Regardless of whether you decide to use TAB or standard music notation - ear playing is a must (IMO). TAB 'music is fine if you have it,but there will be times (maybe more often than not) when you don't have it,that's when ear playing really becomes important.
In developing your ear playing / ear training,you train yourself to listen to the music so that you eventually have a 'mental recording' of it,something that you can draw on if you ever come to play it with others in a jam session. You'll also develop what i term a 'quick ear' - you'll be able pick up on a melody line & the chord changes to tunes you've never heard before very quickly, simply by listening. Also,i've met some players who've taught themselves purely from TAB,& that's
all they can play - the TAB. They've never listened to the tunes in a 'band' context,only played them as a 'solo' instrument if you get my meaning. They also don't seem to be able to improvise on a tune - they're 'locked into' the TAB.
I've taught myself to play banjo,guitar & now mandolin 'by ear'. I have used TAB (if i can find it), for tunes that i can't quite figure out,one part of Herschel Sizemore's recording of 'Grey Eagle' for example - but for the vast majority of the other tunes i've learned,
there is no TAB or music.
Do use TAB & music notation for their own purpose,but also use your ears. You're more likely to be carrying those around than TAB or music for most of what you'll want to play. To be in a position where you'd have to say - ''there's no TAB / music for it so i can't play it'', isn't a good place to be - ever,
Ivan
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