Before we get into the nitty-gritty of reading tabs, one thing to keep in mind is that understanding guitar tabs and what they mean, and even being able to follow along and play the notes you see in the tabs, won't necessarily mean that what you play and hear will sound like what you expect.



This is because playing the guitar isn't just pushing buttons or plucking strings. You need to understand pacing and tempo and learn how to move seamlessly from one note or chord to the next.



Otherwise it's just going to sound like a bunch of random notes, albeit a little bit more melodic.



What I'd recommend for a new player, or even an intermediate player, is to follow along with some online tutorials IN ADDITION to learning about tabs.



It's not hard if you find the right website. When I was starting out, the site I found most helpful was something called Jamorama. (Click on the link to check 'em out.)



I HIGHLY recommend you take a look at this site. I guarantee you'll find that playing the guitar is a heck of a lot more fun when you actually know what you're doing, and Ben from Jamorama is one of the best teachers online.



Click here to give him a try and let me know what you think.