Reading Guitar TAB

What You’ll Learn

TAB (short for tablature) is a way of writing music specifically for guitar. Unlike standard notation, which requires you to learn note names and a staff, TAB shows you exactly which string to press and at which fret. This handout teaches you to read TAB so you can learn any song or exercise in this course — and thousands more beyond it.

The Concept Explained

What TAB Looks Like

TAB uses six horizontal lines. Each line represents one of the six strings on your guitar. The bottom line is the thickest, lowest-sounding string (low E, string 6), and the top line is the thinnest, highest-sounding string (high E, string 1).

e |———————————  ← String 1 (thinnest, highest pitch)
B |———————————  ← String 2
G |———————————  ← String 3
D |———————————  ← String 4
A |———————————  ← String 5
E |———————————  ← String 6 (thickest, lowest pitch)

The letters on the left (e, B, G, D, A, E) are the names of each open string — the note that sounds when you pluck the string without pressing any fret. You will learn these names in detail in Notes On The Fretboard.

Numbers on the Lines

Numbers placed on the lines tell you which fret to press on that string. A “0” means play the string open (no fretting). A “3” on the B string means press fret 3 on string 2.

e |—0—1—3———
B |—————————
G |—————————
D |—————————
A |—————————
E |—————————

This tells you: play string 1 open, then fret 1 on string 1, then fret 3 on string 1. You read TAB from left to right, just like reading a sentence.

Numbers Stacked Vertically — Chords

When numbers appear directly above each other (stacked vertically), you play all those strings at the same time. This is how chords look in TAB.

Here is an Em chord (first learned in Session 2):

e |—0—
B |—0—
G |—0—
D |—2—
A |—2—
E |—0—

All six strings are played together. Strings 1, 2, 3, and 6 are open (0). Strings 4 and 5 are pressed at fret 2.

Reading TAB Left to Right

TAB is read in order from left to right. Here is a simple melody:

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

Play: string 6 open, then fret 1 on string 6, then fret 2, then fret 3, then open again.

Common TAB Symbols

As you progress through this course, you will encounter special symbols in TAB:

Symbol	Meaning	Example	First Used
h	Hammer-on — fret a note without picking	0h2	Session 16
p	Pull-off — lift a finger to sound a lower note	2p0	Session 16
/	Slide up to a fret	2/5	Session 13
\	Slide down to a fret	5\2	Session 13
x	Muted string (dead note)	x	Session 9
PM	Palm mute — rest picking hand on strings near bridge	PM———	Session 9

You do not need to memorise all of these now. Each technique is taught in its session and you can return to this handout as a reference.

TAB Does Not Show Rhythm (Usually)

One limitation of basic TAB: it does not tell you how long to hold each note. In this course, rhythm information is given alongside TAB using note duration markings or written instructions (for example, “play each note as a quarter note”). You will learn about rhythm in Rhythm And Time.

On Your Guitar

Exercise 1: Reading a Single-String Melody

Pick up your Saga SF-600C-BK and try this melody on string 1 (the thinnest string, closest to the floor when you hold the guitar):

e |—0—1—3—1—0———
B |———————————————
G |———————————————
D |———————————————
A |———————————————
E |———————————————

Step by step:

1. Pluck string 1 open (no fingers on the fretboard) — that is the “0”
2. Press fret 1 on string 1 with your index finger (finger 1), then pluck
3. Press fret 3 on string 1 with your ring finger (finger 3), then pluck
4. Back to fret 1 with your index finger, pluck
5. Lift all fingers, pluck string 1 open

Play slowly. There is no rush. If you hear buzzing, press the string harder and make sure your finger is close to the metal fret wire (not on top of it, but just behind it).

Exercise 2: Two Strings

Now try a melody that uses two strings:

e |—0—1—3—————————
B |—————————0—1—3—
G |———————————————
D |———————————————
A |———————————————
E |———————————————

Step by step:

1. Play string 1: open, fret 1, fret 3
2. Move to string 2: open, fret 1, fret 3

Notice that string 2 (B) sounds lower than string 1 (e). As you move from thinner strings to thicker strings, the pitch drops.

Exercise 3: Reading an Em Chord

Place your fingers for the Em chord you learn in Session 2:

• Finger 2 (middle finger) on fret 2, string 5 (A string)
• Finger 3 (ring finger) on fret 2, string 4 (D string)

Now strum all six strings downward. Compare what you hear with the TAB:

e |—0—
B |—0—
G |—0—
D |—2—
A |—2—
E |—0—

You just read and played a chord from TAB.

Exercise 4: A Short Piece

Try this exercise that combines single notes and a chord:

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

Play the single notes one at a time on string 1, then strum the final Em chord (all numbers stacked vertically at the end).

Quick Quiz

Test yourself — answers are at the bottom.

1. In guitar TAB, which string does the bottom line represent?

2. What does a “0” on a TAB line mean?

3. If you see this TAB, what do you do?

B |—3—

4. When numbers are stacked vertically in TAB, what does that mean?

5. What does the symbol “h” mean in TAB (for example, 0h2)?

Answers

1. The bottom line represents string 6 — the thickest, lowest-sounding string (low E).
2. A “0” means play that string open, without pressing any fret.
3. Press fret 3 on string 2 (B string) and pluck the string.
4. Play all those strings at the same time — it is a chord.
5. “h” stands for hammer-on: fret the target note by pressing your finger down firmly without picking the string again.

Key Takeaway

TAB is a map of your fretboard drawn on paper. Six lines for six strings, numbers for fret positions, read left to right. If you can count and find frets, you can read TAB — and that means you can learn to play anything written in it.