and the letters are the techniques, and the table shows them all at a glance.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Six lines | Strings, low E on the bottom, high E on the top |
| Number | Fret to play on that string, 0 = open |
| Numbers stacked | Play together, as a chord |
| h | Hammer-on |
| p | Pull-off |
| / or \ | Slide up or down |
| b | Bend |
| ~ | Vibrato |
Use the table to read any tab: find the strings, find the frets, check the techniques, and listen to the song for the rhythm, and the tab will tell you the music. When you can read a tab in seconds, you can play any song, from any tab, without reading sheet music.
Frequently asked questions
How do I read guitar tablature?
Look at the six lines, which are the strings, from low E on the bottom to high E on the top, and the numbers, which are the frets to play on each string. A 3 on the 6th string means play the 3rd fret of the low E string, and a 0 means play the string open.
What does a 0 in tablature mean?
A 0 means play the string open, without fretting it, because the open string is the note, and the 0 is on the line of the string, so the player knows which string to play open.
What do numbers stacked vertically in tablature mean?
Numbers stacked vertically are played together, as a chord, because they are on different strings, at the same time, and the player strums them together, and the chord rings, with the notes of the chord.
What do the letters h, p, /, and b in tablature mean?
h is a hammer-on, p is a pull-off, / is a slide up, \ is a slide down, b is a bend, and ~ is vibrato, and the symbols are placed between the numbers, so the player knows the technique, and when to use it.
Does tablature show the rhythm?
Usually not, so the player must listen to the song, to know the timing, and the tab is the notes, not the rhythm, and the rhythm comes from the ear, and the tab and the ear together make the music.