How you learn to play a song from TAB

[Scotch]

Hello folks,

I've been playing for few years. I can go ahead and learn a song from TAB. I do have the skills to play it but takes time.

not until recently meeting a variety of players on other instruments. They can pick up music and play instantly. Obviously mistakes but to the point if we were to slow it down they could do the entire song. Maybe it's simpler for a violin or cello.

But for me where I'm playing Bass, Melody and rhythem It takes a while.

What I'm curious about is how do you go about learning new music from Tab, play first 4 bars, first 16 or so?

[Shorbit]

I just use tab to get the outline if I'm struggling to find the chords or scales. Then I use my ears. I always take something away about movement and flow of chords and single notes from tabs. Learn from it then run away with it in your own way. I don't think it is designed for sight reading like standard sheet music.

[Pualee]

I think you are asking "how to play sheet music".

It is a matter of sight reading simple songs, then harder songs, and harder still. Eventually, after years of work, you can go back to those intermediate songs (relative to your current skill level), and sight read with 0 problems.

It is a matter of working in your style for long enough. When I played trumpet, sight reading a beginners book was a nightmare. After a couple years in the band, I could sight read much harder music with ease.

As with anything else, it is a discipline, and you improve with hard work and always pursuing higher goals. I have no idea how this works with TAB, as I do not like reading tab (I do like standard music notation with tab). For me, it is easier to read the music notes and 'know' where the song should go with a little theory... I only use tab to fid an easier fingering. If you only have tab... I think you really have to slow down and think about each note (maybe folks who used tab for years can say otherwise).

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by Scotch

Hello folks,

I've been playing for few years. I can go ahead and learn a song from TAB. I do have the skills to play it but takes time.

not until recently meeting a variety of players on other instruments. They can pick up music and play instantly. Obviously mistakes but to the point if we were to slow it down they could do the entire song. Maybe it's simpler for a violin or cello.

But for me where I'm playing Bass, Melody and rhythem It takes a while.

What I'm curious about is how do you go about learning new music from Tab, play first 4 bars, first 16 or so?

I take the bus from A to Z, with a few rest stops on the way.

[Scotch]

Thank you folks for your replies.

I only use Tab if I have it at ease. In this case bought a book from my favourite guitarist. Majority of time usually copy them from videos.

I like the idea for playing it for the melody and bass, rest Ill pick up by ear.

[Shorbit]

Good call. Before the interwebs my main method of learning was playing along with records and tab for back up.

[Scotch]

Yeah my entire learning process was from tab. As I've only played 5/6 years but invested alot of time in techniques.

But need to develope my ear + understanding so this way will be quite helpful.