The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #14542 Message #125865
Posted By: Rick Fielding
20-Oct-99 - 10:10 AM
Thread Name: Tablature vs. Defining Your Own Style
Subject: RE: Tablature vs. Defining Your Own Style
Since Mike was (probably) referring to me vis. the anti-tab stance, I want to say once again that I'm NOT opposed to tab completely, I just think it gets a player out of the habit of learning by ear. Occasionally you'll hear a really unusual chord on a recording, and certainly tab can be a much quicker way of picking it up. On the other hand if you've learned a Mississippi John Hurt tune in G from tab, why would you want to use it for several others also in G? 10 to 1 he's using basically the same notes and bass patterns, so why not excersise your ear a bit and try to hear the variations on the first piece you learned. I think it's also about who you listen to. I love the music of Blind Blake, Sam McGee, Dick Justice, Blind Boy Fuller, Merle Travis, Doc Watson, The Rev., Bill Broonzy, and so many other pretty traditional artists. Just can't imagine any of them learning by tab ('specially the blind ones). Fortunately, as you develop your ear you'll see that the musical possibilities are endless. During the time of Mozart, scholars wrote that there was nothing original left to play. They were very wrong obviously - and still would be today.