How To, break down tab so .. I can

[Bluenose]

I've learned much about standard music notation by transcribing tunes into tab that I find on You Tube (Y/T) using the TablEdit (T/E) program.

I'm constantly checking Y/T for interesting guitar videos and if I find something I think that would be fun to learn and play and not too difficult, I'll attempt to transcribe it as opposed to paying for the tab. The T/E program converts tab into standard notation and vice versa.

When you're dealing with triplets and tied notes for example, it can get complicated but the T/E program won't let you cheat and break the rules like not maintaining the time signature so for me it was lots of trial and error but I've successfully put to paper (as it were) more than a dozen tunes. The playback feature in T/E will let you know if you're on the money or not. I'll admit I've haven't attempted a Tommy E videos yet.

If you already use tab this will help you get to know standard which is much better with rhythmic notation IMO.

I should mention that I have a Vidami pedal which helps as well.

[cdkrugjr]

The earliest music we have for fretted strings exists solely as tablatures.

In these tablatures, the note durations are given. Once you get used to it, it’s absolutely equivalent to standard notation, even to the extent that string assignments need to be taken with a grain of salt, as some of them are technically unlikely.