Why Is Tablature Bad?

[JTE]

It comes to this. Tab is good to show you where to put your fingers. But standard notation tells you pitch, rhythm, harmony, and context. As we play a stringed instrument there are multiple places to play a specific and tab deals with that nicely, assuming the tab is actually a good way to physically play the part for you. But it conveys no information regarding how this note relates to any other notes, nor does it allow you to see how your part fits with the other parts.

I liken it to the difference between reading a schematic (a REAL schematic) and looking at a wiring diagram. The diagram will give you a way to hook up wires, but it doesn't show how the circuit works. The schematic tells you what's happening. And I feel that knowing what's happening is very important. The only "bad" thing about tab (assuming it's accurate, but the accuracy of most tabs has nothing to do with its efficacy as a learning tool) is that it perpetuates the fallacy that playing an instrument is about putting your fingers in the right place rather than being about making music. The old Bach joke notwithstanding, music is what's important, not the instrument.

 

[dreamadream99]

I can't believe this question isn't resolved yet.
Pass out sheet music to a college orchestra, and they can play the piece the first time.
Now pass out tab to a college orchestra, and see what happens.

 

[russosborne]

It's probably true that if all you want to do is play guitar/bass in a rock band, tabs work fine. But if one ever wants to venture outside of that and play classical, jazz, or a number of other styles, or write music for anything besides fretted instruments, tabs are severely limiting.

I had to quote this part. All I want to do is play rock. I'm 56, and that isn't going to change.

I cannot play by ear. I can barely make out most bass other than thump thump. I am fairly tone deaf from the Navy and other things (some my own stupid fault) below 400 hz.

I used to (30 years ago) be connected with a band here in Phoenix, as a friend/volunteer roadie. Best friend was the singer/keyboardist. Anyway, when they wanted someone new for the band, they would hand that person a cassette tape and say learn these songs by Friday. Originals. No sheet music whatsoever. No chord charts. Nothing except the recorded music. Even at the point I couldn't learn by ear, so I knew I was destined to never be in a band unless it was a cover band that I could find tab or at least chord charts for.

Now, all I really want to do is play Iron Maiden (as someone else mentioned) (or other stuff) in MY house. While I can read music, I am a bit out of practice. Most of it was treble clef anyway. That and the lack of lots of sheet music for bass makes me quite fond of tabs.

I am still working on learning theory just because I want to. I do know some thanks to having had music classes in elementary school. But if all I had were tabs I'd be okay with that.
But I would never argue against someone who wants to learn all there is to learn. But sometimes I think people here need to remember not all of us are professional jazz or session players. Some of us just want to PLAY music, not necessarily be musicians.

Just my very humble opinion.

Oh, and the question of whether I should even be playing bass given the issues I talked about is a whole 'nuther argument. I actually can pick out some parts of guitar and keyboard in some songs, but not bass. Yet bass is where my heart is. sigh.

 

[5544]

Since I would rather spend my time learning to play the bass instead of reading music, I transcribed Hal Leonard Bass Method Book into Guitar Pro 6 (don't ask for a copy because I will not give you one). An added bonus is that I am able to play along at any tempo and still have the timing correct

From the Hal Leonard Bass Method Book 1, Ex. 51

 

[matt holt]

I had to quote this part. All I want to do is play rock. I'm 56, and that isn't going to change.

I cannot play by ear. I can barely make out most bass other than thump thump. I am fairly tone deaf from the Navy and other things (some my own stupid fault) below 400 hz.

I used to (30 years ago) be connected with a band here in Phoenix, as a friend/volunteer roadie. Best friend was the singer/keyboardist. Anyway, when they wanted someone new for the band, they would hand that person a cassette tape and say learn these songs by Friday. Originals. No sheet music whatsoever. No chord charts. Nothing except the recorded music. Even at the point I couldn't learn by ear, so I knew I was destined to never be in a band unless it was a cover band that I could find tab or at least chord charts for.

Now, all I really want to do is play Iron Maiden (as someone else mentioned) (or other stuff) in MY house. While I can read music, I am a bit out of practice. Most of it was treble clef anyway. That and the lack of lots of sheet music for bass makes me quite fond of tabs.

I am still working on learning theory just because I want to. I do know some thanks to having had music classes in elementary school. But if all I had were tabs I'd be okay with that.
But I would never argue against someone who wants to learn all there is to learn. But sometimes I think people here need to remember not all of us are professional jazz or session players. Some of us just want to PLAY music, not necessarily be musicians.

Just my very humble opinion.

Oh, and the question of whether I should even be playing bass given the issues I talked about is a whole 'nuther argument. I actually can pick out some parts of guitar and keyboard in some songs, but not bass. Yet bass is where my heart is. sigh.

I would say, for your situation, tabs are perfect. Rock that Iron Maiden, and thanks for your service to the country

 

[bassbully]

I always just want a chord chart and then put that to the songs recording.

 

[carl h.]

Since I would rather spend my time learning to play the bass instead of reading music, I transcribed Hal Leonard Bass Method Book into Guitar Pro 6 (don't ask for a copy because I will not give you one). An added bonus is that I am able to play along at any tempo and still have the timing correct

From the Hal Leonard Bass Method Book 1, Ex. 51

Did you notice your F# and Gb are on the same fret?

 

[carl h.]

For those who can't read music, this is what us readers feel like when surrounded by guys who can't read music.

The Expert (Short Comedy Sketch) - YouTube

 

[5544]

For those who can't read music, this is what us readers feel like when surrounded by guys who can't read music.

The Expert (Short Comedy Sketch) - YouTube

I'd rather know how to make music without being able to read it than how to read music without knowing how to make it.

Before you say I should be able to do both, I have limited time because I have a full time job, a family and other interests outside of locking myself in a room with no distractions during all of my free time.

 

[Febs]

I'd rather know how to make music without being able to read it than how to read music without knowing how to make it.

Before you say I should be able to do both, I have limited time because I have a full time job, a family and other interests outside of locking myself in a room with no distractions during all of my free time.

Yet you took the time to transcribe the Hal Leonard bass method into tab to avoid learning to read rather than simply working through it and actually learning to read it. Was that really a more productive use of your time?

 

[carl h.]

He's too busy blowing up his balloons in the shape of a kitten.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

Yet you took the time to transcribe the Hal Leonard bass method into tab to avoid learning to read rather than simply working through it and actually learning to read it. Was that really a more productive use of your time?

This was my thoughts.

I remember sharing a jam space with some cats who were above learning theory. In order to relay the structure of songs to each other they devised a system of time, breaking down the song into counting patterns. They did all of this as opposed to just learning standard notation and rhythm. While this did work for them that band has since broken up and the entire system and time put into learning it was a total waste. If they had learned how to notate time they would have not only been able to achieve their goal they would have learned a useful skill that would have been usable in any given band. At least they saved the time of learning rhythm notation though, amirite?

 

[lfmn16]

Yet you took the time to transcribe the Hal Leonard bass method into tab to avoid learning to read rather than simply working through it and actually learning to read it. Was that really a more productive use of your time?

+1

 

[Mushroo]

I have a friend who is a self-taught blues guitarist. The only instruction he ever had was an old hippie book on the topic. The author tells a lot of stories about trains, and invents his own system of notation where each note of the blues scale is indicated by a different color and shape. It looks like Lucky Charms cereal: notes are indicated with squares, circles, diamonds, stars, etc. and at no point does the book teach standard notation or TAB.

Needless to say, this friend has had a difficult time finding people to play with through the years. He has a great ear and feel, but if you ask him what note he played, he'll say "blue square."

Point being, it can be the "best system of notation ever invented" but if it doesn't allow you to communicate your ideas with other musicians...

 

[5544]

Yet you took the time to transcribe the Hal Leonard bass method into tab to avoid learning to read rather than simply working through it and actually learning to read it. Was that really a more productive use of your time?

This may be hard for people to understand but I actually learned more while taking the time to transcribe the book into tab instead of just learning how to sightread and play at the same time.

 

[RustyAxe]

I'd rather know how to make music without being able to read it than how to read music without knowing how to make it.

Before you say I should be able to do both, I have limited time because I have a full time job, a family and other interests outside of locking myself in a room with no distractions during all of my free time.

That's just a justification for not doing the work. Sure ... and no one who CAN read music ever had anything else going on in their lives while they were learning?

 

[RustyAxe]

For those who can't read music, this is what us readers feel like when surrounded by guys who can't read music.

The Expert (Short Comedy Sketch) - YouTube

Good grief ... I think I worked with these people when I was assigned to the London office. I had to spend hours in meetings to explain and justify things that were industry standards ... those "kids" were so "cutting edge" and "insightful" and "bold". Such rot ...

 

[5544]

That's just a justification for not doing the work. Sure ... and no one who CAN read music ever had anything else going on in their lives while they were learning?

"None of us could read music," John Lennon said during a 1980 Playboy interview. "None of us can write it. But as pure musicians, as inspired humans to make the noise, they are as good as anybody."

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[RustyAxe]

"None of us could read music," John Lennon said during a 1980 Playboy interview. "None of us can write it. But as pure musicians, as inspired humans to make the noise, they are as good as anybody."

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I'm not arguing that one MUST read music. I'm just saying that there are lots of justifications for not doing so. TB sure is weird place ... full of bass players who consider themselves "musicians" but don't know even the fundamentals. I'm in a trio with a guy who can play and sing, and another who reads and knows theory ... guess which one is easier to work with?

 

[Tommyc]

People are pragmatists. If it were impossible to play electric bass or rock/pop drums or guitar for that matter, without reading notation, then all those aspiring to play would be able to read. There'd be no arguments. Though there are no doubt jazzmen who didn't read, Charlie Christian and Errol Garner come to mind, there are fewer of those involved in ensemble work who don't read. There is no one who plays all 32 of Beethoven's piano sonatas who doesn't read. Is it because of snobbery? No once again simple pragmatism. There is no way it could be done without reading. Reading notation is only problematic because one component of the 3 necessary to do it is infinitely variable. There are only so many notes on the bass, some have more some less and there are only as many notation symbols for those notes. Once you've got those two parts down you're almost there. Or are you? The snag is rhythm, note values. Those are as varied as the writer can imagine and that's the snag. As most were inspired in the first place by what they hear, that's how they deal with the snag aspect. What ever in practical terms suits your needs is whatever is probably right. For you.