How to Read Guitar Tabs
Guitar tab tells you where to play on the guitar. It uses six horizontal lines for the six strings and numbers for frets.
e|----------------|
B|----------------|
G|----------------|
D|----------------|
A|------2--3------|
E|--3-------------|
B|----------------|
G|----------------|
D|----------------|
A|------2--3------|
E|--3-------------|
Read the lines from the guitarist’s point of view
The top line is the thin high E string. The bottom line is the thick low E string. This can feel upside down at first, but it becomes natural quickly.
What the numbers mean
A 0 means play the open string. A 3 means press the third fret on that string. Read numbers from left to right.
Numbers stacked vertically
If several numbers appear directly above one another, play those notes at the same time. That is how tab can show a chord.
What basic tab does not always show well
Plain tab may not tell you the rhythm clearly. When possible, listen to the music or use tab that includes rhythmic notation.
Beginner goal: Start by reading one short line slowly. You do not need to memorize every tab symbol before playing.
Keep going
When this feels comfortable, return to the Beginner Guitar Roadmap and move to the next step.