How to read guitar tabs

Reading Guitar Tab:
Guitar tablature (also known as TABS) is a system of notation that graphically represents strings and frets of the guitar fretboard. Each note is indicated by placing a number which indicates the fret to play, on the appropriate string. With these easy instructions you will be able to understand how to read and write guitar tabs.

The Basics Of Reading Guitar Tab:
To start out, tabs are written in lines, each line representing a string on the guitar. The E (LOW) string being the bottom most line and the e (high) string being the topmost.

e--------------------------------
B--------------------------------
G--------------------------------
D--------------------------------
A--------------------------------
E--------------------------------

Numbers are then placed on these lines to represent finger positions on the guitar fret board. If you read the diagram below you would play this on a guitar by putting your finger on the 2nd fret of the 5th string (or A string). Now, we have written 2 thrice on A string. So put your finger on the second fret and play it thrice , then put your finger on 4th fret and then back to 2 on the same string and zero represents playing an open string. As musical notes this would read as follows B B B C# B A.

e-------------------------------
B-------------------------------
G-------------------------------
D-------------------------------
A--2--2--2--4--2--0-------------
E-------------------------------

Now look at the tabs diagram below.

1.First play A string 1st fret
2.Then play D string 2nd fret
3.Then play e string 3rd fret
4.Then play A string 2nd fret
5.Then play G string 3rd fret
6.Then play E string 4th fret
7.Then play A string open

e--------3----------------------
B-------------------------------
G--------------3----------------
D-----2-------------------------
A—-1--------2--------0----------
E-----------------4-------------

so this is how the tabs are to be written and played.

How To Read Guitar Tab Chords:
To tab a chord the notes would be placed in a vertical line upon the horizontal ones. This diagram represents a C Chord. You would strum the bottom 5 strings of the guitar in one motion if you were to read this tab properly.

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

And this one you would strum the ‘C Chord’ three times.

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

we can also denote the chords like Chord C = (010230)

The one shortcoming of guitar tab is it doesn’t usually represent how long to hold a note for, or rhythm very well. Although some good tab writers will represent it by how much space is between each note. Tab works best if you listen to the song for guidance on timing then read the notes and practice it. Here for example is the timing of ‘Day Tripper’ by the Beatles, note the distances between the numbers, the first ‘0′ would ring slightly longer then the next 4 notes and the distance between D2 and D0 would also indicate a break in timing:

e-----------------------------
B-----------------------------
G-----------------------------
D-----------2---0---4---0-2---
A---------2-------2---2-------
E-0---3-4---------------------

Tablature Symbols:
The numbers don’t really describe the subtle techniques that a guitarist can execute, these are the tablature symbols that represent various techniques.

1. h – hammer on
2. p – pull off
3. b – bend string up
4. r – release bend
5. / – slide up
6. \ – slide down
7. v – vibrato (sometimes written as ~)
8. t – right hand tap
9. s – legato slide
10. S – shift slide
11. – natural harmonic
12. [n] – artificial harmonic
13. n(n) – tapped harmonic
14. tr – trill
15. T – tap
16. TP – trem. picking
17. PM – palm muting
18. \n/ – tremolo bar dip; n = amount to dip
19. \n – tremolo bar down
20. n/ – tremolo bar up
21. /n\ – tremolo bar inverted dip
22. = – hold bend; also acts as connecting device for hammers/pulls
23. <> – volume swell (louder/softer)
24. x – on rhythm slash represents muted slash
25. o – on rhythm slash represents single note slash

A Hammer On:
A hammer on is executed by picking a note and then hammering done with the fretting hand on the second note. The second note isn’t actually picked but kind of echos the first one. Here is an example of how hammer ons are written in tab:

e----------------------5h7----
B------------------5h7--------
G--------------5h7------------
D----------5h7----------------
A------5h7--------------------
E--5h7------------------------

A Pull Off:
A pull off is the opposite of a hammer on, so the first note is played again then the fretting hand pulls the finger off and lets the one fretted behind it play.

e----------------------7p5----
B------------------7p5--------
G--------------7p5------------
D----------7p5----------------
A------7p5--------------------
E--7p5------------------------

A Bend:
A bend is represented by the symbol ‘b’, this is where the fretting hand actually bends the string to give a wobbly effect.

e-----------------------------
B-----------------------------
G--7b----7b-------------------
D--------------7b----7b-------
A-----------------------------
E-----------------------------

A Release Bend:
A release bend is represented by the symbol ‘r’, this is just like a bend, but it tells you when to release the bend and go to the next note.

e-----------------------------
B-----------------------------
G--7r5---7r5------------------
D--------------7r5---7r5------
A-----------------------------
E-----------------------------

A Slide-Up:
A slide up is represented by the symbol ‘/’. You would play the first note on 7 then slide the finger that is holding that note up to 9.

e-----------------------------
B-----------------------------
G--7/9---7/9------------------
D--------------7/9---7/9------
A-----------------------------
E-----------------------------

A Slide-Down:
Opposite of a Slide Up, slide down is represented by the symbol ‘\’. You would play the first note on 7 then slide the finger that is holding that note down to 5.

e-----------------------------
B-----------------------------
G--7/5---7/5------------------
D--------------7/5---7/5------
A-----------------------------
E-----------------------------

Vibrato:
Vibrato is like a constant rhythmic bending of the string. You do a bend up and bend down quickly to create a moving sound. It is usually represented by ‘v’ or ‘~’.

e-----------------------------
B-----------------------------
G--7v-------------------------
D--------------------7~~~-----
A-----------------------------
E-----------------------------

Tapping:
Tapping is much like a hammer-on but you don’t strum any notes. Just tap the notes on the fret board with your fretting hand.

e-----------------------------
B-----------------------------
G--7t---7t---7t---------------
D-----------------------------
A-----------------------------
E-----------------------------