Tableture...WTF is all that scribbling HELP

[Fret420]

Ok ive been playing about 3 months went and bought me a nice fender and a peavey amp. nice enough for me...i got all my majors minors and most sevenths....and im not bad at all for a beginner...i learn really fast in most cases learned last kiss in 5 min from listening....and stairway to heaven in 15...so on ect. only thing about guitar i cant understand....is that damn tablature...its one of the very few ways to learn to play a specific song...form the net when you dont have anyone to teach ya....are there in little tricks to understanding it?? anything at all would help....i never thought id learn guitar and i did...now i think ill never learn tab....and i still dont think i will!...any got some advice?


Fret420

**gurls play 2**

[eische]

hehehehe, I have problems with tabs as well (I always play from standard notation), but the pattern is quite easy - in theory:

The lines mark the strings (normally the most upward line indicates the high-e-string) and the numbers on it mark the fret that should be gripped. Ther could be some crosses on the lines, which means a string has to be muted.

well, that's the theory, I guess, and the rest is practise (I always got made with looking out for those tiny numbers, so I don't put so much effort in learning it really - go for standard notation!!!!)

hope it helps

[cyberfret]

Here is that standard notation vs. tablature argument again :) And I respectful disagree with eische's advice to steer clear of tablature. I have been playing for 25 years, and have a degree in music....so I can tell you that understanding how to read standard notation is important. But failing to see the *extreme* importance of tablature is a mistake. It is not an either or decision to make, you should be able to read both. But if you are play rock.....then you need to know how to read tablature. It would take you years to develop the standard notation reading ability that would be required to play a lot of rock songs.....like Stairway To Heaven for instance. You can't just play the song reading the notes in the first position, it is all over the neck. So that advanced ability of reading all over the neck takes time......and you should spend some time in studying how to do it. But you (Fret420) have only been playing for 3 months, and would like to start playing some songs that you like.....now.

So that is where tablature is a very, very important system of notation. It really is a very simple system. There are some symbols that you will need to learn, but the concept of every line being a string, and the number telling you what fret to play is easy. In contradiction, if you saw an E note in the top space of the staff in standard notation, you could play it on the first string open...2nd string 5th fret.....3rd string 9th fret....4th string 14th fret.... But with tablature, it will tell you exactly were to play that note by a number placed on a line that represents a string. So someone who has been playing a short period of time could play a song like Stairway....not wait for years until their reading ability is strong enough.

And last, tablature is the form that most songs, and lessons are written on the Internet. So you would be missing out on a wealth of information if you do not take the time to learn how to read it. I know I am not going convince eische of the importance of tablature :) We have had this discussion before :) But I hope all others that read this will neither limit themselves to just reading one system of notation vs. another. If you want to be a well rounded musician and guitar player, you need to know both. And especially you should not forsake tablature.

Here is a lesson on how to read Tablature found on the Internet.
http://www.cyberfret.com/reading/internet-tab/index.htm

If you going to "Reading" section of the site, you will also find a basic method on how to read standard notation.
http://www.cyberfret.com/reading/index.php

--Shawn

[smfulla]

I just have to say that that was very well said =]]]

[eische]

@ cyberfret: :eek: :D ;) , but haven't you read that I know what it is, just think the other more important. :p
(and just for your own little pleasure: I've met a lot of guitarists by now, that live pretty well without tabs and only with notation :))

Well I'm faaaaaar off telling people, not to learn tabs, ok. If was read like this, I'm sorry.
I didn't want to stop Fret420 from that (by the way, what reason would I have had to answer then):rolleyes:

[Fret420]

lol...thanks for replying, as well as eische, i know very good guitarist that dont read tabs either...but on the other hand as shawn put it, tabs form the net are such a conveinence..rather than going to find the sheet music for it 50 miles away in a music store....so ill do my best in learning it, i have a weird learning level tho...lol mosthings i learn and excell at then there are a fw i just cant understand what so freakn ever! hmm like algabraic fractions n stuff....never did understand it. lol ill try though...ill tell you that much. and if i ever learn it....i would give you guys a buncha hugs's n kisses :p thanks again...take it easy guys BTW if anyone wants to get more specific with the help my aim sn in

Happythoughts520

[55'gibby]

I'm gonna give you my situation (yep, here comes a parable). I read both standard and tab, the guy who plays lead in the band I'm in reads tab (poorly) and no standard notation at all, and, plays piano by ear (he's really VERY good at both). He writes in Nashville notation, and, taught it to me. Now what is the only method that we can have a written communication regarding music.... Yep tab. Now the Bassist reads only standard notation... you guessed it... the only way we can communicate is by standard notation. The bassist and lead player have no method of writing anything down that makes sense to both of them. So my advise to you is learn both. You'll thank me for it in the morning.

[Fret420]

Well i got it down....finally....took me long enough but i got the basics of tabs down know and can use it with conveinence...halleighlua....or how ever you spell it.....thanks guys...what i did is get a friend to draw it out and explain..ha..and it worked...just thought id let u guys know heh...
take it easy and keepa jammin everyone!

[Phil]

I'm starting to feel like the odd one ou here, hehe. I am having trouble with standard notation nd learned tab before i'd even goneto my first lesson. Guess different people find different things difficult :)

[SixStringMadman]

Stairway to Heaven in 15 minutes? Hmm, I would like to see that. Does that include the solo? :)


SixStringMadman