I wondering to know actually learning to play electric guitar is read guitar tablature or music sheet (the classical notes) 1..? this confuse me .. my teacher tell me electric guitar only read tab .. but i heard that a guitarists usually read the music sheet..

This post has been edited by chester43: Feb 3 2007, 11:28 PM

I think tabs are great for you. Just listen to the music and try to get the timing right. Good luck

tabs are just another way of documenting music. It's just like a different language thats all. If you can learn both, then do it. There are pros and cons of both sides, so if you learn both, then you don't have to worry. But learning tabs are of course easier and less time consuming.

its best to know both.

advantages of tabs is that it tells in more detail how to play it on a guitar but there are alot of disadvantages too such as the timing of each note cant be stated.

That's the biggest nonsense I have heard so far

i think it's better to learn both...doesn't hurt to have more knowledge right? but i only know how to read tabs...

Got to agree with this.
Tab are easier but if you are serious, learn the notes.
Eh, if you have teacher, that means you taking classes...i thought classes always teach notes?

if anyone's ever checked out Guitar World's notation, they mix both.
in place of the actual note in the standard notation, they replace it with numbers but still retaining the timing.

as for reading notes, depends whats you want.
the only ppl i've ever really heard saying how not knowing note reading hurts them, are those who do sessions but since cant read are limited to their choice of work.

Tablature in any proper guitar book (including Guitar World etc) are the best for guitar, so why not learn to read that? You only need to learn the easiest part of standard notation -- the note durations.

Standard notations were designed to be playable on every instrument. So if you're not gonna play anything other than an electric guitar, or turning professional, you don't need to bother with it.

I'll admit my sightreading is good for piano and violin but when it comes to guitar, let's just say there're tabs for a good reason. BTW, if you wanna learn standard notations, learning theory is a must.

Your teacher has a point there.

I'd say most of ELECTRIC guitarists (especially rock/metal) read tab and few read standard musical notation. Those who know how to read standard musical notation, a lot of them do not find it necessary day in day out in their guitar playing profession.

I read in another forum that even George Lynch do not read std notation (note: Im NOT SAYING that he CANNOT read std notation, I said George Lynch DO NOT read std notation).

BUT for jazz and classical, I think it is a big plus (necessary?) to know.

So I have to agree with your teacher to an extent.

I quote from Hawk band (http://www.metalmayhemmusic.com/hawk/index.htm) guitarist when asked whether he knows sight reading (ie read std notation)


This post has been edited by Banzai_san: Feb 4 2007, 01:05 PM

I play mostly the electric guitar and i read tabs only, but i have some knowledge on standard notation because i learnt piano last time. My teacher gives me tabs but he teaches me some notations too.

As for the timing he'll usually write in the bar(quavers/semiquavers etc)