(Log in to disable ads.)

  • dont read music

I prefer tab and get the timing from the sheet music. Im not the best but i can do some good stuff. I like doing the complete song.the intro,outro ,body ,verse, and solo.ive completed Clapton's crossroads,cocaine,spoonful,and whiteroom. Also done Page's rock and roll, black dog,heartbreaker,over the hills,ramble on and Deep purple's child in time,burn,smoke,lazy.im used to getting my tab from hal Leonard's play along series.most of the time the tabs good but some times its not.Do any of you know of some better tab? Im current working on free bird but its not working out.it will be an awesome song but it wont be free bird. Im always looking for some good tab.so if any of you know of any,please clue me in.

jjross
Looking for good tab that's accurate. I've been using Hal Lennard 's play along series. Sometimes it's good and sometimes it's not. Does anybody know of some accurate tab?

      TAB is a shortcut for those who want to avoid reading music. The only way for the complete musician is to read the real score. Has anybody seen a classical orchestra play a symphony off TAB? Yes?

      Pierre-Cronje Just to play a bit of devil's advocate, some of the best never touched theory or read music. Especially true in guitar.

      At least one legend comes to mind: BB King. Other members might know of more noteworthy examples.

      I'm NOT advocating ignorance but there IS value in focusing on the bits you love and ignoring the rest. As long as you're making music and enjoying yourself, there's no right way to do music.

      For me, that means I'd like to eventually learn to read music and get my theory to a point where I can listen to a song (a bunch of times) and pick out the themes in terms of chords, scales, etc. But it's not everyone's path and that's totally fine.

          Others who couldn't / can't read music include: The Beatles, Eric Clapton, Tommy Emmanuel, Irvin Berlin. Not to be taken as a recommendation, or course!

          RCVN Tell that to Victor Wooten ?

          Errmm, there was a debate on talkbass the longest time ago (2005) about whether or not he could read music. Since he's published transcriptions that he personally did -the going belief is that he can- to some degree- read music.

          I've read that Billy Sheenan doesn't read music - though I'd bet my bass he can decipher a lead sheet.

          There are degree's to the ability - sight reading in real time, is a skill that takes practice. Like any language, you gotta practice and use it in context. If I were aiming at getting session work (particularly in jazz/classical) or work in the education side of music, it's something I'd feel I'd have to do.

            V8 Victor learnt by imitating other bassists whilst being taught by his brother, which was what I was referring to. But I'm sure he would've picked up some skills in reading and writing music along the way.

            That guy has been around the block. Same with Sheenan.

            I actually know a few session muso's that knows how to read sheet music, but barely even use it.

            But nonetheless, it definitely has its place, and I'm going there.

            • V8 replied to this.

                RCVN Victor learnt by imitating other bassists whilst being taught by his brother,

                I think all the 'greats' learnt by ear & eye - I certainly got 'better' when I used tab as a backup and not the the truth. Back before tab I guess you only had ears and eyes to work with - and maybe someone transcribed something you wanted to learn, though I think that was only really popular for guitar, when guitar magazine's become popular in the 80's?

                RCVN I actually know a few session muso's that knows how to read sheet music, but barely even use it.

                I know two guys who both are sight readers - one has to learn the piece completely from the sheet music and not refer to to during performance, the other plays mostly off sheet music.

                RCVN But nonetheless, it definitely has its place, and I'm going there.

                Heh, probably ended up at the same place.

                I can't reallly read sheet music - but I can read drum notation (super easy - anyone can ?). Now I get rhythm from ears & sheet music and pitch from ears & tab. On occasion, I actually prefer things to come with notation - while tab is cool...expressing rhythm in it is a p.i.t.a - sheet music is quite genius in how it expresses pitch and rhythm.

                      It seems that my comment was misinterpreted. To become a complete musician all aspects of music need to be absorbed. Making millions from a recording does not a complete musician make. Apologfies for even commenting on this page. Too many know-alls.

                      • V8 replied to this.

                        Pierre-Cronje Apologfies for even commenting on this page. Too many know-alls.

                        Pierre, we all have an opinion and there's nothing wrong in expressing it as such. Hopefully a few peeps learnt (or thought) a little because of us all sharing our personal experiences.

                        For those interested, we've just added a cool article on getting into reading music: https://community.guitartalk.co.za/d/27085-guitar-player-learn-to-read-music-part-1

                          Write a Reply...