Ref: Reading Tab

Basic tab example:

e------------------------------------------|---------------------------------x--
b------------------------------------------|--------------------<5>-[5]--\1/----
g------------------------------------------|-/5/7t12p7\5\--5s7------------------
d--------------------5b7==7r5----5b7--h7r5-|------------------------------------
a----------0h5h7p5p0-----------------------|------------------------------------
e-0-5~~-7-(7)------------------------------|------------------------------------

The letters on the left of each line indicate the tuning/string. If none are present, the tuning may have been indicated in the header above the tab. If not, assume standard tuning.

Tab reads like a book from left to right. Each line indicates a string. Each number indicates a note. The number indicates the fret number to hold on that string to give the note the appropriate pitch (but this gets confusing for bending, which is described below). If a number is surrounded by ()'s, this indicates to let the note ring, even if a note is being sounded simultaneously on another string.

Let's analyze each string.

Table of all symbols

v or ~ - Vibrato VVV or /\/\/\/ - Wide Vibrato () - Sustain note h - hammer-on p - pull-off <n> - natural harmonic with node at n [n] - artificial harmonic x - play muted string pm - palm mute note	b - bend to pitch of specified fret h or ='s - hold bend r - release bend / - slide upward into note \ - slide downward into note s - slide upward/downward into note \n/ - whammy bar dip n steps /n\ - whammy bar rise n steps

~	vibrato	v	vibrato	vvvv or /\/\/\	wide vibrato	()	hold note
h	hammer-on	p	pull-off
b	bend fretted note to the left up to the pitch of the fretted note on the right	h or =	hold bend	r	release bend
/	slide upward into note, legato if string is already resonating	\	slide downward into note, legato if string is already resonating	s	slide upward/downward into note, legato if string is already resonating
<n>	sound natural harmonic using the point directly over n as the pivot point	[n]	fret the nth fret and sound an artifical (pinch) harmonic
\n/	push the whammy bar downwards in pitch n steps	/n\	pull the whammy bar upwards in pitch n steps
x	play the muted string	p or pm above or below tab	palm mute