Tabs vs Chords YouTube Videos

[J Wilson]

To me, tabs waste a lot of time you could have spent learning real notation that's universal, the standard for professional musicians and students. I think guys think it's faster than learning proper notation, or proper is too hard, but it's just a waste of time, period.

 

[Soonlobo]

Recording yourself is a valuable tool in continued skill development.

And when you start playing with others, record that too. I ran a recorder on probably 50 dates last year with my main band just to clean up what I was doing for that band.

Even at local blues jams, I listen to people's phone-recordings after the fact. I stopped in on this jam on my way home from an afternoon gig a few days ago and snagged someone's recording of one of our tunes off Facebook where I was tagged.

On first listen, it's a simple blues rhumba. However, I could've done a much better job simplifying & hanging with the rhythm guitar's accents during the vocal verses. Next time he and I play this one, I'll do a better job.

Very cool!
I liked that quite a bit! Also good to see two guys about my age playing with a couple of guys in their 30’s.

 

[mambo4]

Your post also brings me to this question: I find writing out the notes in pencil beforehand works much better for me when reading music while playing. Some music books have small notation, and my nearly 60 year old eyes have seen better days. So I have done this on some songs and for whatever reason I play better. It takes prep work, and I know it’s not ideal, but is this something worth continuing?

By "writing out the notes" do you mean scribbling "A" , "F" "Bb" etc , under the staff?
I think It can be helpful for initial learning but you want to get quickly to seeing thee dot on the staff and knowing what pitch it represents.

I have written out scale degrees as 1, 3, 5 ETC beneath notation, for analysis. My Standing in the Shadows of Motown book was peppered with those.

But the general approach of writing it out yourself Is always a valuable exercise. I have often been handed a chart and disliked something about it, and ended up creating my own charts , working way though the material with bass in hand. I'd look at the chart I was given , play along, then turn to my own chart and write out what I just did, checking against the original for accuracy. As Anthony Wellington says, learn to read by writing.

 

[Soonlobo]

By "writing out the notes" do you mean scribbling "A" , "F" "Bb" etc , under the staff?
I think It can be helpful for initial learning but you want to get quickly to seeing thee dot on the staff and knowing what pitch it represents.

I have written out scale degrees as 1, 3, 5 ETC beneath notation, for analysis. My Standing in the Shadows of Motown book was peppered with those.

But the general approach of writing it out yourself Is always a valuable exercise. I have often been handed a chart and disliked something about it, and ended up creating my own charts , working way though the material with bass in hand. I'd look at the chart I was given , play along, then turn to my own chart and write out what I just did, checking against the original for accuracy. As Anthony Wellington says, learn to read by writing.

Yes, writing it out.

But of course after I wrote that I went into one of my song books, and wrote out the notes to “Fly Me To The Moon.” Played it looking at the written notes and from the notation and lo and behold I played the notation better

 

[Pocket Dave]

Very cool!
I liked that quite a bit! Also good to see two guys about my age playing with a couple of guys in their 30’s.

Thanks - It's actually three old guys and one late 30's/early 40's guy (sax player).

Though we sometimes play with and help the youngbloods along.

Some of 'em may even take us to school, but let's keep that just between the two of us.

 

[Soonlobo]

So I’ve thought of another question along these lines.

What is the best app online that has modern song music notation? I would like to get out of the tabs and into more real notation.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

So I’ve thought of another question along these lines.

What is the best app online that has modern song music notation? I would like to get out of the tabs and into more real notation.

"Best" is probably Finale, but it's $300.

 

[Soonlobo]

"Best" is probably Finale, but it's $300.

Anything just a little less in cost?

I am a government retiree, I don’t get paid until July 1st

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Anything just a little less in cost?

I am a government retiree, I don’t get paid until July 1st

Never used it, but MuseScore looks good, it's free and well supported:

 

[OllieVT]

I haven't explored much, but I like MuseScore. I've transcribed some tabs from Songsterr into regular notation for myself using it.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

Those are excellent questions!

Eventually I’d like to play along with others, maybe even in a band. So for now I keep playing, keep getting better.

I do belong to a couple of Facebook groups that host people looking for bands or people to play along with, but nothing has shown up yet.

Ultimate Guitar recently updated their payment plan so I can’t say if it’s worth it anymore, but there are apps like it that allow you to “play” along with tabs and includes digitized music to help you hear the song. There are free options on YouTube, but they might not have the songs you’re looking for. To be fair UG might not either, but they’ve had everything I’ve ever had interest in learning.

 

[mambo4]

"Best" is probably Finale, but it's $300.

finale notepad is free
Doesn't do everything a composer may need but it certainly does enough for learnin'

you can notate parts and play them back on cheesy default MIDI instruments
good for checking your work

 

[dbsfgyd1]

For 90% of rock, country, folk, blues, etc. just knowing the major and minor scales and the major and minor pentatonic scales gives you all you need to start picking up bass parts by ear. Since the pentatonics just leave out two notes (for 5 notes in the scale rather than 7…the 4th and 7th are left out) it’s not very hard to learn those four scales. The only other thing is understanding about the use of chromatic passing tones (the notes NOT in the given scale).

I’m sure someone will come in here talking about the modes, mixolydian (a major mode) and dorian (a minor mode) have been all I’ve ever needed to use because I do not play jazz, prog rock, classical or non-western music built on modes.

Reading standard notation is important because when you're learning on your own from books, that’s what you find in books teaching music, not tab. Music is music regardless of what instrument you play. Bass tab isn't going to help you learn songs on the saxophone

Good post and I certainly agree with it. One thing about learning how to read standard notation is it make you more commercially viable for a gig.

 

[mambo4]

The idea that musical literacy is only good for replicating what is on the page falls far short of the reality, in my experience. For me, tackling notation was a forcing function that crystalized my understanding of all the ingredients of music like nothing else I have pursued.

 

[brianrost]

For me, tackling notation was a forcing function that crystalized my understanding of all the ingredients of music like nothing else I have pursued.

That is true for many people. Call it a fringe benefit!

 

[SteveCS]

The idea that musical literacy is only good for replicating what is on the page falls far short of the reality, in my experience.
...

100%. The notation, however detailed, is not yet music. Just like the notes in our heads, it all depends on musicianship and technical competence to become actual audible music.

 

[Pacman]

I use MuseScore quite regularly. It's everything I could want, writing charts, detailed transcriptions, and lessons

 

[Whousedtoplay]

I have no complaints about Guitar Pro 8 at $69.95.