Have you ever been super excited to play a song, hunted down the guitar tabs, and opened it up only to scratch your head at the hieroglyphics spread across the page?
Trust me, this happens to everyone at the beginning of their guitar-playing journey.
But here’s the thing – by understanding all of the possible guitar tab symbols, you’re setting yourself up for guitar literacy, and, ultimately, success.
Which is why I put together this guide!
Whether you’re a newbie ready to rock or a seasoned strummer hungry for new tricks, this guide will help you understand guitar tab symbols in no time at all.
Below, we’ll have a look at the different types of guitar tabs, their appearance, the meaning of the numbers, and what exactly each symbol represents.
So grab your guitar, tune up and we’ll get started!
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Yes, I Want the FREE Download!What Does a Guitar Tab Look Like?
Guitar tabs are one of the most basic forms of representing guitar music. They use a straightforward structure of lines and numbers to represent the strings and frets of your guitar.
There are three main types of guitar tabs:
1. Text-based tablature is an easy-to-understand and commonly used type of guitar tab. It has six horizontal lines that represent the strings of the guitar – E-A-D-G-B-E.
2. Chord diagrams provide a visual representation of the guitar neck and indicate where to place fingers for a specific chord.
3. Standard notation and tablature include two connected staffs. The top half is standard notation and the bottom half is tablature.
When you’re looking at a tab, the bottom line represents the low E string and the top line represents the high E string.
Tab Numbers and Their Meaning
In guitar tab notation, the numbers displayed convey specific information about where to place your fingers on the fretboard and which strings to play.
Each line on the guitar tab represents a specific string on your guitar. So when you see a number on a line in a tab, it’s instructing you to play a specific fret of that string.
For example, if you see the number ‘2’ on the B string, you play the second fret on the B string.
Make sense? Great!
Now let’s have a look at the three key ways you’ll see numbers in the tab:
1. Stacked Numbers
Vertically stacked numbers on the tab mean you play all the notes at once, which is essentially a chord. As with all chords, you play multiple notes at once.
Below, you can see the G chord as an example.
2. Numbers Written Left to Right
A guitar tab is to be read from left to right. So when you see a couple of numbers presented side by side – either on the same string or different ones – it simply means to play the notes one after the other.
Take the below tab as an example. You would begin by playing the first fret of the low E, then the second fret, then the third fret, and finally the fourth fret.
3. The Number Zero
The number “0” represents an open string, meaning you play the string without pressing down any frets. It provides clear instructions to let the string ring without any added tension.
In the example below, you would play the open low E, followed by open A, and open D, etc.
Recognizing and Understanding Guitar Tab Symbols
Guitar tab symbols add a layer of nuance and depth to musical instructions.
So instead of playing simple notes and chords all the time, symbols indicate various techniques and articulations that can take your playing to the next level.
Let’s have a look!
1. Hammer-on or “H” Symbol
The letter “h” stands for hammer-on.
To play a hammer-on, play the first note as normal, but for the second note press down – or hammer on – with another finger on the same string.
Note that it’s the fretting hand that produces the sound rather than the picking hand.
A hammer-on can be displayed as either an “h” or “^”. For example, 5h7 or 5^7.
2. Pull-off or “P” Symbol
The letter “p” stands for pull-off – it’s the opposite of the hammer-on above.
Start by playing the first note as normal, but then pull your finger off to sound a second note that’s lower than the first note, but without picking again.
The pull-off is indicated with the same curved line as with the hammer-on and with the “p”. For example: 7p5.
3. Slide Up or Slide Down or Slash Symbol
The slash is a symbol for a slide. Slides can go up a note (“/”) or down a note (“\”).
To play a slide, simply play a note and slide your finger up or down the fretboard without releasing it.
The direction of a slide is always indicated with a slash, for example, 3/5\3.
4. Bend or “b” Symbol
A bend is a technique that involves bending a string out of its usual position to change the pitch of the sound.
The letter “b” symbolizes a bend and is indicated by either the letter “b” on standard tablature or a curved line with an arrow on the standard notation tab.
You can see this in the left image where the curved line indicates a bend. Above it, “full” or “1/2” lets you know whether to “bend” the pitch up or down by a whole tone or semi-tone.
In the image on the right, you would bend up to the note that you would hear on the 9th fret, which means bending the pitch up a whole tone from fret 7.
5. Mute or “X” Symbol
The letter “x” Indicates a muted or percussive strum for rhythmic effect. This can be done across multiple strings or a single one.
To play a muted string, lightly place your fingers over the strings you want to mute and give them a gentle hit.
6. Parenthesis or “()” Symbol
The parenthesis indicates either a ghost note or a note that should ring out.
The first example below involves ghost notes. A ghost note is a note that should be played gentler than the rest.
The next example shows a note that should continue to ring out until the next bar of music.
7. Vibrato or “~” Symbol
The vibrato symbol, or the “~” symbol, can be placed either above the staff in standard notation or next to the number on a tab.
Vibrato is the technique of repeatedly bending a note and returning to the original pitch without releasing the note.
The longer the vibrato line, the longer the vibrato.
8. Natural Harmonics or <> Symbol
When you see a note between the two natural harmonics symbols, this usually means to play a natural harmonic on that fret. For example, <4>.
To play natural harmonics, simply play a note but instead of pressing down firmly on the fourth fret, you gently touch the string on the fourth fret.
This technique is used as an embellishment and can add a lot of flare to a song.
9. Tapping or “T” Symbol
“T” is the symbol for tapping.
The “T” can appear either above the staff or next to the note, but both have the same meaning.
To tap, simply use one of the fingers on your picking hand (usually your index) to tap down hard on a fret ahead of a note that you just played.
This is a great technique to pair together with hammer-ons and pull-offs to start developing your unique sound.
10. Palm Muting “PM” Symbol
Every note you see a “pm” or a line of dashes above or below requires you to palm mute.
Palm muting instructs the guitarist to lightly rest the palm on the strings near the bridge to create a muted, percussive effect.
Guitar Tab Symbols at a Glance
Now that we’ve gone over all the symbols in detail, use the cheat sheet below whenever you need a quick overview of all the symbols.
Keep this beside you as soon as you start to play some simple songs using tabs and you’ll never be left wondering again!
| Symbol | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Stacked numbers | Chords |
| Numbers written left to right | Notes to be played consecutively |
| 0 | Open string |
| H | Hammer-on |
| P | Pull-off |
| / or \ | Slide up or slide down |
| B | Bend |
| X | Mute |
| () | Ghost note or let ring |
| ~ | Vibrato |
| <> | Natural Harmonics |
| T | Tapping |
| PM | Palm Muting |
Guitar Tab Symbols: Check! What’s Next?
Understanding guitar tab symbols will take time, but once you’ve got them down, there’s no stopping you when it comes to learning any song using guitar tabs!
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