Tab or Standard Notation? Which is better?

[CatInTheHat]

I play other instruments besides the guitar (clarinet, piano, viola) and I can read standard notation pretty damn well. And I've learned to apply it to the guitar, but I can't read tab very well at all. I'm really more comfortable with standard notation. Will this hold me back at all? I'm a beginner, and I've learned simple songs like 'Killing me Softly', 'Yesterday', and 'Amazing Grace' using standard notation, and attempted to learn some things using tab, but I'm quicker with the former. I can read tab, I get the concept, but is it worthwhile to delve any deeper into it? Also, could I play any sheet music on guitar/is guitar a 'C' instrument?

[suppaenitetere]

I would suggest learning tab because it wont take you more than a day or two to figure it out. There are benefits to both standard and tab. Tab is nice in that it tells you finger positions/location on the neck where the song is played. It can make a big difference if you're playing on the wound strings or plain strings as to how it sounds, even if you're in the same octave playing the same notes.
Im not sure what you mean by a C instrument... do you mean like on a harmonica you have to have different harps for different keys or something else? You can play in any key you like on a guitar because all the notes are available.

[fizz]

The fact that you know standard notation anyway will be a fantastic advantage to you. You will be able to buy guitar books and understand whats happening much easier because you can apply the theory etc.

Learn tab as well like suppa said, its not very hard, and if you dont get it, dont worry, its not the end of the world. Id happily swap my tab reading skills for standard notation :)

[Josh Redstone]

If you read as well as you say you do, to hell with tab. You dont need it.
If you read well enough, you can get a song down just as fast or even faster than with tab.

[ilovewasabi]

i would recommend standard notation because tabs tell you which finger to go which some may be uncomfortable to some people. with standard notation, you can do your own style while making the same sounds.

[Josh Redstone]

And if you dig classical guitar they still give you the postion and chord types in the music, but they do it without tab, another reasond we can do without tab.

[Andrew]

Yeah, learn tab, it's easy. The guitar is a C instrument, so you will have no trouble with standard notation, but tab will show you where to play the notes as well.

[eische]

hey CatInTheHat don't worry, I can't read tab and I know a bunch of other players who can't as well...

...music in general is notated in standard notation all over the world. Tab is just a special thingy for guitarists, that is nice to know about, but not neccessary, definitely not...

[The Fury]

I've just learnt to read music (can't sight read yet), but I still use tab. It's got it's place and it wont hurt to learn a new skill.

[Josh Redstone]

Back when I was taking guitar lessons, I learned that tab was developed specifically as an aid to show you what position notes are to be played in. Thats why timing isn't given. Its not meant for sight reading an entire song in, its to be used with standard notation to help you.
Thats why I dont like it when a guitarist can only read tab, its almost as if they only learned half of what you need to be a good sight reader.

[The Fury]

Yeah, I like to use them both. When I get some sheet music, I'll write some tab for it. I think tab helps me to remember the song better, don't know why.

[Josh Redstone]

Maybe cause you started with tab. (You did, right?)
Anyway, I started with standard notation and I find it a bit easyer. Some day I'd like to be one of those huge sight readers, like Steve Vai or Beethoven or something.

[The Fury]

Yeah, tab was all I used for years. I'm making amends now though.

[TheLurker]

i have pretty much the same question as you. I have been playin sax for 3 years now and can sight read and improve very well.

I have just started guitar and i found it much easier to play by standard notation then tab. I find it faster and more enjoyable, i can read tab and sometimes do but i find my self thinking about what im playin for very long periods with tab.

Overall i prefer standard notation cause thats what i was raised with.

[55'gibby]

I would say if you had to pick just one (you don't have to) I would say learn standard notation, it's much more complete. tab has it uses but standard is what I prefer, I write in standard, I think in standard, I play from standard. where tab comes in is when your working with a guitarist who can't read standard, or your looking for a fingering. the problem with tab is that most of it is wrong, unless you buy "official" tab, then even some of that is wrong.