Att: Guitarists who usually read tablature

[Toadman]

Hiya peeps! I play acoustic and electric arrangements by ear(listening to the CD/MP3) and have what they call "perfect-pitch". My dilemma is finding websites that show fingering diagrams for songs(similar to song books you buy at the music store). I can usually figure out the picking pattern by listening, but I don't read tabs very well because it looks like algebraic equations. Sheet music, although readable, doesn't help much either. Anyone have a few links to rock/pop/jazz hits NOT in tabs like guitartabs.com, but in fret-finger placement format? I'm looking for Dave Mathews and Goo-Goo Dolls particularly. Much obliged, fellow string-heads..

[Brainchild]

Hey Toadman, I haven't found anything other than tab sites myself. I have a hard time with tabs too. Plus some of the sites are tabbed by other players not professionals,and are not correct

I'll be looking though

[stant093]

if your going to be trying to read tabs, you need to be able to do the tab thing...
Basically this is how i use it:
when a number is on the string, thats the fret # as to where you put a finger, reading from left to right is how the tempo of the song is displayed, theats why they're spread along the 5 string lines...
You just put your finger on the number that is in line with the rest....if i had a pic i could show you a little easier....anyway, its really easy, i have never had a lesson either but i think im far from "perfect pitch" whatever, i just learned the incubis song wish you were here and 311's amber from tabs...its simple....have a friend help ya out once you see it youll know what i mean.
good luck
Sam

[Brainchild]

I tried it, it was just wrong, I think it's all in what your used to doing is all.

Anyways here's a ton of tabs if ou're intrested

Internet tabs are usually junk anyway. Sometimes they're right, but not often. I don't have perfect pitch, but I generally get a tab to get the general idea of how the fingerings may be for a song I can't figure out, then go from there. It's worked for me a few times.

[OuTpaTienT]

Toad, come on. You're making tabs out to be MUCH more difficult than it is. Basically you're saying "I already know how to speak and I can repeat anything I hear...I just don't read. I tried to read a few times but there's all these letters and stuff and it's hard...so I don't wanna."

I'm telling you if you just sit down and FOCUS on a piece of tablature for a minimum of 45 minutes (maximum of 60 minutes) you'll "get it" by the end of that time period.

It's NOT Algebra. Not even in the same solar system as Algebra. Real music notation with the Staffs and all the ¼, ½, notes and flats/sharps/7th/9th/diminished/...OMG! That's a nightmare. That's Algebra...no that's calculus. Forget that.

Tab is SO easy man. The fact that you can read words, operate a computer, carry on a comprehensive conversation, tells me you can understand tabs.

What would you rather have instead? A diagram that specifically shows you where to exactly place each finger on each string and which fret? That's EXACTLY what tabs is!!! You're gonna kick yourself for putting it off once it clicks.

Enough preaching and b*tching at ya. Here's the important schtuff. All I ask is that you spend at least 15 minutes concentrating on this simple lesson of mine. 15 minutes…that's all I ask. (Gonna switch to the "code" tag so everything lines up correctly.)

The lines are the strings on your guitar.
Low E is on bottom, high E is on top.  Just like when you are
looking down on your instrument as you play.

---------------------------------(high E / lead)
---------------------------------
---------------------------------
=================================
=================================
=================================(low E / bass)


Tab spells out exactly where to place your fingers for the note
or chord to be played.

Check this out:  place your fingers in an "A" chord...look at it
on the guitar neck.  You got three fingers (most likely) pressing
on three strings all at the 2nd fret, right?  But you play more than
those 3 stings to make the chord, there's an open sting above your
3 fingers and the open sting below them.

Keep your fingers holding that "A" chord...and check out what that
"A" chord looks like in tablature:

----0----------------------------
----2----------------------------
----2----------------------------
====2============================
====0============================
=================================


Look at it, and compare it to your fingering as you hold that "A".
It's simplicity is beautiful.  Tab tells you exactly what to do.

The above tab tells you to play 

open string
2nd fret
2nd fret
2nd fret
open string

starting with the 2nd sting (A string).  And because the numbers
are in a vertical line that means they get played at the same
time, or in other words, a chord.

You CANNOT tell me that's hard to understand.  No way.

What if that same "A" chord is not to be played as a single strum
but what if it's to be picked one string at a time in a downward 
then upward pattern?  Can you imagine how that would look in tab?

------------0---------------------
----------2---2-------------------
--------2-------2-----------------
======2===========2===============
====0===============0=============
==================================


And what if it was plucked in a particular pattern?  Like maybe if
the bass sting of the chord was plucked and then the bottom three stings
were each plucked in succession moving upward & repeated 3 times?

--------0-----0-----0-------------
----------2-----2-----2-----------
------------2-----2-----2---------
==================================
====0=============================
==================================


Are you starting to see how EASY this is to grasp?  As a final
boot in the posterior on the way out of tutoring class, how 
would the tab look for a strum of an "A" chord, then pick the 
bottom three string in succession using an upward picking motion,
then a strum of a "C" chord?

---0--0------0--------------------
---2----2----1--------------------
---2------2--0--------------------
===2=========2====================
===0=========3====================
==================================

You see the "A" chord easy enough, but you say that second
vertical line of numbers doesn't look like any "C" chord 
you know.  But it's the same old "C" chord...just keep your
fingers holding that "C" and look at them...then look at
the "C" chord in tab.  See the way it works yet? (Don't worry)


Looking at your fingers on the guitar, I want you to say
(aloud!) the fret that is used as you go through the 
strings of a "C" chord starting with it's bass string.
Just do it.  ...like this...

3rd fret
2nd fret
open string
1st fret
open string

Right?  That's a "C".  And check out the "C" in tab 
again and how it resembles what you just said.  Remember
we're looking down on the strings in tab so it better
visually compares to hou you actually see the fretboard.
So now repeat what you just said and as you do follow
the strings in this tab from the bottom to the top:
 

/\ open str  ---0-----------
|| 1st fret  ---1-----------
|| open str  ---0-----------
|| 2nd fret  ===2===========
|| 3rd fret  ===3===========
/\ not used  =============== 


Bingo. You got it yet?  Is it easy or what?  :)

[OuTpaTienT]

Toad, Toad, Toad. [sigh] I put all that effort into that message just for you. And you don't even acknowledge it?

That is so wrong man. 8^/

Well...I tried. Can't fault me for that.

uT

[Toadman]

OP OP OP... *sigh* LOL! Thanks man! I thought this thread was killed a few days ago. Maybe it's just me, but I like to close my eyes and 'feel' for the notes instead of staring at sheet music and picking one note at a time. Thanks for taking time out to explain in this huge post(I printed it).OP you play also?

Toad, come on. You're making tabs out to be MUCH more difficult than it is. Basically you're saying "I already know how to speak and I can repeat anything I hear...I just don't read. I tried to read a few times but there's all these letters and stuff and it's hard...so I don't wanna."

You'd prolly never understand unless you play by ear, pal...
Thanks again!

[OuTpaTienT]

Toad, you're missing the point. Tab is not to be "read" like music or language. Tab is a means for somebody to physically show somebody else exactly how to play something. Tab is a way to teach another player how to play a piece of music.

If we were jamming and I liked a particular piece you were playing I'd ask you to show me what you're playing. I could then watch your fingering and figure it out. Tab gives people the same type of connection without having to physically be there....and without having to possess a doctorate in music theory and music transcription.

And if you think you don't need tab because you have "perfect pitch" then I say that's selfish. Where do you think the tab in the magazines and on all these web sites come from? It comes from people that have figured out the songs by ear and then simply wrote down the tab so the rest of us, without perfect pitch, can learn to play the songs too.

Plus since you don't read music, tab is a way for you to record your original tunes on paper.

It's not like we're talking about reading actual music notation, and it's not like we're talking about rocket science....and it's not like using tab takes away the "feeling" of playing music,...and it's not like people who do use tab sit around all day playing music by looking at lines & numbers, sometimes they close their eyes and play be ear too. Since they can do both that puts them one-up on ya.

Tab really is so simple, your excuse of not understanding it just doesn't fly. The truth seems to be more along the lines of you refuse to understand it. But hey, that's your choice.

Besides, you got perfect pitch. That should mean you hear it, you can play it. You shouldn't need these fret diagrams or anything. Especially for pop stuff like Goo-Goo Dolls.

Oh well...what-evar. Rock on anyways.

[Toadman]

Wow.... I'm at a loss for words..... My intentions were not to gloat, only that I was blessed(?) with a wierd musical talent I never asked for. Seriously. "Perfect pitch" means nothing more than if someone plays a note on any musical instrument out of the blue, I can name the tone and form a chord with any derivative thereof. I guess you're having a bad day or just chalk it up to the silly season, bud. Beer's on me.