Question for those using the Paul Franklin Method Courses

Scott Denniston · From: Hahns Peak, Colorado, USA

I have the "West Coast" course that Paul has on his method site. I've just begun with it. I do like his method of watch and learn the nuance of how the licks are performed. I see though that a lot or most of the course is not tabbed out and I see the reasoning behind that. My question for those taking the full Paul Franklin Method Course is this: Is tab as rare in those courses as in the West Coast course? If so have you gotten used to the watch and learn method?
I've been so dialed into learning off tab and have to go over passages and licks about ten billion times to have them ingrained. Maybe I can switch gears and start learning this way. How's it worked for you? Unless of course most things are tabbed in the main method course. He does suggest in the West Coast course that you tab it out yourself though.

Tom Spaulding · From: Tennessee, USA

Hi Scott-

Thanks so much for enrolling in the West Coast Country course, we hope you have as much fun going through it as we did making it.

There's plenty of TAB in the Method, but mainly for those lessons where it benefits the student by having it. Typically the Theory-based lessons would have it, not so much for the Licks.

Switching gears away from relying too much on TAB would likely be a very good thing for any player. No TAB means that along with training your muscle memory to perform the moves precisely, your ears are the main way you are learning, not your eyes. Ears on the music and nuance, eyes on the bar hand! Smile

Paul's thoughts on TAB in general are well known: TAB is a great tool for reference, but not to the point that it becomes a crutch and actually slows your learning process down.

If you haven't already, grab the "Backing A Singer: Shenandoah" mini-course for free. It's a good glimpse of how similar things are taught in the Method.

Scott Denniston · From: Hahns Peak, Colorado, USA

Thanks for the reply Tom. I suspect this method will work well for me so will give it a good try. After completing the West coast course I'll know how well it flows for me. A little different. Thanks for letting me know what to expect should I decide to move on to the big program. I would have embarked on this earlier but we had such horrible internet I could hardly stream anything. They just ran fiber-optic out to our very rural village. Very Happy

Al Evans · From: Austin, Texas, USA

I've been enrolled in the Paul Franklin Method since near the beginning, which was a few weeks after I got my first pedal steel. I no longer suck ALL the time, so it must be working OK. Very Happy

There are a fair number of places where Paul will explain how to play something, but not tab it out. One learning technique I find useful is to ignore the explanation at first, and tab the music out myself by ear. I get it so I'm fairly sure I'm playing all the right notes, then listen to him tell how he played it.

Then I try it both ways, and see which I like best. I usually find that he has a good reason for doing it the way he did. Sometimes, I think it's just that he knows exactly the most convenient place to find any note he wants.

I find that every lesson is a master class, and contains a lot more learning that is apparent the first time through.

--Al Evans
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