Why do tab writers think i can only play 2 strings at a time???

[collicsws6z28]

I don't like playing a high E on the D string -- it sounds a lot better on the A string.

Imo of course. There you go.

I agree

 

[dlloyd]

Then you know as well as any that there are alternate fingerings for a bunch of notes... Don't do things the way someone else interprets it, do it how it works for you.

That's a good way to approach it, but it's always a good idea to try and work out how the original artist played it, and why.

Youtube is great...



Note, the bassist is playing something like...

G -----------|--------------|
D -----------|--------------| 
A -----------|-7-557-7--5-5-|
E --3-3--8-8-|--------------|
    1 2  + 4   1 +e2 +  + 4

...rather than sticking to the E.

For what it's worth (and this is directed to the OP), in my opinion economy of movement is way over-rated, certainly with regards to rock music. Sometimes that's not obvious until playing in a band, when you become more conscious of how subtly different ways of approaching the same few notes can drastically affect the overall vibe of the song.

Sure, there's less effort in playing the C on the third fret of the A string, but it sounds feeble compared with sliding up to the eighth fret on the E string.