Guitar tabs are written in lines. Each line represents a guitar string, and the letters next to each line show how the guitar should be tuned. Standard-tuning for guitars is "E", "A", "D", "G", "B" and "(high) E." A guitar's thickest string is represented by the bottom line of the tab, and the thinnest string is represented by the topmost line. Guitar tabs appear as follows:
e--------------------------------
B--------------------------------
G--------------------------------
D--------------------------------
A--------------------------------
E--------------------------------
Numbers written on any of the guitar tab lines indicate the guitar fret you must press, and the specific guitar string you must play. When you see a number written on a particular string as represented by the tablature, find that string on your own guitar, and place your finger on the corresponding fret. In the following diagram, the numbers written on the "A" string indicate the guitar frets meant to be played:
e--------------------------------
B--------------------------------
G--------------------------------
D--------------------------------
A--1--2--3--4--5--0---------
E--------------------------------
In guitar tablature, hyphens are merely used to express each individual guitar string. They have no real value assigned to them, and aren't meant to be confused with any of the symbols that must be learned in order to properly read guitar tablature.
Numbers placed vertically over or under other numbers means that you must play each note simultaneously. This indicates guitar chords, rather than individual notes. In the following diagram, all notes must be played at once to play the "C" chord:
e--0----------------------------
B--1----------------------------
G--0----------------------------
D--2----------------------------
A--3----------------------------
E--------------------------------
You might see letters or symbols next to certain numbers. These describe the specific ways to play the note. The most basic of these --- described in the following diagram --- are "b" = bend the note; "v" = vibrato, which is a constant bending of the string for rhythmic effect; and "/" = slide your finger from one note to the next.
e-----------------------------
B-----------------------------
G--7b-----------------------
D-----------5v---------------
A---------------------5/7----
E-----------------------------