Guitar tabs
Guitar tabs: play any song note for note
25,000+ guitar tabs — riffs, licks and solos written out. Learn to read tabs in a minute, browse by artist or style and play along for free — or loop and slow down any passage with the interactive ProTab player until you've nailed it.
- 25,000+
- songs with tabs & chords
- 4.7★
- 600+ reviews
- 1998
- the Dutch tab home since
What is a guitar tab?
A tab (tablature) is the easiest way to read guitar: six lines represent the six strings, and the numbers show which fret to press. You don't need to read sheet music — you follow the numbers and play the riff or melody exactly. That's why tabs have been how guitarists share songs for decades.
On Gitaartabs you'll find both classic tabs and ProTabs: interactive tabs where notation, audio and video run in sync. Slow down a tricky solo, loop the bar until it sticks and transpose to your key — playing along instead of just reading. Lyrics and chords are published under a licence from Stichting FEMU, so you play legally.
How to read a guitar tab
A tab has six horizontal lines — one per string. The bottom line is the lowest string (thick E), the top one the highest (thin e). A number on a line means: press that fret on that string. Read left to right; numbers stacked vertically are played together, one after another separately.
e|-------------------| B|-------------------| G|-0-3-5---0-3-6-5---| D|-0-3-5---0-3-6-5---| A|-------------------| E|-------------------|
The most important tab symbols
- 0
- Open string — play it without pressing a fret.
- 3
- Fret number: press this fret and pick.
- h
- Hammer-on: sound the next note by pressing down hard.
- p
- Pull-off: sound the next note by pulling the finger off.
- b
- Bend: push the string up until the pitch rises.
- /
- Slide up to the next fret.
- \
- Slide down to the next fret.
- x
- Dead note: muted strike, no clear pitch.
- ~
- Vibrato: let the note wobble slightly.
- PM
- Palm mute: dampen the strings with the heel of your picking hand.
Try it yourself: this is a ProTab
Reading about tabs is one thing — playing along is better. This free demo shows how an interactive ProTab works: notation, audio and video run in sync, and you can slow down or loop a tricky bar.
Popular guitar tabs
The most-played tabs right now.
Popular artists & bands
Browse by artist — from Coldplay and Metallica to Ed Sheeran and Nirvana — and play their best-known songs.
Types of tabs on Gitaartabs
Not every tab is the same. These are the four kinds you'll come across on the site.
Tabs
Written out note for note on the six strings — ideal for riffs, licks and solos.
Chords
Chord names above the lyrics to strum and sing along.
ProTab
Interactive tab: notation, audio and video in sync, with slow-down, looping and transposing.
Guitar Pro
A file format (.gp) with multiple tracks; on Gitaartabs you just play in the browser — no software needed.
Explore the library
Find your guitar songs
Browse by collection, music style, or artist — there's always a way in that fits you.
Popular guitar songs
The songs being played the most right now — from classics to hits.
Guitar tabs
Songs with tabs — riffs, licks and solos written out note for note.
Chord songs
Play along with chords — lyrics with the chords above the words.
Easy guitar songs
Just starting out? Songs with few chords that sound great right away.
Easy guitar tabs
Simple beginner-level riffs and tabs — note for note.
Easy guitar chords
Simple open chords, no barre — perfect to get started.
New guitar songs
The latest additions — new songs added every week.
Children's songs
Sing and play together — from nursery rhymes to birthday songs.
Christmas Songs
All Christmas classics with chords, ready for under the tree.
Sinterklaas Songs
The gift-giving night hits — easy chords for the whole family.
Frequently asked questions about guitar tabs
A tab (tablature) shows on six lines — the strings — which fret to press. You don't need to read notes: you follow the numbers and play the riff, solo or melody exactly.
From reading tabs to really playing
25,000+ songs with tabs, chords and interactive ProTabs — try everything for a month for € 1.