Reading Guitar TAB
When to read this: Session 2 assigns this handout. Read it after the session: the reading is not part of the session’s 50 minutes. Read “What TAB Looks Like” and “Numbers on the Lines” (about 5 minutes).
What You’ll Learn
Section titled “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
Section titled “The Concept Explained”What TAB Looks Like
Section titled “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|----------------------| B|----------------------| G|----------------------| D|----------------------| A|----------------------| E|----------------------|
Each line starts with the letter of its string: e (thinnest) at the top, E (thickest) at the bottom.
| TAB line | String |
|---|---|
| e (top line) | String 1 (thinnest, highest pitch) |
| B | String 2 |
| G | String 3 |
| D | String 4 |
| A | String 5 |
| E (bottom line) | 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
Section titled “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.
A line with no number on it, only hyphens, is a string you do not play.
Numbers Stacked Vertically — Chords
Section titled “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
Section titled “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
Section titled “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 21 |
| \ | Slide down to a fret | 5\2 | Session 21 |
| x | A struck, deadened note: the pick hits the string but a hand is stopping it from ringing | x | Session 20 |
| PM | Palm mute — the edge of the strumming-hand palm rests lightly on the strings where they cross the saddle; written in a row under the TAB | PM | Session 9 |
An “x” always means a string that is struck. A string that is not played has only hyphens on its line.
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 by Itself
Section titled “TAB Does Not Show Rhythm by Itself”One limitation of basic TAB: the fret numbers do not tell you how long to hold each note. In this course, the rhythm is written in a Count row directly under the TAB. Each count sits exactly under the note that is played on it. Here is the melody from above with its Count row:
e|----------------------|-------------------| B|----------------------|-------------------| G|----------------------|-------------------| D|----------------------|-------------------| A|----------------------|-------------------| E|------0---1---2---3---|---0---------------| Count: 1 2 3 4 1 (2) (3) (4)
How to read the Count row:
- Each number is one beat: one click of the metronome. Say the numbers aloud as you play, the ones in brackets too.
- The upright line
|in the middle of the TAB is a bar line. It ends one measure (a group of beats, here four) and starts the next, so the count goes back to 1. The line at the very end simply closes the TAB. - A number in brackets, such as (2), has no note above it. It means: play nothing new and let the last note keep ringing. In the second measure there is a note on beat 1 only, so it rings while you count “2, 3, 4”.
- Later you will also see ”&” (said “and”) between two numbers. It marks the point halfway between two beats. Exercise 6 below uses it.
You will learn about rhythm in Rhythm And Time.
On Your Guitar
Section titled “On Your Guitar”For Exercises 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6, set the metronome to 50 BPM. The click is one beat, so each number in the Count row is one click. Count aloud. Play each exercise slowly without the metronome first. The Count row and the bar line are explained in “TAB Does Not Show Rhythm by Itself” above.
Exercise 1: Reading a Single-String Melody
Section titled “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|----------------------|-------------------| Count: 1 2 3 4 1 (2) (3) (4)
Step by step:
- Pluck string 1 open (no fingers on the fretboard) — that is the “0”
- Press fret 1 on string 1 with your index finger (finger 1), then pluck
- Press fret 3 on string 1 with your ring finger (finger 3), then pluck
- Back to fret 1 with your index finger, pluck
- Lift all fingers, pluck string 1 open, and let it ring for the whole second measure
Play slowly. There is no rush. If a note buzzes: (1) move the fingertip right up behind the fret wire; (2) stand the finger on its tip; (3) only then add the smallest extra pressure that clears the buzz.
Exercise 2: Two Strings
Section titled “Exercise 2: Two Strings”Now try a melody that uses two strings:
e|------0---1---3-------|-------------------| B|----------------------|---0---1---3-------| G|----------------------|-------------------| D|----------------------|-------------------| A|----------------------|-------------------| E|----------------------|-------------------| Count: 1 2 3 (4) 1 2 3 (4)
Step by step:
- Play string 1: open, fret 1, fret 3. Let the third note ring through beat 4
- Move to string 2: open, fret 1, fret 3. Again let the third note ring through beat 4
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
Section titled “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
Section titled “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-------| Count: 1 2 3 4 1 (2) 3 (4)
Play the single notes one at a time on string 1. In the second measure the open string lasts two beats (1 and 2); then strum the final Em chord (all numbers stacked vertically) on beat 3 and let it ring through beat 4.
Exercise 5: Notes That Last Two Beats
Section titled “Exercise 5: Notes That Last Two Beats”Some notes here last one beat and some last two. A note lasts two beats when the count after it is in brackets, with no note above it:
e|------------------0---|---1-------0-------| B|------1-------3-------|-------------------| G|----------------------|-------------------| D|----------------------|-------------------| A|----------------------|-------------------| E|----------------------|-------------------| Count: 1 (2) 3 4 1 (2) 3 (4)
First measure: fret 1 on string 2 lasts two beats (1 and 2), then fret 3 on string 2 (beat 3) and string 1 open (beat 4) last one beat each. Second measure: fret 1 on string 1 lasts two beats, then string 1 open lasts two beats. Keep saying all four numbers in each measure.
Exercise 6: Two Notes in One Beat
Section titled “Exercise 6: Two Notes in One Beat”Here the count is “1, 2, 3-and, 4”. The note written over ”&” is played halfway between beat 3 and beat 4, so beat 3 holds two quick notes. These are eighth notes: each lasts half a beat.
e|------0-------1-------3---1---0-------|-------------------0---------------| B|--------------------------------------|---3-------3-----------3---1-------| G|--------------------------------------|-----------------------------------| D|--------------------------------------|-----------------------------------| A|--------------------------------------|-----------------------------------| E|--------------------------------------|-----------------------------------| Count: 1 2 3 & 4 1 2 3 & 4
The metronome still clicks once per beat. The notes on 1, 2, 3 and 4 land on a click; the note on ”&” falls between the click of beat 3 and the click of beat 4. Say “one, two, three-and, four” aloud as you play.
Quick Quiz
Section titled “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?
e|----------| B|------3---| G|----------| D|----------| A|----------| E|----------|
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
Section titled “Answers”- The bottom line represents string 6 — the thickest, lowest-sounding string (low E).
- A “0” means play that string open, without pressing any fret.
- Press fret 3 on string 2 (B string) and pluck that string only. The other five lines have no numbers, so those strings are not played.
- Play all those strings at the same time — it is a chord.
- “h” stands for hammer-on: sound the second note by bringing a finger down quickly onto its fret, without picking the string again.
Key Takeaway
Section titled “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, with a Count row underneath to tell you when each note is played. If you can count and find frets, you can read TAB — and that means you can learn to play anything written in it.