Music symbols are the basic building blocks of written music.  They have developed over centuries trying to help musicians to express read music on paper.  There is a lot useful information in these symbols including:

.Notes
.Chords
.Pauses
.Timing
.Phrasing
.Repetition
.Relationships between notes
.Volume
.Speed
.Articulation
.Fingering

General Music Symbols

Symbol	Features
	Staff Lines: The basic framework used to place music symbols
	Ledger Lines: Used to extend the staff lines for notes that reach above the basic five lines.
	Treble Clef:  Indicates that the the middle-g is located on the secend staff line from the bottom.   This is the standard guitar key.
	Bar Line: Used to separe measures in a score
	Double Bar Line: Used to separate two phrases or sections of music

Timing Symbols

Symbol	Description
	Specific Time:  Specific time signatures indicate how many (top number) of a specific time pulse (botton number) are contained in one measure.  The example shows 3/4 time wich is pronounced "Three-Four" time.  Other common time signatures for the guitar are 4/4, 3/4, 6/8 and 3/8
	Common Time:  Indicates 4/4 time.
	Metronome Time: Indicates the speed with wich the piece is to be played.  The example indicates the number of quarter notes per minute.

Notes and Rests

Notes	Rests	Description
		Whole note
		Half note
		Quarter note
		Eighth note
		Sixteenth note
		Thirty-second note
		Sixti-fourth note

Note Relationships

Symbol	Description
	Tie:  One or more notes of the same pitch are played as one.  Time values are added together.
	Slur:  Two or more notes of different pitch are played in one stroke.
	Ligature or Phrase Mark:  Like a slur but is used across multiple measures
	Glissando:  Gliding from the first note to the second note in continuous motion including all notes in between.
	Triplet: A number of notes of various durations are played in the duration of three notes.  Similarly, doublets and  quadruplets that are played within two or four durations.
	Chord:  Several notes play at the same time or in sequence.
	Arpeggiated Chord:  A chord that is played in rapid succession while sustaining each note.

Articulation

Symbol	Description
	Staccato: Indicates that a note is to be played with short strokes, usually half of the indicated duration.
	Accent: Note is played with more attack and louder.
	Open String:  indicates note is to be played on an open string

Articulation

Symbol	Description
	Trill:  Indicates note is to be alternated between next higher note but still holding the duration of the note.  Alternation starts with the higher note.
	Mordent:  Play the indicated note and quickly play one note higher (based on key)  and then go back to the indicated note
	Arpeggiotura

Dynamic Symbols

Right Hand Fingering

Repetition and Codas

Symbol	Description
	Repeat Signs:  Encloses a passage that is to be repeated.  If there is not left repeat sign it indicates that the piece is to be repeated from the beginning.
	Volta Bracket: Indicates that a passage is to be played differently the first and second time.
	Da Capo: Indicates that a piece should be repeated from the beginning.  Usually this symbol used as  D.C al fine which means repeat until the word fine or D.C al coda which implies repeat to the coda sign and the jump to the coda passage.
	Coda: Indicates a jump to the the musics ending passage that has the same symbol.  This used in conjunction with D.C al coda