Tabs or Music Notes?

One last point: it doesn't take years to learn it, as Fretsource commented..it's a skill that you can learn in a couple of months,

I didn't say it takes years. I said. "Notation takes ages to learn in comparison, but once it's learned, notation becomes much more meaningful than tab."

It DOES take ages compared to learning tab, which can be learned in 10 minutes. Notation is an ongoing learning process. You can be reading and playing simple tunes within weeks (even that is 'ages' compared to tab). But like guitar playing, reading notation is a skill that develops over years to ever higher levels.

A quick summary of the advantages of standard notation:

- it's graphic. If a note is written higher on the staff, it sounds higher... so your ears can check for mistakes as you go. With tab, you don't know if 8 is higher than 5, because it depends on the string each number is on.

- it's rhythmic. Most tab doesn't include rhythmic information, but all standard notation does.

- it's harmonic. Once you get good at reading standard notation, you can see the chords and arpeggios - you get a good idea where a tune is going.

- it's expressive. Sure, there are tab symbols to indicate things like quarter-tone bends, but standard notation includes a wealth of performance instruction in the symbols and terms. You don't see tabs with accent marks, staccato marks, legato phrases; in comparison to standard notation, tab is pretty bland.

A quick summary of the advantage of tab:

- it's real easy to learn.

I compare tab to paint-by-number sets. You can take tab and turn it into a song, just like you can paint a reasonable copy of the Mona Lisa. If you didn't have the little numbers to guide you, making that Mona Lisa or learning that solo would take a lot more preparation on your part.

But just like paint-by-numbers, when you're done, that's all you've got - a copy of one creative piece. If you'd invested the time in preparation you'd also know the proportions, the use of light and shadow, perspective... in other words, you'd understand what you were doing, and you could apply what you'd learned from the Mona Lisa to other works of art.

Learning standard notation isn't hard, but it is time consuming. Most of my students can read single notes in first position within 1-2 months, and can work through a tune (slowly) in any key signature within another couple of months. Reading in any position (single notes, slowly) takes another few months.

The ability to read in any key, any position, whether it's single notes or chords, and do it at a reasonable speed takes about 4 years.

Most new guitarists blow off that time investment, because it looks pretty big, and tab gives immediate gratification. But in the long run, the guitarist who makes the investment becomes a better musician. I explained why in a previous thread on this subject, so I won't go into the reasons here - but trust me, it's true.

Everyone always points to the 'star' guitarists who don't read as proof that it's unimportant: Hendrix, Page, etc. But the simple fact is that the majority of guitarists don't read standard notation... and the vast majority of professional guitarists read it quite well.

I would HAve to go with the tab It's easier and Faster to read just know where the frets and it will be easier with tabs

Those who say that TAB is easier are a bit off.

Tab is easier to LEARN.

But it is far easier to play a song from standard notation if you're proficient than it is from TAB.

Learning standard notation takes more time. But the pay-offs are huge.

Tab is easier for the guitarist - but in another recent discussion, we were arguing about suspended chords, specifically sus2 chords - Tom (Noteboat) made the telling point that another guitarist MAY understand what you're talking about, but a pianist or horn player wouldn't.....

So I'd say learn standard notation first, and tab second....tab is easier, but with standard notation you'll be able to play ANYTHING at the correct tempo, with all the notes in the right places, and all held for the correct duration....

I wish I'd learned to read music from an early age.....come to think of it, I remember laughing at an old friend when we were both aged about 7 - he had to go to piano lessons while I was playing football and cricket on the local park - with hindsight, I wish the parents had MADE me take music lesssons....and I'd gone with him....

:D :D :D

Vic

Learn to read standard notation..it's a tool in your belt. It is not all that hard to do...I taught myself to do it within a year, although I am still working on being able to "sight read" a peice of music fluidly. That being said....

Learn tab as well....use them both..they are tools in your belt.

One thing to add to this....some of the most advanced musicians don't read standard notation, nor do they read tab....they are blind....learn to use the most important tool you have...your ear!

That last post is right about ears . . . but not learning to read notation when one is sighted is sort of like not learning to walk 'cause lots of accomplished people don't have legs.

Vic's claim that tab is easier for the guitarist isn't something I agree with.

I read tab reasonably proficiently. I am very good at standard notation. It takes me far less time to learn a piece in SN than in TAB . . even if the SN doesn't have appropriate position markings.

Furhter, I can do things with SN that I can't do with TAB. The reason being that by seeing the notes I am given more information than by being given the relative fingerings.

As an example, I was recently working on a chord-melody version of Take the 'A' Train which has quite a number of accidentals in the melody.

By looking at the accidentals I was able to learn a lot about what harmony choices would work and which wouldn't. For example, in a measure where the dominate pitch is an Ab, I was able to correctly deduce that a D7b5 would be a great chord choice.

Had I just been given a fret position, I would be left wondering if note being played were and Ab or a G#, and I could have made a very different (and ultimately poorer) choice for my arrangement.

For my 2 cents ..... I think tab is easier to learn but standard notation is better, that's why it is standard. I understand standard notation but I am not a good sight reader so tab goes smoother for me. One argument for tab though is that in a lot of rock songs the leads will be tabbed note for note. The standard notation lacks the lead. I remember in the old days (70's) having the fake books with standard notation and the chord diagrams above. I would use the notation for figuring out bass lines or to revoice chords that just didn't seem right. There was however no lead guitar music. Sometime in the middle or late 80's I discovered tab and it had the leads tabbed out. I thought that was cool.

I like to have both, for all the reasons Margaret gave earlier and for one more. With standard, you can use music that is written for other instruments. For example, when playing with my brothers (who all play guitar), they always want me to play the melody on mandolin, but all their sheet music is for guitar. Luckily, since most of it has both standard and tab, I can read the standard and play the melody on mandolin, keyboard, (or any instrument if I knew how to play it), even though it was written for guitar. If it was written with just tab, I coudn't just sit down and play with them from their music.

TR: there is tons of lead sheet music for guitar. Some Jimi Hendrix:

TR: there is tons of lead sheet music for guitar. Some Jimi Hendrix:

Thanks Sleutelbos, I realise they have them now. The piece you displayed has the TAB as well. A lot of TAB's have the standard notation as well. I'm talking the music we used to have; way back when; before we had TAB. Back when the only TAB we had was a bad diet soda. :lol: I think the problem was the music available was copies of the songs for copyright purposes. No one transposed any of the solo's. I'm talking stuff I bought in 1977.