Notes or Tab?
 

I, personally, much prefer notes over tablature (and I'm old enough to remember when there was no tablature). To me tab is clumsy and not as informative as written notes. Fortunately, with the advent of computer notation programs, both are readily available. I'd much rather go to a theater gig and sightread 60 pages of written notes than try to muddle through tab for a single tune. I feel that I'm knowledgeable enough about my instrument that I can choose where, on the neck, to play a particular passage without being guided by someone's tablature. That's my take on it - what's yours??

I used tab way before notes, but once I started to educate myself on the language of music, I definitely prefer standard music notation. More information readily accessible once you know the language.

Best,
Jayne

I think they're both good for things. Tab is guitar-centric language--which means it's great for getting things like exact fingerings.

Musical notation is a true communication system across instruments. It's also far more intuitive to "sight read" notation.

Both have value. If I could have only one, it'd be notation.

I use notation that has notes on top and tab below. I rely on the notation for note duration and tab as a guide for playing. I'm more interested in learning a tune and playing it than wrestling with it. I'm not a real musician, I'm more of a "connect the dots" kind of player.

Wow, you are several hundred years old. How'd you do that?

Use both if available and helpful. Standard notation is more or less tablature for the piano - you can even the field somewhat
with a combo of tab and standard notation. Simpler music can be figured out simply by ear.

Like you, I was brought up playing before there was such a thing as tablature. I have mixed feelings about tab as it is often extremely inefficient and expects you to know a song before playing. As a semi-professional trumpet player there are often times that I'll walk into a rehearsals (or sometimes even a gig) not knowing a piece and have to play it, first time, up to tempo without having previously seen the music or heard the piece. In the trade they call this a "show and blow". While I'm not so fast on guitar because the same notes can be played all over the neck I still prefer standard notation, though like the notion of "tab assist".

I can tell you that when I see actual notes on a staff I know what I'm playing musically. But when using tab I have no clue what I'm playing and have to reverse engineer the musicality and theory until I understand. My brain doesn't automatically see 5th fret 5th string and think "D". There is a two step process while reading with standard notation I can previsualize the actual music (sound and notes) and my fingers (often) still know where to go. Again, it's much slower than with a single note instrument, but still the same conceptually.

I've read music almost all my life, so I'd much prefer the real thing. But I think tabs can be helpful. They can provide specific information about how to play a particular part. So, there is some merit to both.

Yeah, I knew someone would bring that up, but I meant 'tablature in the modern sense.

? What is "in the modern sense" versus "in the older sense"?

Example of renaissance lute tablature (letters = fret location, see
http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute/tab-intro.html

http://www.lutesociety.org/uploads/c...fensteiner.jpg

Ditto. I learned to read standard notation as a kid playing a horn, so I use it for the duration of the notes, and the tab for the fingerings which I try to memorize ASAP as it helps me learn the tune. Yes, I'm lazy, but as a purely recreational player I have too many other things to learn before I start sight reading guitar parts :)

I knew of and considered exempting the old lute tablature from my discussion but decided not to muddy the water. I did figure someone would bring it up, however. My intent was to discuss tablature as it applies to modern day guitar playing whether it be 12, 6, or 4 string instruments. When I take delivery of my new 13 course Martin, I'll give you a shout.

I've been reading notation since my first lessons at age nine and prefer it. Nonetheless GOOD tablature has been helpful at times as well. I personally find tablature most helpful when I'm trying to learn a piece with alternate tuning. But since you no longer have any desire to play, it should be irrelevant.....;)

The example was for a six course lute - like a twelve string guitar in modern terms.

Yes... But no. Standard notation pretty much applies to all instruments- and voice. Standard notation not only provides the notes and rhythms, but you can see the direction the music is going in. Written music is only a skeleton which provides an outline of what it is to sound like but still requires interpretation. An experienced musician can look at that music and know how to interpret it. And standard notation often goes far beyond just indicating notes and rhythms, but phrasing and dynamics and inflection. Tab does none of that. There are even unwritten rules beyond what is written that one is expected to know (i.e. written straight 8th's swung in a jazz tune). But you can't even approach that with tab. Tab provides no idea of the musical idea- only fingerings and sometimes you'll see tab with integrated rhythm, but that's the extent of it.

Ah yes... Alternate tuning. Much more complicated for standard notation. For some folks it might pose few problems especially if you learn it while young. Us older folks might find our brains being twisted up trying to learn where notes are in alternate positions. For example in DADGAD were you to see a written A3 would you play it on 4/2 or 5/O? Tab takes all that confusion away. But again, you still have to know the tune already to effectively use the Tab.

Learning
 

When you want to skip learning music an jump right into playing then TAB is for you. Nothing wrong with that. After over 50 years of playing I'm just now learning to read the dots. Way better understanding of music with the dots, can't sight sing TAB.