#1
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Standard notation + tabs or just std notation
So I'm learning jazz and a big part of that is fluidity on the neck. I'm very clunky on the neck but working to improve.
I have three Andrew Green books, the first being "Jazz Guitar Technique" - lots of exercises to learn the neck, move back and forth between strings, lots and lots of exercises. Great book, I'm exceedingly slow in the exercises, though, because they're in standard notation. I have found out that reading music for guitar is quite different that reading it for piano, as there are many locations on the neck for any particular note. This is part of the magic, But Man - it is PAINFUL. With piano I could site read and the fingers knew the keys and even if I never saw a piece, I could go through it slowly and then build into the music. Now my goal is to read and understand standard notation for guitar and build the fluidity, but to get into the exercises I have taken to transcribing them to tabs to get me in the ballpark. I'll do the exercises with both sheets on the stand and go back and forth - still slowly and still clunky, but I have an idea about where and when from the tabs. The goal, though, is standard notation. Is this a bad thing? Am I committing a cardinal sin that will set me back by doing this? I'm all about learning here, I need to make sure that I can still get to where I want to be. I know that a lot of folks who are on this forum teach - I'm really looking forward to what their experience says. thanks - Mark |
#2
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Wanna learn jazz? No tabs. Go cold turkey. You will never see tab on a jazz lead sheet.
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#3
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If you can manage to live on notation, do it. I regret being a lazy *** :-D
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#4
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Use whatever gets you where you want to be the easiest and fastest. The music is not the paper, notation or tab, its what's in your head and fingers.
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#5
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Quote:
Here's a little edit. Notating stuff you play exercises the same knowledge as involved in reading but with a kind of reversed flow. This might help. Last edited by stanron; 01-19-2013 at 08:19 PM. |
#6
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Thanks for the replies, everyone. The majority seem to say that I need to get to reading standard notation with some variety on getting there.
@HHP - While I believe you that the music is in my head and fingers, it has a really hard time getting from my head to my fingers. I'm trying to unlock all of that and get off this chorded-out stuff I've been doing all my life. For now, I need to follow and learn from the masters. @mr Beaumont - I think you're right, I'm not sure I'm good enough to even get out of the gate to go cold turkey. Maybe it's just like quitting smoking - got to set a "quit tabs" date. Lots of stuff resonates in all of your replies. Thanks to all - Mark |
#7
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If you can read at all, just do it...jazz reading is a breeze...most charts stay on the staff, all you gotta look for is some tricky syncopations...and you'll soon realize if you see it in one jazz tune, you'll see it in ten others...it's easy to go cold turkey, as ere is simply no tab out there for this stuff anyway, as its not a guitar centric music.
I had to read through a few tarrega pieces today with a student. Now that was something... |
#8
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Stevie Wonder
Ray Charles Reading is good, helpful, valuable - you should do it. But keep in mind that a whole lot of great music came from folks who couldn't read. |
#9
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I vote for standard notation too but imo its best to take it slowly ,learn easier pieces which will help you build a technique, learn the notes which will also give you the sense of achievement of actually performing the piece and not just mess around with it.
i hope it makes sense |
#10
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You have to speak the language of the genre you've chosen. Jazz and classical speak standard notation. I see no sin, however, in whatever shortcuts you devise for yourself. The goal is the music, not dots or numbers on lined paper. What ever gets you there is good.
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#11
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I've never understood how people find notation hard. I learned it at school with everyone else (playing recorder) before I ever thought of learning guitar. When I did start on guitar, the book I used was all notation, no tab, so that made it easy.
Of course, the trick is to begin with it (like the kids I teach do, from age 7 - they have no trouble with it). If you're already some years down the line, used to tabs, I can see it can feel scary to go back and feel like a beginner again. Essentially you need to learn the neck. Then it's not too hard to look at a piece of notation, see (eg) there's a middle C, and you know you can play that on string 2 fret 1, string 3 fret 5, string 4 fret 10, etc. You should then be able to transfer whatever line it is to a scale pattern you know in whatever position you choose. Eg, if the line runs C D E G F, you find the D E G F around where you place the C. If you don't know the neck well enough to do that, then you need to work on that too. Obviously this is not quick. I've been reading music for 50 years (playing guitar for 46) I still can't sight read a piece straight off, unless it's really simple. I've never had to. But I can do it quick enough. So - unless you've been booked for some session work next week! - don't worry about it being a slow process. Just keep at it - and put the tabs away! Remember tab is a prison; it locks you into one position. Notation gives you freedom; you play it your way. |
#12
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I like having both. Notation tells me note duration - and the note, but tab tells me where it is played on the neck. Use what works for you because if like most of us you learn a song then stop relying on any form of visual representation. Enjoy the process.
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#13
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I began a few years ago with an alto recorder so I learned standard notation from the beginning. Then used it as well with beginning guitar, after a short while I found I could play easier and read tab quicker so began to do that. Now that I have progressed a little more I regret the tab shortcut. Tab is useful if you don't know the notes up the fingerboard, but it also allows you not to learn those notes. I now prefer to use books without tab so I am not cheating with it. There is just so much more information available with standard notation.
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#14
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Quote:
When I have the ability to sing or write a song like Stevie, I'll gladly put the notes away...the op wants to play jazz. He can wait thirty years for his ear to catch up or spend a few months learning to read, getting a real book, and playing some tunes. Why do guitar players feel the need to live in magic fairyland? This is basic stuff, and its a gift for life. |
#15
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Standard Notation more useful, IMHO
Reading standard notation is not that difficult to learn. Why limit yourself with just tabs?
Doc |