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tabs
- Thread starter majorasskicker
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The only way?? Firstly, tabs don't help you learn songs, they help you copy them. Secondly, this is a little pessimistic right off the bat to say tabz are the only way you can learn songs. Just because you're a beginner doesn't mean you are unable to figure a song out on your own. Read up on some of the ear training threads here at talkbass (I have seen a few lately, try doing a search).
Didn't know I was a man.
Cheers,
Stephanie
Epiphany Tabevil
Ok. I'm not a Tab Nazi so here's my opinion. I was like that for a while, where I used tabs to play stuff. See, I didn't have many books or a teacher, so I'd get tabs, at first. After I got used to the bass a little, and could play some stuff. I would get out my dad's old Cd's of all kinds of oldies music and sit there with my bass listening to it and figuring it out. I'd write it down in tab and then I'd play it later. Then, usually (at first, not anymore) I'd go on the internet, look them up and see how they compared. That's how I learned how to figure songs out on my own, but seriously, regular music is so better. It's hard to learn how to read, but once you've basically got it, you're doing good, and the Tab Nazis aren't on you either 
. Well, just listen to the songs, and play a few seconds repeatedly and sing them to yourself and just figure it out. Good luck,
Oddman
. Well, just listen to the songs, and play a few seconds repeatedly and sing them to yourself and just figure it out. Good luck,Oddman
Originally posted by stephanie
Didn't know I was a man.
Cheers,
Stephanie
Epiphany Tabevil
CACOPHONY,
I never thought for even a moment that you were. I meant "ThOsE tAbEvIl GuYs" only in the local sense - you had not yet spoken in the thread. Now that you have, I can only say:
KeEp Up ThE gOoD wOrK!!!
Yours,
TILT-A-DURRL
Well.....ummmm...uhhhhh....I think maybe I do get some benefit from Tabs off the web. I recently got U2's Greatest Hits and found most of the songs on the Tab site. I printed them out and looked at them while I listened to the record. The U2 bass lines are pretty simple, so I started playing them from the tabs, but just for a little bit....like one day.
Then I fired up Allegro Notepad which is a free notation program I downloaded. I used Notepad to make charts of the songs. It is a good learning excercise to figure the note and rest values and enter them into the program. My teacher is a big band leader and I know he wants to see all charts as condensed as possible, so I usually have to revise a chart several times before I show it to him.
I then play along to the record following the chart many times. Because the music moves me, I'm max motivated to practice and end up spending several hours a day on this because I want to. Because it feels good to play along with the records I love. After playing the song a bunch of times, I may start to make some changes to what was in the Tab I started with. At a lesson, I'll usually ask the teachers opinion on whether he thinks my changes are an improvement or not. All of these changes or corrections are made using standard notation. So this is what I do....OK? And guess what? From doing this, I became one heck of a sight reading mofo.
Then I fired up Allegro Notepad which is a free notation program I downloaded. I used Notepad to make charts of the songs. It is a good learning excercise to figure the note and rest values and enter them into the program. My teacher is a big band leader and I know he wants to see all charts as condensed as possible, so I usually have to revise a chart several times before I show it to him.
I then play along to the record following the chart many times. Because the music moves me, I'm max motivated to practice and end up spending several hours a day on this because I want to. Because it feels good to play along with the records I love. After playing the song a bunch of times, I may start to make some changes to what was in the Tab I started with. At a lesson, I'll usually ask the teachers opinion on whether he thinks my changes are an improvement or not. All of these changes or corrections are made using standard notation. So this is what I do....OK? And guess what? From doing this, I became one heck of a sight reading mofo.
Ok. Are you ending up with chord charts or notation? Anyway, if you keep it up, and add your ear training and theory, soon the taBz will just become an extra step that wastes your time. You will bypass tAbZ and transcribe directly from the recording.
MarjoryKnickers,
If you need TabZ to help you get started, what the hay, use um. Just move on as soon as possible cause in the end they really don't do much but give you half baked bread, and the recipe is almost always wrong so it ends up tasting like *^#* and you have to throw it away.
Yours Truly,
Beeswax
Actually, learning how to read music isn't all that hard. I got the basics figured out within a few hours. Memorize the fretboard, so you know that E-8 is a C, A-4 is a C#/Db and so on. Then write it out on paper, the whole fretboard. This will help you learn where the notes are. Then play every note on the fretboard and naming the notes out loud.
After you have done that, memorize what notes are represented on the bar. Once you can put it all together, you have learned the basics of sight reading. I did this tonight, all in a measley 4 hours.
Go www.libster.com and read all the lessons they have there. Excellent information.
After you have done that, memorize what notes are represented on the bar. Once you can put it all together, you have learned the basics of sight reading. I did this tonight, all in a measley 4 hours.
Go www.libster.com and read all the lessons they have there. Excellent information.
I agree. I have SlowBlast, and it is great for figuring out fast parts. I wish I had it way back when I was trying to learn all those John Paul Jones and Jack Bruce parts in the 70s.
Majorasskicker is new to playing bass!
So rather than just politely suggest that he should maybe learn standard notation and learn the song properly that way, all but one of you Go off on a major P*ss take session. (Takes hat off to Oddman545)
Wow what a nice way to be greeted by a community of peers
Guys (and the one Gal) yeah you don't like TAB but for pity's sake GROW UP!!!!! If someone comes to the forum with a request like this, offer constructive advice Not Criticism and sarcasm, I thought music was more about sharing Ideas, Ideals, and moments, so what if that Idea was communicated by TAB Standard Notation, or someone showing the guy how to play it.
MajorAssKicker -
When I started playing I had two options when it came to learning stuff, By Ear or by Tab.That is not to say I don't think it would be worth your while learning standard notation, because in the long run it would be. if you can't find what you want right awaytry to do it by ear or get the sheet music and a musical theory book and learn the notes and teach yourself the song while learning to read the sheet music
And welcome to Talkbass.
So rather than just politely suggest that he should maybe learn standard notation and learn the song properly that way, all but one of you Go off on a major P*ss take session. (Takes hat off to Oddman545)
Wow what a nice way to be greeted by a community of peers
Guys (and the one Gal) yeah you don't like TAB but for pity's sake GROW UP!!!!! If someone comes to the forum with a request like this, offer constructive advice Not Criticism and sarcasm, I thought music was more about sharing Ideas, Ideals, and moments, so what if that Idea was communicated by TAB Standard Notation, or someone showing the guy how to play it.
MajorAssKicker -
When I started playing I had two options when it came to learning stuff, By Ear or by Tab.That is not to say I don't think it would be worth your while learning standard notation, because in the long run it would be. if you can't find what you want right awaytry to do it by ear or get the sheet music and a musical theory book and learn the notes and teach yourself the song while learning to read the sheet music
And welcome to Talkbass.
I think you have missed the point big-time here - OK we don't like Tabs and it's all getting a bit boring. But there was no request for help here - no question other than :
"I have not been playing long and tabs are the only way I can learn songs. Does this outrage anyone else?"
So how are you supposed to answer that??!!
I mean we are supposed to be "outraged" at what? I can't honestly see how any "mature" member of the forum could possibly take this post seriously?
So as JT said - the only way I can see this is that the poster is saying that he/she expects that everything in life should be done for them - so you shouldn't expect to have to work at anything - it should all be there "on a plate" !
We're expected to agree with this!
I Do see your point, and to an extent I share your view. But If you look at it from this guys point of view, He posts a question to a community he hopes will be able to help, and all he ends up suffering is a load of sarcastic abuse!!!
If you don't like the query and you can't offer anything but sarcasm - which is more likely going to put them off playing any instrument EVER!!! - I think it would be best if you said nothing at all, I may be the odd one out here, but when I started playing everyone around me encouraged me and offered help whether it was to tab stuff out for me, or help me interpret Standard Notation.
You guys just carry on like some elitist Fascist organisation! anyone who accepts alternatives and can meet their needs with them must be inferior or not have something equally important to say.
Equality, for all I say whether you use TAB Standard Notation or just play by ear. By all means express your opinion. But don't do it in such a way that you make people feel ostracised.
making music is about enjoying yourself I don't think any of you would be here if you didn't enjoy it. So if someone can get all of the enjoyment out of their instrument that they would like from Tab or whatever, who are you to go P*ss on them just because you read Standard Notation!!!.
Once again I find myself standing here defending peoples right to choose how they go about getting what they want from their instrument
Rant over - let the flame begin!
If you don't like the query and you can't offer anything but sarcasm - which is more likely going to put them off playing any instrument EVER!!! - I think it would be best if you said nothing at all, I may be the odd one out here, but when I started playing everyone around me encouraged me and offered help whether it was to tab stuff out for me, or help me interpret Standard Notation.
You guys just carry on like some elitist Fascist organisation! anyone who accepts alternatives and can meet their needs with them must be inferior or not have something equally important to say.
Equality, for all I say whether you use TAB Standard Notation or just play by ear. By all means express your opinion. But don't do it in such a way that you make people feel ostracised.
making music is about enjoying yourself I don't think any of you would be here if you didn't enjoy it. So if someone can get all of the enjoyment out of their instrument that they would like from Tab or whatever, who are you to go P*ss on them just because you read Standard Notation!!!.
Once again I find myself standing here defending peoples right to choose how they go about getting what they want from their instrument
Rant over - let the flame begin!
I think you have still missed my point - he didn't ask a question or look for help. He asked us to be "outraged" by the fact that people nowadays aren't tabbing every song there is!
If he had said : "Could somebody help me find the tabs for "XXXXX" songs" then I can see your criticism being justified - but he didn't!
How many times do I have to quote this - he actually said :
"Does this outrage anyone else?" "
So the "answers" in this case make perfect sense!
But anyway - how can you take somebody seriously who calls himself "majorasskicker" ?
Originally posted by Chris Fitzgerald
Geez, you guys, give the poor kid a break....if you had been raised in the InStAnT gRaTiFiCaTiOn generation, you'd be asking the same questions. You guys are just a bunch of big ol' meanies.
COLONELDONKEYSTOMP,
Here, I'll help you out on "My Woman From Tokyo" - You just find the low G on your bass (4th string, 3rd fret), and squat on it like this:
DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN-DUN....
for about five minutes. See? It's not so hard. And don't pay any attention to those TaBeViL guys, they're just a bunch of grumpy old men who like 2 pick on people 4 no reason because they're mean.
I don't know about you but this sounds very much like a P*ss take and the epitome of the attitude I raging against!!!!
Sorry
Nope, this is the sort of thing that actually makes TB worth visiting - this alone is worth the "entrance money" !
We need more humour - not less!
We need more humour - not less!
Humour, yes I agree.
P*ss taking and sarcasm, I think I can live without.
We all say things that aren't expressed in the best way, a lot of us even do it in print! but ridicule based on that amounts to nothing more than Tabloid level Bullying, which I can't really see the value or the entertainment in!
P*ss taking and sarcasm, I think I can live without.
We all say things that aren't expressed in the best way, a lot of us even do it in print! but ridicule based on that amounts to nothing more than Tabloid level Bullying, which I can't really see the value or the entertainment in!
Well I think in this case the "person" (Troll?) got exactly what they deserved - it was a stupid post with no possible response other than to make humerous comments - I don't believe they wanted to be taken seriously anyway - but rather were just "poking a hornet's nest with a stick" !
I applaud all attempts at humour and I would far rather read 5,000 of Chris Fitzgerald's posts, over one more by "majorasskicker"!
I applaud all attempts at humour and I would far rather read 5,000 of Chris Fitzgerald's posts, over one more by "majorasskicker"!
Well you would rather read 5000 of a post written by one of the "Notation Only" Fascist Elite. What next you gonna be peddling anti-Semitism on this forum as well? Or what about Racism generally!!
Like I said before If your just gonna Take the P*ss and give sarcasm, to someone who is new to the instrument (which will put some people off), then I recommend you don't bother answering at all!!
The Best answer you can give is get the Moderator to post a link to a thread that has covered the subject and then close it, If it is really that tedious for you to try to help!!
Like I said before If your just gonna Take the P*ss and give sarcasm, to someone who is new to the instrument (which will put some people off), then I recommend you don't bother answering at all!!
The Best answer you can give is get the Moderator to post a link to a thread that has covered the subject and then close it, If it is really that tedious for you to try to help!!
Well I find the last remarks about anti-semitism etc., extremely offensive and not at all justified by anything I have said - to me this kind of personal attack is what is really bad about TalkBass - not the humour!
I agree with Bruce, the poster asked for it. Being against tabs doesn't make us Facists or Racists, that is just ridiculous, and doesn't even deserve a response.
I have started trying a new method with the posters who are looking for tabs. I give them a little information to get them started figuring it out themselves by ear (key, the first chord and what the bass plays during it, etc), hoping that it will encourage them to give it a try. I think with most people the hard part is getting started. It seems so hard that it can be intimidating, so they don't even try. If I can get them started, maybe they will see that they can do it, and then they won't be dependent on tabs anymore. Yea, I know its a pipe dream, but I gotta try.
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