Skip to content
Notifications
Clear all

Original or Not?

22 Posts
18 Users
0 Likes
3,481 Views
(@anonymous)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 8184
Topic starter  

I see quite often people say that Tabs and such are bad or not accurate because they are not exactly the same as the original recording.
Although I do agree there are some terrible tabs out there, I also believe some tabs, even though they are a far cry from the original recording, still capture the essence of the song.
I guess some people that post tabs are posting their own version of a given song.
I have seen a division of players between 2 camps, those that strive to sound as close to the original recording as possible and those that only want to capture the essence of the song and make it thier own.
What side of the fence do you fall on and why?


   
Quote
(@simonhome-co-uk)
Prominent Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 677
 

Well I'd say the tab should be how the artist actually played it. If I get a tab I dont wanna learn someone elses version of it, Ill learn the origional and if I want put my own style into it, not someone elses!

Although you find the more accurate tabs will (in solos mainly) nit-pick. In that they wont actually tab what the artist was probably trying to do, but instead the tab captures any imperfections, which I think almost defeats the point in learning someone elses stuff...


   
ReplyQuote
(@anonymous)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 8184
Topic starter  

Actually I meant for my question to be a bit deeper than TAB accuracy.
Take some lessons for example. David Hodge's lessons are for the most part his own versions as are PlaneTalk's. Then you look at LittleBrother and he seems to strive to be a little closer to the original.
I have read many post where people want a guitar and/or amp that will sound exactly like their favorite's and others that are happy with creating their own sounds to popular songs and are not as concerned with re-creating the original sound.
Finally there are bands that play covers and sound quite a bit like the original and others that have had hits from thier own versions of older songs that sound quite a bit different than the original.


   
ReplyQuote
 Taso
(@taso)
Famed Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 2811
 

Yeah, The tab should be as close to the original as possible. And then one can throw their own twist on it.

http://taso.dmusic.com/music/


   
ReplyQuote
(@ignar-hillstrom)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 5349
 

I myself don't care *at all* of it is like the original or not. I'm not Jimi Hendrix, I don't have Jimi Hendrix' hands not his way of thinking and improvising, so why try and play like him? I usually get a tab for GP (which are often taken directly from songbooks, and MORE accurate then standard notation since it combines the advantages of both), take a look at the structure and the central riffs/licks, and go from there.

Same with gear: I have enough modelers and effects to get close to pretty much anything, but what's the point? Everyone has a different taste, so it makes much more sense to play a song you like with a sound you like in a way you like. Afterwards I can listen to a CD if I want to apreciate the original version.

Listen to Clapton's cover of Little Wing. His (and SRVs one) cover adds more then any other cover ever done. IMHO ofcourse...


   
ReplyQuote
(@dcarroll)
Reputable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 216
 

the cool thing about figuring stuff out by ear, is that when you get things slightly wrong or different, your actually adding your own style to it and not directly copying.

I've been imitated so well I've heard people copy my mistakes.
- Jimi Hendrix


   
ReplyQuote
(@jbehar)
Trusted Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 81
 

I'll throw a wrench in the works here..

Quite often I can't come close singing in the key of the original (not that my singing is something you'd want to hear anyway) but it brings up the question: If you change key have you changed from the original? and if you can't sing in the key of the original does that mean you will never play that song?

I think you can guess my answer to your original question (excuse the pun)


   
ReplyQuote
(@alangreen)
Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 5342
 

Coming from the classical side of the fence, I believe it's all a matter of interpretation and the score/ Tab simply gives you a starting point.

A :-)

"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk


   
ReplyQuote
(@yoyo286)
Noble Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 1681
 

Yeah... I want the origanal, then put my own stlye in it! :)

Stairway to Freebird!


   
ReplyQuote
(@djdubb)
Reputable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 222
 

Sometimes trying to do things note for note can be a set back for a perfectionist, often making them give up on song. The most important thing is balancing your own notes or style without changing the complex of the song; were someone might not know what it is!

"Failure is the key to success" Lee Wen; Champ vs Champ


   
ReplyQuote
 gene
(@gene)
Estimable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 159
 

Since I'm new to the guitar, getting things as close as possible to correct tabs is the only way I can get it to sound like the song. Hopefully with more experience I can put my own twist on it. It would be great to be able to pick things up by ear, but I'm not there yet.


   
ReplyQuote
(@noteboat)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 4921
 

I think it comes down to how you define a song, and how you define interpretation.

Any system of music notation, whether it's standard music notation or tab, has the sole purpose of representing the sound. If you represent a different sound, you're not representing the music - and it doesn't matter if that's with tab, standard notation, chord charts, or whatever.

There are times you'll want to alter the original: to make a multiple-instrument piece playable on the guitar (an arrangement), to simplify a piece for beginners (David's lessons or 'easy guitar' books), or recording what you do differently in your own performance (an interpretation/arrangement, depending on what you do with it).

Since the whole purpose is to record something on paper/pixels for you to play again later, you need to be faithful to what you actually want to have played later... otherwise, it's nearly pointless. Notation is musical direction - do you want to tell someone to go to Omaha, or to go someplace South of the Dakotas?

Most of you know how much I rant on things like modes - people talk about them but can't use them right, because they don't put in the work that's required. I think a lot of that is also true of tabs and 'arrangements' as well:

People posting tabs often haven't worked at developing their ears. They get close, and that's good enough for them - and they're off to badly tabbing the next tune. They'd learn a lot more about music and performance by spending the time to get it right.

Folks writing 'interpretations' often do so because they can't do the techniques of the original. They'll get close, call it their interpretation, and they're off to almost learning the next tune. I often see comments online that 'you have to do it your way, otherwise it gets boring'.

I have several different CDs of Beethoven's 9th symphony... they all sound different. The musicians play exactly the same notes, but there are subtle variations in the dynamics, the phrasing, and the tempo; those are interpretations; they are creative choices made for creative reasons. Three Dog Night doing Nyro's 'Eli's Coming' (which I like) or Uncle Kracker doing Wither's 'Use Me' (which I don't care for as much as the original)... those are arrangements, a realignment of musical elements around a theme with a specific performance goal in mind. David's lessons, which develop a technique to approximate a sound - those have the goal of teaching a technique using a familiar sound as an aid. They've all done a piece 'their way' for valid reasons.

Putting Fmaj7 in place of F for creative reasons is one thing; doing it because you can't finger the F cleanly is quite another. It's a way of saying "aren't I awesome? I can write arrangements!!!" instead of saying what they should - "gee, this F chord is hard... I should practice it more".

You can program a computer to put random tones together - but I can't call that composing; there's no creative intent. There's a random chance that the computer comes up with something good - something identical to what a composer would do; the result still doesn't make it composition, because the creative element is still missing. So if you approach a piece of music and say 'I'm going to do this in a jazzier way' (or whatever) and do so, that's arranging. If you approach a piece of music and say 'I'm going to do this' and you settle for something else, that's not arranging - it's incomplete effort.

Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL


   
ReplyQuote
(@jimiraysantana)
Eminent Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 21
 

HI
Just my 2 cents.

I'm not picky about the accuracy of a tab just to learn a song. A perfect tab would represent the way a song was recorded, in the studio and with the exception of Milli Vanilli would probably(and hopefuly) never be played the same way live.

For me there is nothing worse than going to see a band and hearing their album versions of songs note for note.
I'm happy if it gives me a guideline and I can make it recognizable given my Very limited talents.

Of course this could all change if I ever learn to play well.

Dave


   
ReplyQuote
(@reasonableman)
Trusted Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 71
 

I think TAB's should generally be as accurate to the recording as they claim to be.

On some sites you can post your TAB as chords and obviously that's not going to be as accurate and often captures the 'feel' of a song.

As far as I'm concerned a TABed song should be 100% accurate to the studio recording as possible. If you are altering it for your interpretation you should say.


   
ReplyQuote
(@maxrumble)
Honorable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 441
 

Hi, I have to wonder if my post on, what its like, was the inspiration for this thread.

I like to have accurate tabs, note for note if possible. That is not to say I will play it that way. It is due to my lack of skill creating arrangements.

When I play, what its like, the intro is very close to, if not identical to the original, the verses are quite different but I like the sound and I am satisfied with what I am playing. I find the way I play the bridge to be lacking and I would like an accurate tab to improve that section.

I don't need to play a song exactly like the original, but I demand a little more from myself than just playing chords, and my current skill level is not conducive to creating interesting arrangements. My hat is off to David Hodge and everyone who makes this site so amazing.

The lessons on this site illistrate my point nicely. There are many arrangements here that, in my opinion are superior to the original.

Many of us play alone much of the time. With only one instrument some interesting fill is always welcome. Unfortunately not everyone, definitly not me anyway, has the skill to create such arrangements.

I rely on sites like this one, video lessons and tabs. I hope eventually to be able to create my own arrangements and to "play by ear" much better, but until then I am very greatfull to the people who allow me to learn in the ways mentioned above.

Thats my rant anyway

PS I can't imagine learing without the aid of the internet.

Cheers,

Max


   
ReplyQuote
Page 1 / 2