How to use Guitar Tabs

Guitar tabs represent schematic view for playing the guitar, in which sheet music reading knowledge is not necessary. So, let’s start:

The letters and lines represent the strings

where the bottom line represents the lowest E string, the second line from the bottom represents the A string, etc:

Numbers on the lines denote the frets

In the example below, the tab is telling you to play the second string 5th fret:

E——
B-5—-
G——
D——
A——
E——

When the number 0 is used in guitar tab, than you should play the open string.

If you have the following situation:

E–0—
B–0—
G–1—
D–2—
A–2—
E–0—

you should play all these notes together (you will hear E-major).

Hammer on (h)

If you have following situation:

E———
B———
G———
D———
A-5h7—
E———

you should pick the A string 5th fret and hammer on to the 7th fret.

Pull-off

Pull-off (p) is the opposite of a hammer on, so, if the tab is:

E–6p4–
B———
G———
D———
A———
E———

you should place one finger (of your left hand) on the E string 6th fret and the other finger on the E string 4th fret. Now you should play string, then remove your finger from 6th fret.

Bend (b)

Look at the example below:

E———–
B—9b11–
G———–
D———–
A———–
E———–

This indicates that you should bend the 9th fret (of string B) until it sounds like the 11th fret.

Slides (/, s)

Pick the given note and slide it up or down.