Members bigboy_78 Posted January 13, 2010 Members Share Posted January 13, 2010 While it's a useful tool (as is learning to read tab), it does nothing in determining how good of a musician you are...only in how good you copy music...unless of course you're writing it. I was always of the opinion that musicians played music. Composers write it. There is no need to be both. Just because someone is reading or learning from a sheet doesn't diminish their standing as a "musician". A chart is dots on page, how you turn that in to an aural experience in what makes you a musician. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jeremy_green Posted January 13, 2010 Members Share Posted January 13, 2010 Jeremy, You've contradicted yourself a few times in this thread. You deride tab becasue it means people won't use their ears, but extole the virtues of learning to read standard notation because musical literacy is important. However you then say that all charts (however notated) should only be used as a checking tool after you have already "lifted" the tune yourself. Then we all agree that most of the TABs on the internet are wrong so should we really just check the TABs to make sure that our version isn't the same. Hey bigboy,I am not sure I said all that. The "checking your work" thing was Tricky's point - to which I agree there can be some merit to it. So I agreed that that is a fine use of tab. I dont do this ... but I can see it's validity as a concept.There is nothing wrong with a chart - quite the opposite, on a gig I love them. Makes it real nice and easy for me. By "extolling the virtues of learning to read" I am in essence saying it empowers you to be able to read not more charts per se but ANY chart. There are two very different things at play here - performance vs practice. During practice ear training is #1 to me. This is where I struggle with the point of using tab. You are actually to some degree slowing the growth of your most valuable asset - your ears.Look, my thing is I cant stand "anti-learning" culture. Drives me nuts when I hear people saying you dont need to learn to read. Maybe I jumped the gun on Gennation (sorry Mike!) but this is why. Its like coaxing a little bird out of a hole and someone comes along and stamps their feet. Every comment like that has the power to get a fence-sitter somewhere to decide to not bother. That to me is a drag.There are soooooo many fringe benefits of learning it I really sincerely do not understand why anyone who takes learning the instrument seriously would avoid it - or promote that others should do likewise. Hell, I dont read all the time - but I can if needed. It's the process of learning to read that taught me so many other things and also made theory MUCH more understandable. Learning to read (or the process thereof) MADE ME A BETTER PLAYER. Which is all I think any of us cares about no? Conversely, I really think my periodic use of TABs to learn songs over spells has slowed my progress - in the big picture I think it truly did! Because of this eureka it forced me to really question Tab's use for an advanced player. Sure beginners - cant beat it. But at some point the cord should be cut in the name of truly improving as a musician -if you are serious.Honestly, why would you avoid something that just MIGHT help you see something clearer. Hell if somebody told me standing on my head would make me better I would at least give it a go!I feel like a broken record who is starting to annoy you all so I am gonna stop now. I think y'all know where I am at on itCheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Joeballz Posted January 13, 2010 Author Members Share Posted January 13, 2010 Im gonna stay that the best and to the point response so far is from Dparr: "If you want to be a musician then learn to read music. If you want to just be a guitar player then tab is ok." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jasco Posted January 13, 2010 Members Share Posted January 13, 2010 I think I was following up on Jasco story, don't get excited. Just to be clear, my story wasn't a comment about the value of music reading skill, but rather for entertainment of the folks here. The studio work I referred to was clearly a non-pro situation by a bunch of amateurs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jasco Posted January 13, 2010 Members Share Posted January 13, 2010 I was always of the opinion that musicians played music. Composers write it. There is no need to be both. I'm pretty sure that all the great composers were also great musicians. Although the reverse isn't true. And from a music business standpoint, the Beatles smashed that model (separation of composer and musician jobs) to pieces 45 years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gennation Posted January 13, 2010 Members Share Posted January 13, 2010 Just to be clear, my story wasn't a comment about the value of music reading skill, but rather for entertainment of the folks here. I guess my point was more for the reality of folks here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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