Reading guitar tabs is very easy, yet not every guitar player understands their meaning. So therefore I have provided a legend below, explaining how they work and the meaning of each symbol.

 Tabs are a form of musical notation for guitar, using horizontal lines representing each string, as well as numbers that show where to play a note on the fretboard. Each number refers to a fret on the fretboard. 1 = 1st fret, 2 = 2nd fret, 3 = 3rd fret and so on. Here is a chart explaining the guitar tabs in relation the guitar:

          E----- 1st string ( bottom string, or 'thinnest' string ) 
          B----- 2nd string
          G----- 3rd string
          D----- 4th string
          A----- 5th string
          E----- 6th string ( top string, or 'thickest' string )


A typical guitar tab may appear as:             Which is played as:

        E-------------------------5-------                   1st string, 5th fret
        B-------------------1-------------                   2nd string, 1st fret
        G--------------4------------------                   3rd string, 4th fret
        D---------2-----------------------                   4th string, 2nd fret
        A----3----------------------------                   5th string, 3rd fret
        E------------------------------3---                  6th string, 3rd fret

Symbols ( mainly as letters ) appear on the tabs from time to time ( highlighted in green ):

       E---------------------------5~~~~~----8---5----5T10--5T12-5T10--8---5\---------------
       B--------------------------------------------------5--5h8p5----8-------------------8b(10)---
       G------------------------------5---7--7b---5----------------------------------------------------
       D----------------------5---5---------------------------------------------------------------------
       A--------------5---5------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       E---/5----8---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here are the meanings to each symbol:

     b = bend string up ( at the fret number )
    
     h = hammer on. Hit the note hard with the finger without using a guitar pick to play it first

     p = pull off note. Play note by pulling off the string without using a guitar pick to play it first

     / = slide up to a note before playing it

     \ = slide down after playing a note

    T = fingertapping ( usually with the right picking hand ) Eddie Van Halen style
 
    (10) = bend up to that note. For example, if you play a G note on the 8th fret, then bend it up so it sounds like an A              note on the 10th fret: 8b(10)

    ~~~ = vibrato. Shake the note softly on the fretboard to give it a wavering effect