GUITAR TAB GLOSSARY

What every symbol, chord name, and technique on a guitar tab actually means. Written for guitarists at any level.

NOTATION

Tablature (Tab): Tablature, or tab, is a guitar notation system that uses six horizontal lines to represent the six strings of a guitar. Numbers on the lines tell you which fret to press on which string. Tablature reads left to right in time, and is the most common way guitar parts are written for non-classical players.
String: In guitar tablature, strings are numbered 1 through 6 from thinnest to thickest. String 1 is the high E (the thinnest); string 6 is the low E (the thickest). Tab lines are usually drawn with string 1 on top and string 6 on the bottom.
Fret: A fret is one of the metal bars on a guitar's neck. Pressing a string against a fret shortens its vibrating length and raises the pitch. In tab notation, the number on a tab line tells you which fret to press, where 0 means open (no fret).
Fretboard: The fretboard, or fingerboard, is the long wooden surface on the front of a guitar's neck where you press the strings. Frets divide the fretboard into half-step intervals. Most acoustic and electric guitars have 19 to 24 frets.
Open String: An open string is a string played without pressing any fret. In tab notation, an open string is written as 0 (zero). In standard tuning the open strings sound E, A, D, G, B, E from string 6 to string 1.
Nut: The nut is the small strip at the top of the guitar neck where the strings cross before reaching the tuning pegs. It sets the open-string pitches and the string spacing. The nut counts as fret position zero.
Capo: A capo is a clamp that presses across all six strings at a chosen fret. It raises the pitch of every open string by the same number of half-steps, letting you play open-chord shapes in a higher key. A capo on fret 3 with a C-shape chord sounds like an E-flat chord.
Bar (Measure): A bar, also called a measure, is a single unit of time in music, separated by vertical bar lines on a staff or tab. The time signature (such as 4/4) defines how many beats fit in each bar. Tab grid lines mark bar boundaries so you can follow the song's pulse.
Time Signature: A time signature is a pair of numbers at the start of a piece that tells you how to count the beat. The top number is beats per bar; the bottom number is the note value that counts as one beat. 4/4 means four quarter notes per bar and is the most common in popular music.

CHORDS

Chord: A chord is three or more notes played together. On guitar, chords are formed by pressing specific frets on multiple strings at the same time and strumming or picking those strings. Chord names like C, Am, or G7 describe which notes are sounding.
Chord Diagram: A chord diagram is a small grid showing how to finger a single chord on the guitar. Vertical lines are strings, horizontal lines are frets, and dots indicate where to place your fingers. Diagrams often include finger numbers (1-4) and Xs for strings you should not play.
Open Chord: An open chord is a chord that uses at least one open (unfretted) string. Common open chords include C, G, D, A, E, Am, Dm, and Em. They are usually the first chords beginner guitarists learn because the open strings make the shapes easier to hold.
Barre Chord: A barre chord is a chord where one finger presses down multiple strings at the same fret while other fingers form the chord shape. Barre chords let you move the same shape up and down the neck to play any key. The F major and B minor barre chords are common examples.
Power Chord: A power chord is a two- or three-note chord built from the root and the fifth of a scale, sometimes with the octave added. Power chords have no third, so they are neither major nor minor. They are written with a 5 after the root, like E5 or A5, and are widely used in rock and metal.
Slash Chord: A slash chord is a chord with a specified bass note that is not the root. It is written as chord/bass, like C/G or D/F#. The chord on the left is what is played; the note on the right is the lowest note. Slash chords create smoother bass lines between chord changes.
Suspended Chord (sus): A suspended chord, or sus chord, replaces the third of a regular chord with either the second (sus2) or the fourth (sus4). This removes the major or minor quality and creates tension that usually resolves back to the regular chord. Common forms are Dsus4, Asus2, and Esus4.
7th Chord: A 7th chord is a chord that adds the seventh note of the scale to a regular triad. Common types are dominant 7th (like G7), major 7th (Cmaj7), and minor 7th (Am7). 7th chords are central to blues, jazz, and many pop progressions.
Diminished Chord: A diminished chord is built from a root, a minor third, and a diminished fifth, giving it a tense, unresolved sound. It is written with a small circle (Bdim or B°). Diminished chords often appear as passing chords between two stable chords in jazz and classical progressions.

TECHNIQUES

Hammer-On: A hammer-on is a technique where you sound a higher note by pressing (hammering) a finger onto the fretboard without picking the string again. In tab notation, a hammer-on is written with an h between two fret numbers, like 5h7. It produces a smooth, connected sound.
Pull-Off: A pull-off is the opposite of a hammer-on. You sound a lower note by pulling a finger off a higher fret while keeping a lower fret pressed (or the string open). In tab notation, a pull-off is written with a p between two fret numbers, like 7p5.
Slide: A slide is a technique where you move a fretted finger up or down the fretboard while the string is still ringing, connecting two notes with a continuous pitch change. In tab, an upward slide is written with / (like 5/7) and a downward slide with \ (like 7\5).
Bend: A bend is a technique where you push or pull a string sideways across the fretboard while it is ringing, raising its pitch. The amount of bend is measured in half-steps (1/2 = half-step, full = whole step). In tab, bends are usually written with a b, like 7b9 (bend the 7th fret up to the pitch of fret 9).
Vibrato: Vibrato is a small, rapid back-and-forth change in pitch applied to a sustained note. On guitar, vibrato is produced by repeatedly bending and releasing a string slightly. In tab notation, vibrato is marked with a tilde or wavy line (~) after the fret number.
Palm Mute: A palm mute is a technique where you rest the edge of your picking hand on the strings near the bridge while you pick, producing a short, muted, percussive sound. In tab, palm mutes are marked with P.M. or a dashed line above the notes. They are common in rock, metal, and punk.
Tapping: Tapping is a technique where you sound notes by tapping (rather than picking) the strings against the fretboard, usually with a finger of your picking hand. It allows fast, wide-interval lines that would be hard to pick. In tab, tapped notes are marked with a t.
Harmonic: A harmonic is a bell-like, high-pitched note produced by lightly touching a string at specific points instead of pressing it down. Natural harmonics live at frets 5, 7, and 12. In tab, harmonics are usually written in angle brackets like <12> or marked Harm.
Tremolo Picking: Tremolo picking is rapidly picking a single note up and down to create a sustained, buzzing effect. It is common in metal, surf rock, and classical guitar. In tab, tremolo picking is marked with three slashes through the note stem or the abbreviation Trem.

TUNING & THEORY

Tuning: Tuning refers to the pitches assigned to each open string on a guitar. Different tunings produce different open chord shapes and tonal characters. Tab transcriptions assume a specific tuning, so check it before playing along.
Standard Tuning: Standard tuning on a 6-string guitar is E A D G B E, from the thickest string (6) to the thinnest (1). This is the default tuning for most popular music tabs. If a tab does not specify a tuning, assume standard.
Drop D Tuning: Drop D tuning lowers the 6th string from E down to D, giving a tuning of D A D G B E. It makes power chords on the low strings playable with one finger and produces a heavier low end. Drop D is widely used in rock, metal, and folk fingerstyle.
Alternate Tuning: An alternate tuning is any guitar tuning other than standard E A D G B E. Common alternates include Drop D, DADGAD, Open G, Open D, and half-step-down (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb). Alternate tunings let you play voicings and resonances that are impossible in standard.
Key: The key of a song is the central note and scale around which the music is organized. A song in the key of G major centers on the note G and uses the G major scale. Knowing the key tells you which chords and notes are likely to sound consonant.
Tempo (BPM): Tempo is the speed of a song, measured in beats per minute (BPM). A BPM of 120 means 120 beats every minute. Tabs and metronomes use BPM so you can practice at a slower tempo and gradually work up to performance speed.
Strumming Pattern: A strumming pattern is the repeating sequence of down-strums and up-strums used to play a song's rhythm. Patterns are often written as D D U U D U (down-down-up-up-down-up) over a single bar of 4/4. The pattern stays the same as chords change underneath.
MIDI Export: MIDI export saves a transcription as a MIDI file, a format that stores note pitches, timings, and dynamics but no audio. MIDI files can be opened in any digital audio workstation (DAW) and used to drive virtual instruments, edit notes, or print sheet music.

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