tab archives fade away

[ratherdashing]

The guitar nazi has spoken - now for a more realistic view, the technology is there for people to share their interpretations of a solo or lick - why not utilize it? Isn't that what a guitar teacher supplies his students, his interpretation of a lick or solo - and they tab it out for their students. If there's a problem with the accuracy of the information then try playing the lick in different places on the nect to get the tone you want (that's pretty much the same as picking it off a record but you with a little head start). I choose to check out tab (I'm not a beginner) and keep my guitar - I'm a rebel. Also, your last comment is just plain nutty, all guitarists are copy cats so are good french horn players and violinists, they listen and try and emulate the sound, tone, phrasing, sytle of those who have mastered their respective instrument.

If you're content with simply parroting what you hear on the radio, then by all means, keep that guitar and download as many tabs as you want.

Great players don't try to emulate anyone - they try to find their own voice through their instrument.

[theodie]

99% of the tabs were wrong anyway and you would have to figure it out by ear anyhow. I could care less if they are shut down due to most of it being garbage tabs.

[ex-250]

You completely missed the point of my post. Read it again, then tell me what a beginner SHOULD do if he/she wants to learn a Green Day song.

but what difference does it make? how does it effect you or me or anybody but the kid playing the song? its not hurting anybody, so why bother worrying about it? so what, some kid isnt gonna grow up to be a virtuoso. do you really wanna put the future of music in the hands of kids who like green day anyhow?

[ratherdashing]

but what difference does it make? how does it effect you or me or anybody but the kid playing the song? its not hurting anybody, so why bother worrying about it? so what, some kid isnt gonna grow up to be a virtuoso. do you really wanna put the future of music in the hands of kids who like green day anyhow?

I was asked for my opinion and I gave it.

[Great_Kazoo]

Great discussion on this topic, guys! I find ratherdashing's first post to very
interesting--and one I agree with, for the most part. But I think there's a
place for tablature in the guitar world-for example, guitarists who want to
learn their favorite song for fun or even top 40/cover bands who need
shortcuts in figuring out tricky parts. It really depends on what you're doing
with the music you create.

I used tab when I first started playing bass...stayed up all night figuring out
how to play a 12 bar blues! It definitely would have been less fun if I didn't
rely on it.

The importance of reading music was something I've been dwelling on, as
I've just returned from working at a 17 day classical music festival in
Hawaii. These young people that were participating (average age was
around 20) were completely dedicated to their music, and most have
been playing at least 8 years or so. It was inspiring to be in that kind of
environment, as it's completely different from other music programs I've
been involved in (i.e. non-classical) and definitely less "neanderthal."

Even though I can read music, I can't do it fast enough for it to not be
frustrating. I usually end up making my own tabs from the sheet music so
that I only have to undergo the music reading process once (unless I make
changes for more efficient positioning, etc.).

[Baltar]

interesting discussion ...

- copyrights ...

i agree, copyrights are great. if my band would have own material some
day pressed on cd, i would hate if somebody else would just copy it.
so for me it's ok to pay for sheet music - but it's definately something
which is missing !

- tabs and correctness ...

agree, there's a lot of s*** our there. a lot of tab archives just copy
the s*** over and no one does verify it.


- skill ...

i just founded a band with a friend 2-3 months ago - quite lucky;
we're already 4: ... 2 guitars, bass, drums
... so we are a very young band and own material is rare (but becomeing
more slowly).
if we just want to jam a little, it would be great to go get some sheet
music, start on the original and jam with it ... we mostly tear up some songs,
just for fun and expirience. (we spend 2x5-7 hours a week for the band
and can't fill 4 1/2 hours playing time with _own_ material so far -
is it something we should feel ashamed of ??)

so it's a matter of time, not of skill ... we want to play songs and experiment
around with them - i don't wanna tease my tapedeck all evening
(time is limited, .. i'm 29 .. family, 45hrs job, time to build/mod my gear )
i'm sure in 2 or 3 years, we will not cover anymore, but for some stage
of learning (as a team) it is really a benefit to have some sheet music to
start with ...

[suislidE03]

www.powertabs.net

Need to register to get access, but they are very accurate. Do whatever you want, dont listen to these bozos You only learn through experience anyway.

[Baltar]

www.powertabs.net

Need to register to get access, but they are very accurate. Do whatever you want, dont listen to these bozos You only learn through experience anyway.

great thanks!
i already forgot this one

[Lu_B]

It's like giving a kid a pound of broccoli and a Snickers bar.

But a diet of brocolli is very boring even for us grown ups!

[MikeS]

I personally think tabs are a PITA to read, although for those whose ability to read a staff is lacking, tabs are a great way to continue playing. That’s not to say they should be used as a crutch, per se, but they can be rather helpful in a pinch. When you think about it tabs are no more than an extension of sheet music in numeric and almost a pictorial representation of the notes.

I also understand that the ability to pick music up by ear is a great tool to possess, but let’s face it, nearly all professional musicians (I’m going beyond guitar players here) use sheet music to learn and for reference. What’s the difference if the music is accompanied by a few numbers? I’ll admit that I cannot read proficiently off a staff to read and play concurrently. I can, however, usually pick something up by ear and when I occasionally get stuck I don’t think so highly of myself that I disallow myself to refer to written notation, which, for 90% of guitar music, is offered with tablature written below a musical staff.

In the end, I think if you actually care that little Johnny is using a guitar tab when he should be reading notation or learning by ear then you need to get a life. If removing tabs discourages anyone from playing guitar then I think that’s a bad thing.

[Dirt123]

I've been playing a long, long time. In high school, we would either listen to the record & try to figure out a song or part, or buy the sheet music, which was usually a bad deal, See, the sheet music was usually a piano arrangement, and only helpful if we couldn't understand the lyrics, or couldn't figure out a chord. Tab was non-existent.

I use tab occasionally when I want to learn a song or solo exactly the way it was recorded, & I can't figure it out for myself. Learning "Eruption" was a major feat in the old days.

I think musicians should use whatever tools they can to become better musicians. Learn to read music, use tab, talk to other musicians, & jam. Doing only one of these things will not make you great. Some of the worst musicians read music exceptionally well, but don’t know how to play with others.

[Tom M]

I think one thing some of you are forgetting is the overwhelming majority of guitar owners and players are not represented on this forum. Here resides a group of guitarists who are dedicated to the progression of their playing. The high school kid playing guitar to impress girls and play the talent show is not here. With the departure of foamy, the songwriter type isn't really represented here anymore. Tabs are a great help to anyone who doesn't want to take the instrument too seriously. Sure, they'll be more limited, and less likely to shred their ass off. But to millions of guitarists who don't post here, that's not important.

I think it sucks that tabs are disappearing. The only site I know of still operating is www.ultimate-guitar.com .

[LesStrat]

*gasp*

big_black, I am in COMPLETE agreement with you on this issue.

I have MANY thoughts on rd's posts, but it wouldn't be polite to share them. Tabs are a TOOL. How the tool is used is up to the user. I will add, however, that if the use of tabulature is "cheating," then

SO IS THE USE OF SHEET MUSIC.


There are many adjectives running through my mind at the moment to go along with the "elitist" comment made earlier. But I think I'll them instead of sharing.

[RiffRaff]

If you're content with simply parroting what you hear on the radio, then by all means, keep that guitar and download as many tabs as you want.

Great players don't try to emulate anyone - they try to find their own voice through their instrument.

I go forward unabashed knowing I have your full support.....

[ratherdashing]

I guess I'm the least popular person on the forum now. Sigh.

I am constantly amazed at how guitarists in general hold themselves to a much, much lower standard than other musicians. Quite honestly, it's a bit embarassing. I have met many classical musicians through friends and other music projects, and as soon as I tell them I'm a guitarist, the look on their face says it all. I may as well have said "Derrrrr uhhhhh me make noises!" and drooled a little.

I take music very seriously. That doesn't mean it's not fun - it's the most fun thing I do. I love it. I live for it. So when other serious musicians look down their nose at me because of the reputation of my guitarist peers as a whole, that makes me kind of angry. I've been a classical musician, and I've been a jazz musician, and having lived in those worlds I honestly agree with their assessment. It's sad, because I love guitar so much.

Now you know why topics like this get me fired up. The thing is, ever since I took up guitar and stopped playing in classical or jazz settings, I've let my sheet reading and theory skills slip. It's like I'm being pulled into the quagmire of mediocrity associated with electric guitar, and it's really bugging me. Perhaps my rant is a reflection of this, but I hope it also serves as a warning. If everyone's going to hate me, I hope at least some good can come of it.

PS: If foamy were still here, he would be backing me up 100%. Take that for what it's worth.

[big_black]

I am constantly amazed at how guitarists in general hold themselves to a much, much lower standard than other musicians. Quite honestly, it's a bit embarassing. I have met many classical musicians through friends and other music projects, and as soon as I tell them I'm a guitarist, the look on their face says it all. I may as well have said "Derrrrr uhhhhh me make noises!" and drooled a little.

That is what we call elitist bull****.

Like LS pointed out, tab is a tool...how that tool is used depends on the user. It definitely has its place in the guitar world.

Hopefully I'm not coming off as a complete jag-off here, but I think I feel as strongly about its place as you do against it. That being said, it should be used as a springboard to further and enhance learning.

[JeffB]

That is what we call elitist bull****.

Like LS pointed out, tab is a tool...how that tool is used depends on the user. It definitely has its place in the guitar world.

Hopefully I'm not coming off as a complete jag-off here, but I think I feel as strongly about its place as you do against it. That being said, it should be used as a springboard to further and enhance learning.

+10K

I've learned by ear...I've learned by tabs. I never got past 3 lessons...Playing mary had a Little Lamb quite frankly sucks as a way to learn to read music. Especially as a youngster. I'd love to learn. Guess what? I play for fun. I have a son. I work a full time job, and a bazillion other responsibilites. I don't have time nor the $ to pay for lessons and to learn to do things "properly" (i.e. by learning how to read).

You'd be hard pressed to look through the gazillions of influential electric guitar players and come up with a 1/3 of which know how to read music.

Tab is a great tool to help one learn how to play and figure things out by ear..period. It is no less valid than any other method.

[stonabus]

With the departure of foamy, the songwriter type isn't really represented here anymore.

wow, thats a pretty bold statement.

[Skarekrough]

That is what we call elitist bull****.

Call it what you want....a MENSA meeting never had to be cancelled due to low attendance becuase there was a NAMM show or Guitar Center was doing "Guitarmageddon" that night.

Guitar has been greatly dumbed down to appeal to the masses. Things like tabs allow players to pick up an instrument and in terms and symbols they already know get playing.

Unfortunately no one wants to seem to acknowledge the limiting power that this sort of thing can have on a player if they never advance past it or have no incentive to do so.

Playing music can be a life skill. It can be something that you do for the rest of your life, not as a job neccesarily but as a hobby. If I have to fault the modern educational system and how they use music within it it's that I don't think they spend enough time letting kids learn how to improvise or putting together situations that might apply outside of the regimented band situation. They spend 8 years learning trumpet and sight-reading ata great clip only to leave it in the closet for college and the rest of their lives when they could of gone and played jazz and done open-mics or whatever.

Am I an elitist? Sure. But it's because I EXPECT more out of those that call themselves musicians and those that I associate with that refer to themselves as that than your standard-issue drooling 'tard roaming around Guitar Center on a Saturday morning oblivious to the fact that if they used two of the three active brain cells they have left from huffing shaving cream they could be making art instead of noise.

Funny how I got called the same things in the jazz thread when I advocated that players always work to expand their skills by listening to new music and challenging themselves to play in different situations rather than musically flog the same dead horse over and over again.

[stonabus]

Am I an elitist? Sure. But it's because I EXPECT more out of those that call themselves musicians and those that I associate with that refer to themselves as that than your standard-issue drooling 'tard roaming around Guitar Center on a Saturday morning oblivious to the fact that if they used two of the three active brain cells they have left from huffing shaving cream they could be making art instead of noise.

good one