| Is it necessary to learn ordinary music notation | | | | 3. You will as a guitarist be able to write and |
| for guitar or is it sufficient to know how to read | | | | arrange music for other instruments in your band |
| tabs? Is it worth the price to learn to read | | | | making it possible to shorten the rehearsal time |
| ordinary guitar sheets? | | | | and facilitating the use of more complicated |
| Many guitar books available with tablature notation | | | | musical arrangements. |
| will also have a staff above with the guitar sheet | | | | 4. Being able to read and use sheet music will help |
| music notation. It is also very common today that | | | | you as a composer to notate all your ideas in a |
| classical guitar books also have a guitar tab staff | | | | way that you will remember and that you easily |
| below. | | | | can share with your friends and others. |
| This was not very common a few decades ago. | | | | Let's look at the advantages of using guitar |
| Tablature has by some guitarists been considered | | | | tablature: |
| cheating. Is it cheating or is it a help to have tabs | | | | 1. Being a poor sheet music reader can hinder |
| at your disposal? | | | | your from playing on the level of your techniqal |
| Personally I have as a guitar teacher experienced | | | | skills. It's a pity that many guitar pupils play just a |
| many instances when tablature has been a great | | | | few boring sheet music melodies when they could |
| help to my pupils. however, I would be very | | | | really be playing melodies using the entire |
| happy if young musicians would put more energy | | | | fretboard just by the use of tablature. |
| into the endeavor to learn to read sheet music | | | | 2. It is very easy to describe chords, licks and |
| notation. | | | | complicated riffs with the help of tablature |
| It is a great advantage to have a working | | | | especially if you have audio examples of the |
| knowledge on how to read and understand music | | | | music. |
| scores and the various symbols pertaining to it. | | | | 3. Tablature notation is still as easy to read even |
| Let's take a look at the advantages of being able | | | | when you use alternative tunings as the tab |
| to read guitar music notation: | | | | notation still tells you only how to put your fingers. |
| 1. You will be able to play a piece of music the | | | | Using sheet music notation with alternative tunings |
| way the composer has intended without having | | | | on the guitar is a bit difficult to say the least. |
| heard it before. This is possible because music | | | | 4. Internet is flooded with more or less accurate |
| notation consists of descriptions concerning the | | | | tablature renditions of popular riffs, songs and |
| pitch and also the length of the notes and other | | | | more. |
| symbols telling you how to play the notes and | | | | Okey, but what is the best alternative, guitar |
| performing the music. | | | | tablature or guitar sheet music? |
| 2. You will have an enormous library of sheet | | | | My opinion is that you can use tablature as much |
| music from various time periods at your disposal. | | | | as you want but I recommend you to really learn |
| It is possible to play music written for other | | | | to read sheet music notation because of the |
| instruments as well as music notation doesn't | | | | many advantages you will reap from it. |
| describe how to play the notes on a particular | | | | If you start by learning the names of the notes |
| instrument but more which notes to play. This | | | | on the frets of the guitar you have already |
| makes it possible for a guitarist to play violin | | | | gained an important skill that will help you as you |
| exercises and vocal scores and so on. | | | | start to learn the notes on a music score staff. |