Guitar tab

[Scarlett]

Does anyone think that guitar tab is a waste of time, and that students should be taught to read actual music?

[goldenboy]

i found it quite useful and a lot easier to learn than reading music. if you only intend learning the basics of a tune and then do you own thing rather than playing someones elses tunes note for note than its very good

[leandrews]

I've been playing the guitar for a few years, I always use tabs as I have no idea how to read music. I tried to learn in secondary school, but it just wouldn't go in!

Tabs have really helped me!

[Mortartube]

I find tabs really helpful. I can't read music, even though my father (who was a violinist), tried many times to teach me. Any learning tool that works, is good in my book.

[robbo82]

Why should to have to read music? I consider myself a fairly competent guitarist but can hardly read music at all. There's no need for guitarists to, tabs are so much easier and simpler to understand.

[WaldoMcFroog]

Ordinary musical notation isn't easily able to accomodate some of the techniques used on guitars - for example; tremelo effects, palm muting, hammer-ons. Additionally, tab shows a guitarist the correct position for a chord. Given the versitility of a guitar, it would be possible to notate a chord yet leave the guitarist several possible combinations whilst retaining the correct notes.

Ultimately, both are useful.