Guitar tabs use numbers on six lines to show where to place your fingers

A guitar tab is a diagram of your guitar's fretboard written as text. Instead of musical notes on a staff, you see six horizontal lines representing the six strings of your guitar. Numbers on those lines tell you which fret to press. The top line is the high E string, and the bottom line is the low E string. This format is much faster to learn than standard notation and lets you read music on any device that displays text.

The basic layout never changes: six lines, numbers showing fret positions, and symbols for techniques like bends or slides. Once you understand the structure, you can write tabs for any song you want to learn or teach someone else.

Key Takeaways

  • Guitar tabs use six horizontal lines to represent the six strings, with numbers showing which fret to play on each string.
  • The top line is the high E string and the bottom line is the low E string, matching the order of strings on your guitar.
  • Numbers are placed directly on the lines in the order you play them, reading left to right like regular text.
  • Common symbols like hyphens for slides, b for bends, and h for hammer-ons add detail to your tabs.
  • You can write tabs by hand, use free software like TuxGuitar, or type them in plain text using any document editor.

Set up your six lines and label them

Start by drawing or typing six horizontal lines. If you are writing by hand, use a ruler to keep them straight and evenly spaced. If you are typing in a text editor, use hyphens to create each line. Each line needs to be long enough to hold all the notes in your phrase or song section.

Label the right end of each line with the string name. From top to bottom, write: e (high E), B, G, D, A, E (low E). This tells anyone reading your tab which string each line represents. The order matches the strings on your guitar when you hold it in playing position.

Here is what the basic structure looks like:

e|———————————— B|———————————— G|———————————— D|———————————— A|———————————— E|————————————

Place numbers on the lines to show fret positions

Numbers represent frets. The number 0 means play the open string with no finger pressing down. The number 1 means press the first fret, 2 means the second fret, and so on. Place the number directly on the line that represents the string you want to play.

Read the numbers left to right, just like reading words on a page. The first number you encounter is the first note you play. If two numbers are stacked vertically, play them at the same time as a chord. If they are spread across the lines horizontally, play them one after another in sequence.

Here is an example of a straightforward ascending scale on the high E string:

e|0-1-2-3-4-5- B|———————————— G|———————————— D|———————————— A|———————————— E|————————————

The hyphens between numbers represent the space on the fretboard and help keep the tab readable. They do not mean anything musically — they just make it easier to see where each note sits.

Add symbols for bends, slides, and other techniques

Plain numbers show which fret to play, but symbols show how to play it. The most common symbols are:

  • h for hammer-on: press the next fret without picking again
  • p for pull-off: lift your finger to sound the next lower fret without picking
  • b for bend: push the string up to raise the pitch
  • / for slide up: move your finger up the fretboard to the next fret
  • \ for slide down: move your finger down the fretboard to the next fret
  • ~ for vibrato: shake the string slightly to add wavering to the note
  • x for muted note: mute the string with your hand and strike it for a percussive sound

Place these symbols right next to the number they modify. For example, 5b means bend the fifth fret, and 7/9 means slide from the seventh fret to the ninth fret. A bend that goes up two semitones might be written as 5b7, showing you bend the fifth fret up until it sounds like the seventh fret.

Organize longer songs into sections and measures

For anything longer than a few notes, break your tab into sections. Use blank lines to separate the intro, verse, chorus, and bridge. Label each section clearly so a reader knows where they are in the song.

You can also add measure markers to show rhythm structure. A vertical line with a number, like |1 or |2, marks the start of each measure. This helps readers stay in time and know how many beats each section contains. If you are writing in 4/4 time, each measure holds four beats.

Here is how a straightforward song structure might look:

INTRO e|0-1-2-3-| B|————————| G|————————| D|————————| A|————————| E|————————| VERSE e|5-5-5-7-| B|————————| G|————————| D|————————| A|————————| E|————————|

Use software to create cleaner, more detailed tabs

Writing tabs by hand works, but software makes them easier to read and faster to edit. TuxGuitar is free and runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux. It lets you type or click frets, hear the notes play back, and export your tab as text or PDF. You can also add rhythm notation, time signatures, and tempo markings.

Guitar Pro is the industry standard but costs money. It produces professional-looking tabs and lets you add drums, bass, and other instruments to hear the full arrangement. Many tabs you find online were created in Guitar Pro.

If you want to keep it straightforward, a plain text editor works fine. Type your six lines, add numbers, and save the file as .txt. The tab will display correctly on any device. This method is best for quick reference tabs or sharing via email.

Check your tab by playing it back

After you finish writing, play through your tab from start to finish. Listen for mistakes: wrong frets, missed notes, or symbols in the wrong place. If something sounds off, compare it to the original song and correct the numbers or symbols.

If you used software like TuxGuitar, use the playback feature to hear what you wrote. This catches errors much faster than reading the tab silently. Adjust the tempo to match the original song so you can hear whether the rhythm feels right.

Ask someone else to read your tab and play it. If they get stuck or play it wrong, your tab probably needs clearer labeling or better spacing. The goal is for any guitarist to pick up your tab and understand it without asking questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the 0 mean in a guitar tab?

The 0 means play the open string without pressing any fret. For example, 0 on the high E line means pluck the high E string with no finger on the fretboard. Open strings are the easiest notes to play and are used in most beginner songs.

How do I show that two notes should be played at the same time?

Stack the numbers vertically on top of each other. If you want to play the third fret on the high E string and the second fret on the B string at the same time, write the 3 on the e line and the 2 directly below it on the B line. This forms a chord.

Can I write a tab for a song I do not own?

Yes. Writing a tab is a form of notation and falls under fair use in most places. Many websites host tabs for songs under copyright, and musicians share tabs freely online. However, do not claim you wrote the song itself — only that you wrote the tab notation for it.

What if I do not know the exact frets for a song?

Listen to the song carefully and try different frets until you find the right one. Slow down the audio using a tool like Audacity or YouTube's playback speed control. Write down the frets as you find them, then play the whole tab back to confirm it matches the original.

Should I include chord names above the tab?

Yes, if you know them. Write the chord name above the tab at the point where it changes. This helps readers understand the harmonic structure and makes it easier to transpose the song to a different key. If you do not know the chord names, the tab alone is still useful.