It is no secret that today there are two forms of notation for the guitar – “tab” (tablature) and standard music notation. These two forms have been competing for several decades and many guitar teachers take a stand to teach one or the other.
Guitar tablature (or “tab” for short) is a form of music notation specific to the guitar. Tablature utilizes six lines (each line representing a guitar string) with numbers placed on these lines corresponding to a fret to be played. Tab generally comes in three forms: (1) tab which is placed below standard music notation – the music notation indicates rhythm/note name and the tab the location of the pitch. (2) Tab which has rhythms attached directly to it (without standard music notation to name the note). (3) Tab only – which neither indicates rhythm or the name note being played. In this case the player is forced to know how the rhythm is to be played. This is fine for simple melodies or “riffs”, but not so great for full length songs unfamiliar to the player. The best example of “tab only” transcriptions are free tabs one would find on Internet websites.
Tab Video
Many guitarists may think that guitar tab is a 20th century invention having come into prominence sometime in the 1980’s when periodicals like Guitar for the Practicing Musician began publishing transcribed rock songs with accompanying tablature. The truth is that tablature has a much richer tradition which can be traced back hundreds of years to other plucked string instruments such as the vihuela, lute and Baroque guitar. Up until the mid-1700’s tablature was widely used, but once the tuning of the guitar became standardized music notation became the dominant form of notating music for the guitar.
Standard music notation (unlike tab) is not guitar specific and is used by all musicians to communicate their ideas. It conveys musical ideas like rhythm, pitch, dynamics, phrasing, tempo, key, meter and many other things. Furthermore, there music notation can used for “specific purposes” such as chord charts that indicate chord changes and rhythms or lead sheets that contain melody, harmony and song lyrics. Music notation is a language unto itself and like any language requires time and effort to become proficient with.
Next month, I will continue discussing the topic of “Tab vs. Notation” and discuss the advantage tab may have over notation when it comes to the guitar.
Guitar tablature (or “tab” for short) is a form of music notation specific to the guitar. Tablature utilizes six lines (each line representing a guitar string) with numbers placed on these lines corresponding to a fret to be played. Tab generally comes in three forms: (1) tab which is placed below standard music notation – the music notation indicates rhythm/note name and the tab the location of the pitch. (2) Tab which has rhythms attached directly to it (without standard music notation to name the note). (3) Tab only – which neither indicates rhythm or the name note being played. In this case the player is forced to know how the rhythm is to be played. This is fine for simple melodies or “riffs”, but not so great for full length songs unfamiliar to the player. The best example of “tab only” transcriptions are free tabs one would find on Internet websites.
Tab Video
Many guitarists may think that guitar tab is a 20th century invention having come into prominence sometime in the 1980’s when periodicals like Guitar for the Practicing Musician began publishing transcribed rock songs with accompanying tablature. The truth is that tablature has a much richer tradition which can be traced back hundreds of years to other plucked string instruments such as the vihuela, lute and Baroque guitar. Up until the mid-1700’s tablature was widely used, but once the tuning of the guitar became standardized music notation became the dominant form of notating music for the guitar.
Standard music notation (unlike tab) is not guitar specific and is used by all musicians to communicate their ideas. It conveys musical ideas like rhythm, pitch, dynamics, phrasing, tempo, key, meter and many other things. Furthermore, there music notation can used for “specific purposes” such as chord charts that indicate chord changes and rhythms or lead sheets that contain melody, harmony and song lyrics. Music notation is a language unto itself and like any language requires time and effort to become proficient with.
Next month, I will continue discussing the topic of “Tab vs. Notation” and discuss the advantage tab may have over notation when it comes to the guitar.
