reading tab

[mandomaybe]

I'm familiar with guitar tabs, but new to mando. What are the marks above and below the string lines? Pick direction?

[Pedal Steel Mike]

Forget tab. Learn to read music.

[gnelson651]

I second the motion by Pedal Steel Mike. Its is not as hard as most people think to learn to read music. It seems there is an aversion to learning standard notation, like it is some kind of mystery.

Get a good beginning violin book at your local music store, they cost about $7.00. I found this type of book has more methodology then anything I can find in beginning mandolin books. Its easy to convert the violin fingerings to the mandolin fretboard. #It took me about 3 months to learn to read standard notation comfortably. But its has more than paid itself in dividends.

Although tab as its place, as when there is nothing else available, standard notation has a greater advantage. The reason most people gravitate to tab is because it is easy. Which means that if you can read standard notation, tab will not be difficult to use when needed.

But I have to say for myself, I can learn to play a song much faster in standard notation than tab.

Good luck in your mando adventure,

Glenn Nelson
Las Vegas, NV

[arbarnhart]

I read notation, tab and play some things by ear. Tab has its place. Sometimes the suggested string/fret combos are different than what I pick reading notation or playing by ear.

Mando tabs are no differnt than guitar tabs except for the difference in number of strings. Here is a link to everything you would ever want to know about tab.

[grandmainger]

I'm familiar with guitar tabs, but new to mando. #What are the marks above and below the string lines? Pick direction?

If you are referring to the marks that resemble a "U" or and inverted "V", then yes, it is pick direction:

U is downstroke

V (upside-down) is Upstroke

Germain

[Lefty&French]

Its is not as hard as most people think to learn to read music. It seems there is an aversion to learning standard notation, like it is some kind of mystery.

Glenn, I don't think it's so mysterious. A lot of mandolin music discussed here (old time, blues, bluegrass, celtic, etc) is "oral music" or " music by ear" and was not written (or tabbed!).
If you are a complete beginner, it's a good advice (learning to read music), but if you play for years... or decades...
My two cents,

[gnelson651]

(Lefty&French@ July 24 2005, 10:54)

If you are a complete beginner, it's a good advice (learning to read music), but if you play for years... or decades...

I agree that learning to read standard notation is only a first step to musicianship. It is also important to learn by ear and use tab on occasions when you want to be true to the transcription of a song by a particular artist.

I guess my experience with tab was both limited and limiting to my ability to play music that I now find tab offensive. I would hate to see others go through such a terrible ordeal as limiting their musical abilities by becoming tab dependent. Learning music in other ways will only expand your skills as a musician.

Glenn Nelson
Las Vegas, NV

[Lefty&French]

Very well said, Glenn.
When I said years or decades, I was speakin' for myself! I prefer being "ear dependant" anyway!

[arbarnhart]

One thing I do like about tab is the TefView program's ability to play along. It will show you tab, notation, both or nothing if you so desire. But having the ability to play the song, adjusting tempo, starting and stopping at any point, adjusting volume of the different instruments to suit your fancy, etc, make it very useful to learn and practice solo yet preparing to play with others.