Locate the key for the tablature in the magazine or on the Internet, if possible. Different magazines or websites use different symbols, so it may be easier to look over the key for the symbols if possible. Although you can decipher many different types of guitar tab from learning how to read one, sometimes you will invariably need to refer to a specific key.
Understand basic picking-related symbols. The most common one of these is palm muting, usually symbolized by the letters "PM" followed by a hyphen-composed dotted line, which extends the length of the palm muted portion of music. Look underneath the tab lines for picking direction indicators. To show a down stroke, a box-like symbol is shown, with the bottom side missing and a thicker edge at the top. Look for an arrow pointed away from the tablature lines to identify an up-stroke note. Find a wavy line with an arrow at the top or bottom located to the left of a chord to determine that the chord should be played as an arpeggio in the indicated direction.
Look for arcs over notes to identify notes that should be played as hammer-ons and pull-offs. Occasionally, the letters "h" and "p" will be added above the arc to show which of the two techniques is to be used, but any change from a lower to a higher note will be a hammer-on and the reverse is a pull-off. Find the letters "tr" and a horizontal wavy line to find a trill, which is a rapid combination of hammer-ons and pull-offs between the two indicated notes.
Find a "/" or "\" symbol between two notes to determine that the notes are to be linked by a slide. If the letters "RP" are written above the second note, it indicates that you should re-pick the string when your fretting hand reaches that note. Look for the letters "BU" or "BD" above a note to show that the note must be bent upwards or downwards. This is usually accompanied by a note in brackets to indicate the pitch that the original note should be bent to match. Again, the letters "RP" indicate that the note should be re-picked. A horizontal wavy line indicates a vibrato, which is a rapid up and down bending, so the note shimmers around the original tone.
Locate a note encased by a circle to find a note that is tapped with the right hand. These are usually followed by other notes that are hammer-ons and pull-offs, and will often be found in guitar solos. Notes tapped with the left hand are shown encased in a square.