internet chord charts

[zuzu]

I sometimes dial up a chord chart for a certain song I want to nail down quickly, sometimes for fun or curiosity, most times for an occasion. Do the people that throw this stuff up on the internet know how bad they are?

[1neeto]

Originally Posted by zuzu

I sometimes dial up a chord chart for a certain song I want to nail down quickly, sometimes for fun or curiosity, most times for an occasion. Do the people that throw this stuff up on the internet know how bad they are?

It’s like half the tabs at ultimate guitar.

[Chipotle]

Originally Posted by zuzu

I sometimes dial up a chord chart for a certain song I want to nail down quickly, sometimes for fun or curiosity, most times for an occasion. Do the people that throw this stuff up on the internet know how bad they are?

I'm not sure they do. Some are obviously simplified (hey, why bother with noting the particular bass note or passing chord or 9th or 13th when most won't play them anyway, right?), but some are just out-and-out incorrect, and it doesn't take much of a musician to hear it.

I only use online charts as a starting point. Back in the day, we didn't even have that, so you had to train your ears... which still comes in handy.

[RLetson]

Think Wikipedia without editors.

[zuzu]

Originally Posted by Chipotle

I'm not sure they do. Some are obviously simplified (hey, why bother with noting the particular bass note or passing chord or 9th or 13th when most won't play them anyway, right?), but some are just out-and-out incorrect, and it doesn't take much of a musician to hear it.

I only use online charts as a starting point. Back in the day, we didn't even have that, so you had to train your ears... which still comes in handy.

I was there...with my thumb on the edge of the vinyl...

[Bob from Brooklyn]

Back in the day you'd pay money for books that were 'wrong'.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by zuzu

I sometimes dial up a chord chart for a certain song I want to nail down quickly, sometimes for fun or curiosity, most times for an occasion. Do the people that throw this stuff up on the internet know how bad they are?

Chord charts, not tab like some other posts refer to. As far as compared to the "original", whatever that might be in come cases,
I see chord charts of the same tune centered around different keys, thus different chord names. Or without or with various extensions.
These things are not necessarily bad. Use your own ears according to your own preferences as how close you want to play to some
"original" performance.

[mr. beaumont]

An exercise I did with students was to take a bad chord chart and figure out what was wrong with it--and why the person who made the chart may have had their ear confused. It was great ear training.

[jjbigfly]

While I do not read music…I find that internet chord charts are usually close enough to figure things out. Usually. While it could be better, the price is right.

[Brent Hahn]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

I see chord charts of the same tune centered around different keys, thus different chord names. Or without or with various extensions.

A bandleader I've worked for has a Burt Bacharach chart in his book. The last bar at the bottom of page 1 is 4 beats of A#, and the first bar at the top of page 2 starts with a Bb.

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by zuzu

I was there...with my thumb on the edge of the vinyl...

Ha! It was a 2-speed tape deck for me. (That way I got stuff off radio and TV, as well as not wearing out my vinyl, or my friends' ...)

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by Bob from Brooklyn

Back in the day you'd pay money for books that were 'wrong'.

Yes! Like that Beatles Complete, where they changed most of the keys because they thought it would be easier for readers ... duh. Let alone all the parts left out...

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by Brent Hahn

A bandleader I've worked for has a Burt Bacharach chart in his book. The last bar at the bottom of page 1 is 4 beats of A#, and the first bar at the top of page 2 starts with a Bb.

Interesting. Did you ask about that?

[Glennwillow]

When I find a song on any of the online places, such as ulimateguitar.com, I'm surprised when I find one that is actually correct. But there have been a few.

I sill go and get what I think is the best starting point and then go from there. Not only are the chords often wrong, I find many times that the lyrics are wrong, too.

When I am learning a new song, I always pull up the original on YouTube and play guitar along with it to verify words and chords and then make corrections from there. I can't always pick off the correct lyrics from YouTube, so I will often go to several sources for the lyrics, including the artist's website, assuming lyrics are listed.

I always learn a lot from playing with the original recording. It doesn't mean I have to mimic what the original artist did, but I at least want to start from a point of initial accuracy.

- Glenn

[wood&wire]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

When I find a song on any of the online places, such as ulimateguitar.com, I'm surprised when I find one that is actually correct. But there have been a few.

I sill go and get what I think is the best starting point and then go from there. Not only are the chords often wrong, I find many times that the lyrics are wrong, too.

When I am learning a new song, I always pull up the original on YouTube and play guitar along with it to verify words and chords and then make corrections from there. I can't always pick off the correct lyrics from YouTube, so I will often go to several sources for the lyrics, including the artist's website, assuming lyrics are listed.

I always learn a lot from playing with the original recording. It doesn't mean I have to mimic what the original artist did, but I at least want to start from a point of initial accuracy.

- Glenn

I get what you are saying but if you have the ability to pull up a video on youtube and play guitar along with it, what's the point of even looking at online chord charts? I always assumed the online charts were meant for people who are newbies or unable to play by ear.

Even though I lack the ability to "play by ear", I often download chords from different versions of the same song and sort of triangulate by making adjustments and putting together a version that makes sense to me.