Learn to read guitar tab
This page and the ones that follow give a series of examples of guitar tab.
They will cover all the symbols that are used throughout this website.
1e|----------------------------------
2b|----------------------------------
3g|----------------------------------
4d|----------------------------------
5a|----------------------------------
6E|----------------------------------
Diagram 1
The standard tab grid is shown in diagram 1. Each horizontal line represents a string.
The strings are marked at the left of the diagram.
- The top line represents string 1, which will be an E note if your guitar is tuned to standard tuning.
(Remember that string 1 on your guitar is the highest pitched string, the string closest to the floor.)
- The second line represents string 2, and its note is B.
- The third line represents string 3, and its note is G.
- The fourth line represents string 4, and its note is D.
- The fifth line represents string 5, and its note is A.
- The sixth line represents string 6, and its note is E.
(Observe that strings 1 and 6 are both tuned to an E note, but not the same E note.
String 6 is a lower E note, and this is marked by the capital E.)