Music & Instrument Notation

Guitar Tab Symbols & Notation Decoder

Confused by letters and marks in online tabs? Select any symbol to reveal what hammer-ons (h), pull-offs (p), bends (b), slides (/), and pinch harmonics (PH) mean with exact finger mechanics.

Click Any Tab Symbol To Inspect Playing Technique:

Fretting TechniqueEssential

hHammer-On

How It Looks In Tabs:

e|---5h7---|

Plain English Explanation:

Play the first note with your pick, then forcefully "hammer" a second finger down onto a higher fret WITHOUT picking again.

Finger Mechanics & Execution:

Pick fret 5 cleanly with your index finger. While the note rings, slam your ring finger down like a mini-hammer directly behind fret 7. Keep your index finger anchored.

Common Beginner Pitfalls:

Hitting too slowly or gently, causing the note to sound muted rather than ringing loud and clear.

Tip: Practice slowly with a metronome at 60 BPM until the transition sounds as loud as a picked note.

Real-World Tab Examples & Riff Anatomy

Classic Blues Lick

e|-----------------------|
B|---7b9r7p5---5h7~~~---|
G|-----------6-----------|
D|-----------------------|

Combines a full bend (7b9), release (r7), pull-off (p5), and hammer-on into vibrato (5h7~~~).

Heavy Metal Chug

PM  . . . . . . . . 
D|-----------------------|
A|--2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2------|
E|--0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0------|

Straight palm-muted low E and A power chords for a tight rhythm groove.

Harmonics Bell Intro

e|---<12>----------------|
B|--------<12>-----------|
G|-------------<12>------|
D|-----------------------|

Natural harmonics played gently across the 12th fret strings.

Master Guitar Tablature Notation Cheat Sheet

Filter by technique category or search any symbol across rock, metal, blues, and acoustic.

Symbol	Technique	Category	Tab Notation
h	Hammer-On	Fretting Technique	e\|---5h7---\|
p	Pull-Off	Fretting Technique	e\|---7p5---\|
/	Slide Up (Shift Slide / Legato)	Articulation	B\|---5/7---\|
\	Slide Down	Articulation	B\|---7\5---\|
b	String Bend	Fretting Technique	G\|---7b9---\|
r	Release Bend	Fretting Technique	G\|---7b9r7---\|
~ or v	Vibrato	Articulation	e\|---7~~~---\|
PM or .	Palm Muting	Picking	D\|--PM-------\| A\|--2-2-2-2--\| E\|--0-0-0-0--\|
x	Dead / Muted Note	Picking	G\|---x-x-x---\|
< > or NH	Natural Harmonic	Harmonics & Special	e\|---<12>---\|
PH	Pinch Harmonic ("Squeal")	Harmonics & Special	G\|---7PH~~~---\|
t	Fretboard Tapping	Fretting Technique	e\|--t12p7p5--\|