Six lines, high string at the top
The top line is the thin high e string and the bottom line is the thick low E string. In between are B, G, D and A. Read left to right: 0 means an open string and 3 means fret 3. Numbers stacked vertically are played together.
e|--0--1--3--| B|-----------| G|-----------| D|-----------| A|-----------| E|-----------|
What do h, p, / and b mean?
3h5 is a hammer-on from fret 3 to 5; 5p3 is a pull-off back to 3. 3/5 is a slide up, while 7b9 means bend fret 7 until it sounds like fret 9. Start with tabs that have no special symbols.
Tabs do not always show timing
Many tabs give the note sequence but not how long each note lasts. Listen to a permitted recording or follow written rhythm markings. Check the tuning first: most examples assume E A D G B E.