What Do h, p, /, \, b, x, and ~ Mean in Guitar Tabs?
Plain numbers in a tab only show the fret and string, but many playing techniques change the note while it's already sounding - those use letter and symbol markings placed right between or after the numbers. There aren't many of them, and each one is logical once you know the technique behind it.
h - hammer-on
The letter h between two numbers on the same line (5h7, for instance) means a hammer-on: the first note is picked normally, and the second is produced by sharply tapping a fretting-hand finger onto the string at the target fret, with no second pick strike. The second note's sound comes from the tap itself, not a fresh pluck of the string.
p - pull-off
The letter p (7p5, for instance) means the reverse move - a pull-off: a finger already resting on a higher fret sharply flicks off the string toward the palm, sounding a lower note (an open string or a neighboring fret) with no new pick strike.
/ and \ - slide up and down
A forward slash / between two numbers (3/5, for instance) means a slide up: the finger glides along the string from the first fret to the second without releasing pressure, and the sound moves smoothly from one note into the other. A backslash \ (5\3, for instance) means the same motion, but down the neck.
b - bend
The letter b (7b9, for instance) means a bend: the note at the 7th fret is pulled with a finger until it sounds at the pitch that the 9th fret would produce - the number after b shows the target pitch, not a second fret to press (see the dedicated article on bend technique).
x - a muted note
The letter x in place of a number means a muted, 'dead' note with no definite pitch - the string is struck but deadened (usually by the fretting hand), producing a percussive thud rather than a ringing tone. It's a deliberate technique, not a notation error - often used in rhythm patterns as a percussive element.
~ - vibrato
A wavy line ~ after a number means vibrato on that note - a wobble of pitch around the main note (see the dedicated article on vibrato technique). Unlike h, p, /, and b, vibrato doesn't change the note itself, it adds expression to it, which is why the symbol sits after a single number rather than between two.
Try it in practice
Open exercises