How and why do you use tablature

Bill McCloskey · Posted 14 Aug 2010 1:17 pm

I'm curious, those who download and use tablature. Is it mainly to learn that specific song? And do you play it pretty much the same way each time after you've learned it? Or do you use it to learn licks, harmony notes, etc that will be used in other songs? And do you change the way you play the song once you've learned it from the tab?

Of course the simple answer is "both", I'm sure, but disallowing that answer: if you do both, which do you learn towards, which is your primary method?

Rob Anderlik · From: Chicago, IL

I've written a fair bit of tablature for dobro and Weissenborn guitar so I guess I've developed some thoughts about this topic.

As an instructor (for dobro and Weissenborn guitar) I find tabs to be invaluable, especially in a group setting or when teaching at an introductory level. It's so much easier to get everyone on the same page with written notation. As a student progresses on their instrument, tabs - although not completely irrelevant - hopefully become less and less necessary. I say hopefully, because the goal is to be able to use both sides of your brain (and especially your ears)while making sense out of music and get away from relying solely on tabs or written notation.

A big part of learning to play the dobro or Weissenborn guitar involves a process of internalizing certain techniques, especially right hand technique and phrasing; to get your playing to the point where you can express ideas without having to think about them too much.

One of the downsides to tabs is that beginning and intermediate players may get the idea that there is a only one way to play a certain tune. So they may spend years practicing a song the same way without either listening to different players/different instruments play that tune and try to incorporate a different approach/technique or phrasing into their rendition.

In general, I believe its much better to learn tunes by ear vs tabs. Tabs may be quicker but who's to say that a given tab is either accurate or a good rendition of a tune? All things considered, nothing can take the place of honest to goodness ear-training and learning tunes by ear is one of the greatest ear training exercises I know of. I love the fact that one of my hero's - Pat Metheny - advocates using Transcribe software as an indispensable learning tool. Here's a link for the Transcribe software for anyone that's interested.

http://www.seventhstring.com/

Andy Sandoval · From: Bakersfield, California, USA

I'm at the point where I can watch a Youtube video and pretty much figure out what's goin on. Sometimes I use tab to figure out hard parts that just seem to elude me. After I learn the hard part from tab it's easy to see how the lick or phrase was constructed and really helps to understand how a lever and or pedal combination works. Tab is the next best thing to someone showin you how to play it.

Les Anderson · From: The Great White North

I used Cindy Cashdollar's tabs when I first started on steel but gave it up for a a few years; however, I use tab now to give me new ideas for different tuning arrangements. Some times my old brain does not wrap around the various tunings like it used to.

Bill Connet · From: Iowa, USA

I agree that tabs are a good way to get started on an instrument or new song. But the problem is that it is so limited, and a we won't learn how the song is constructed and gain the tools so that we can play any song. Scales, especially the relative major and minor pentatonic scales offer a great way to make up your own solos.

Tom Franke · From: Arizona, USA

I've been using tab as a learning tool, as I am just getting started on lap steel. I expect I will eventually use it as i did for years on acoustic guitar--as an occasional reference for a lick I want to learn in a particular song or as a way to challenge myself to try some new technique. Even at the very basic stage I find myself disregarding the tab when I think the song sounds better done some other way. But tab has definitely been helpful in getting started. I'm actually trying to work from standard notation, which I know from other instruments but not on steel, and am mainly using tab as a check on which string/fret to use--to get located, so to speak.

Peter Lindelauf · From: Penticton, BC

Being self-taught on guitar and piano and playing/writing by ear, I'd never used tabs until I started playing lap steel last fall. They've been invaluable in learning to navigate C6 and having some fun while doing it. My wife hasn't complained yet about hearing Harbor Lights or Over the Rainbow (thanks, Doug Beaumier) about a hundred times. Found that after a while I was adding my own grace notes or different phrasing but stuff I learned from a Sleepwalk tab--for example--came in handy figuring out I Fall to Pieces without a tab for the first time this AM. That was pretty satisfying. Finally getting to the point where I can figure some parts out for myself--and have written a cowboy swing song of my own--but don't think I'd have made near as much progress if not for the tabs I acquired through this forum.

Next song I want to figure out is As Time Goes By, one of my lifetime favorites. Downloaded a file somewhere with over 200 versions of the song, including all of the classics. I think the point is that tabs are like training wheels. At some point, you're riding on your own unless you're like the kind of piano student (for example) who's lost without sheet music.
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...but you are the music / while the music lasts (TS Eliot)

David Knutson · From: Cowichan Valley, Canada

I use Tabs all the time for students, for learning specific riffs and moves. For myself, however, I find Tab to be a great way to remember the discoveries I make on my instruments. I'm the guy you see still on stage during the break trying to work out what I just played in that last tune.

George Piburn · From: The Land of Enchantment New Mexico

Paul M. Matthews · From: New Jersey, USA

Bill,
I just use Tabs to get me through the basic layout of the song and then try to incorporate various fills, riffs or transitions that I've gleened from other sourses to make it mine (so to speak).

I owe a debt of gratitude to various members for supplying me with Tabs (Doug B., Bill C., Andy S., Joe B., Gary M., Scotty and a few others). I play A6 and C6 Lap Steel and always looking for more Tabs.
I've been working on it for 6 months at a snails pace but enjoying the hell out it.
Thanks Everybody!!
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I want to Steel it all.....

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