As a private guitar teacher, I’ve gone through probably over a thousand internet tabs personally… both for students and with students.
To date, not a single one has been completely accurate… not encouraging.
But learning songs and increasing the number of songs you can play is an important part of getting better and being better able to play with other people.
Obviously the best option is to buy the tab or sheet music for the song you want to learn. Those are created and produced by professionals. They are usually quite accurate and well done so they are easy to follow.
But I’m not naive either… and I know you’re going to do internet searches for chords and tabs. So since you’re going to do it anyway, you might as well do it right. And that’s where this video comes in:
Links in the video (all will try and open in a new window):
If you have trouble with the video you can download the mp4 version of it by right clicking here and choosing “Save As…” or something similar depending on your browser.
56 replies to "Those Ugly Internet Tabs…"
Great stuff and approach!IMHO caveat emptor on the sheet music, digital media anyway. The sheet music a site has available may vary by recording artist or the person holding the rights I suppose. For example Born Under a Bad Sign, the Cream version sheet music by Cream or later Clapton versions seems well hidden somewhere and I can’t find except in internet tab form. I’ve been able to find (guitar tabbed anyway) of this is by Booker T. Jones and William Bell which is very different than the Cream or later Clapton versions. So, as most things go caveat emptor or let the buyer beware even with the sheet music.
FWIW I like http://www.freehandmusic.com selection and price ($1.25 for most sheet music digital downloads) and their viewer installs and works great in Wine under Linux’s and works great where most viewers (which are not standard it seems) are entirely MS Windoze or MAC (Apple) based.
I like just about everything about you and your instructions. I like the way you
communicate and come across with us. You seem to be a real down to earth person that really enjoys sharing all of your musical knowledge and experience. You come across as an instructor that really wants to see his students succeed.For those reasons, I really enjoy your instructional videos. Now if I could only apply myself to your instructions I know my guitar playing would progress more than it is now. Anyhow Griff, thank you for your down to earth instructions and encouragement, and keep up the good professional work.
Griff
I handle publicity for Hamilton Loomis…thanks for running his photo on your Facebook ad…why not arrange an interview with him?
Thanks for this video and everything else you do, Griff. You are one of my favorite instructors. Like you said, I like to start with someones tab as an aid, but I find that writing out the song myself really helps me nail it. Can you tell me what software you use to make your great looking tabs? I have the ones you mention, but none have (or I have not discovered) the flexibility to add headings, chord boxes, and lyrics.
Thanks so much,
Johnny
Hey Griff – nice vid! Songsterr is kinda nice for getting a real quick riff to an easy song. But (IMO!) even though they have a nice format, I end-up wasting my time looking at their scores…it’s basically the same junk you get from ultimate guitar and the other free sites. There are a few good sites that now have the official tabbs for $1, so I just do that now. It’s not worth my time hunting down all the crappy stuff to save a buck! My fav is http://www.UnitedWeTab.com but guitarinsturctor.com has stuff too in case anyone is interested.
Great video. Took me a long time to view but well worth the wait. As always your willingness to help us hapless is very much appreciated. Thanks.
Thanks Grif! A font of knowledge as always.
Great video! I always use ultimate guitar and know what you mean! Their is also different versions of each song. If the highest rated one is wrong, I always check the rest. One of them is usually a bit more accurate. I also have a book with the pride and joy tab, and none of those where correct!
The one was close, but not right. Thanks for all you do for your students and people subscribed to your emails!
Griff
Thanks for this, it is very much appreciated.
Alan
Hi Griff,
I am one of your fan and any mail that comes from you not only i watched but i saved on my Gmail archived. I got to tell you any one you introduce make sure you know him well. You introduced Bob Murnhan and we watched his intro video and he promote his pentatonic course with all sorts of guarantees. I bought the course and i found this is just a waste of my time. When you send him the email asking your money back he would not just reply.
Please don’t promote any one that you don’t trust it hurts you reputation as well.
Moniz
Hi Griff, Hope you feel better, sux to be sick during the holidays. I ran into this problem researching tabs and chords. I’ve been to ultimate-guitar and I think they are pretty good. The others I will check out at a later time. Thanks for the video, hope you feel better real soon. Happy New Year!!!!
Copyrighted tabs are also usually just “someone else’s interpretation” of a song. It’s not like they’re tabbed out by the artists themselves. I’ve paid for plenty of sheet music and tabs and have rarely been satisfied with what I paid for. A lot of times they just show the chords and/or full barre chord tabs rather than power chords and short cuts. The free tabs are often more accurate (some based or or copied brom the copyrighted tabs). And one should remember that there are different ways to play the same song. Try what works best for you. I’ve been disappointed with Hal Leanard stuff in particular.
Griff… hope you can follow along with my rambling and understand my question(s) here.
I seem to be missing the boat when it comes to identifying the correct tempo of the tune I am trying to learn… unless it is noted in the tablature which, is not always the norm.
Along with that, I might be able to learn a song but, if I have the backing track available 1. In order to use that backing track, I have to be able to play well enough to play at that tempo. 2. If I want to play said tune at a different tempo, I can’t use the backing track.
Example:
Your Solo 1 – Funk Blues in G (Soloing w/o Scales) DOES note the tempo as 124 bpm. As a newbie, one can’t play with the backing track provided until they can play the tune at 124 bpm….
I find that playing this tune slower sounds very good (to me)… but, by doing so, I can’t use the backing track.
And lastly, how does one identify the tempo of a backing track? If I learn a tune in E that plays at a 124 bpm tempo and want to try the same tune in the key of A, how would I identify the right backing track to use in such a situation?
Am I in an “Oh, well… learn to play faster” situation? Speed comes with practice and learning to play correctly is more important than learning to play fast so, I can’t see that being the right response. Is there some software out there that can change the tempo of a backing track without distorting the overall tune?
Do I have to make my own backing tracks to fit my situation? I can see this as the best alternative down the road but seems like a distraction in the early stages of learning to play.
Any suggestions?
Once again Excellent info Griff!
Griff…..1st and foremost..Happy Holiday to you and your loved ones..excellent information in your Vid..appreciate it ..Being a long term Robin Trower fan.(he will be playing Atlanta..Feb 5)..I will be seeing him for the umteenth time:-)..and a self taught guitarist..(been playing for over 40 yrs now)..I noticed on his stuff they dont convey that he plays everything in D tuning meaning he has dropped the whole sound down 1 full step..so if “fellow” players try to imitate his sound without that knowledge it becomes hard to do….also it allows for a heavier string for tone and still have the slack in the string to be able to manhandle the vibrato and bigtime pulls…that are important in the feel and sound….thanks again Griff..you are first class..keep on crankin…
Hi Griff,
First off, A Very Merry Christmas and A Fruitful New Year to you and your family. Learning how to read guitar tabs is great and I’ve been collecting the different tabs of many popular songs until I stopped one day and wondered how it could help me learn how to really play guitar. It seems that the more I collect the tabs I wanted to learn how to play the more I become too dependent on them and forgot my guitar theory.
Thanks for the video Griff.Your a fantastic teacher.Wishing you and the family a Merry CHRISTMAS&ALL THE BEST FOR THE NEW YEAR====cheers
Here is a great website (I have nothing to do with it) it is called “United We Tab”.
http://www.unitedwetab.com/ All the tabs are legal and the artists get paid for the tabs. Most of them cost about .99 US and some are a bit more.
Good article on tabs though. Thanks, for all of your articles, they are great!
Cheers,
Jeff
Thank you Jeff!
Thanks for the useful tips, Griff. I’d heard of most of the sites, except songsterr. That looks interesting! Christmas is pretty much over, now, but, I hope you feel better soon.
Your Christian musician friend,
Don
Grif your guitar course is great. I have learned more in a week than i have learned in 2yrs. of my teen years. thank you merrychristmas and get well soon.
Griff,
You are truly a giving,caring Man and I thank you for that..
Happy HOLIDAYS.. Herb
Thanks Griff for the video very helpful merry christmas to you and all the family.
HI griff,
Thanks for the info and video on tabs. As you know i’ve been playing the guitar now for over 40 yrs and grew up in a band in the late sixties / early seventies where you were constantly buying sheet music to songs, album books with words direct from the artist, and tabs just as they played it! Rubbish!!! Anyone reading this letter take my advice stick with Griff’s PLAYING THE BLUES learn all the scales the different boxes and then most of all practice the simple basics and soon you’ll be able to learn youself by listening to the records and even watching the greats on video or internet and see where they are on the neck, what key their playing in and by the gift of playback and slow down nail as near as damded the lead breaks and then put your own personality on the song. Griff has not paid me ant uk sterling us bucks for this I’m just trying to to save you good people out their the tremendous frustration of trying to learn the guitar and sound good by tabs.
Everybody have a good time over the holiday period
phil
england
Thx Griff ! I’ve been serching for tab sites w/out a lot of success. Very informative vidio. You’ve helped a lot,thx for te Christmas gift 🙂
You’re positively right about those sent in tabs, anyway thanks and have a very merry Christmas .
Thanks Griff, your a Great Guy!
Have and a Fantastic Christmas……
good video, thanx for the tip on songsterr…keep up the great job…
How much did Songsterr pay you to tell us about their site?
I am an 80 year old guitar player who has played guitar since I was 16, but did not understand a lot of what I was doing,it just sounded good or bad. I played in the honky tonks for many years and had a good time at it,but now just pick at home for me. Your site has taught me a lot about reasons for this or that and has been great.I thank you very much and wish you a verry Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. God Bless. Denny
Thanks for this. Your videos are great and I always learn something valuable.
Best wishes for Christmas and New Year. Hope your cold gets better soon.
Cheers, Guntis.
Griff,I could receive no sound with video.
Merry Christmas.
WOW thank you, this is a lot of great info.
Happy Holidays!
I miss OLGA.
E-Boston
For those with an iPad, there’s an app for that called TabToolKit. I don’t have an iPad, but looks useful from the website (no affiliation). I don’t know if it can nicely display the ugly TABs found online. http://agilepartners.com/apps/tabtoolkit/
Hi Griff,great video and i agree with you about lots of tabs being wrong but it’s great knowing that lots of guitar players try to find the best stuff and sites,hope your cold goes away and you have a great holiday with your family,thanks for all your emails and keep up the good work
Frank-scotland
Griff – What do you think of CHORDIE.COM for lyrics, cord options etc.?
I like it because it does not force you onto sales sites or required personal data to get some basic information. Well, some listings are poorly written, but it is free.
Great stuff Griff! I pray that your throat will hold up for the holidays! Still working through SWS and BBG and getting better every day! Thanks so much for all you do for us!
Thanks and Merry Christmas!
Crow
hi Griff,
Thanks for the useful info in the video.I also use tux guitar(free.)You can follow notation,tab and also see the fingering on a fretboard.But I do like the look of the Songsterr site.Still working through Soloing Without Scales and loving it.
Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas.
Hi Griff.
Great video thanks for it.Hope you feel better soon.Wishing you and your family a safe and happy holiday season.
Jim Sinclair
Chillawack B.C.
Canada.
Thanks, Griff! You’re a gentle and generous teacher.
Now, if I could just find a decent tab for a great old, mostly unnoticed blues song by Creedence: Penthouse Pauper. Unusual changes work great!
I’ll tour the sites you offered.
Also, I really miss the former Chordhouse site, which used to offer instant guitar or piano notation and tab, visible and hearable, instantly able to alter the tunings, show chords and arpeggios, or call up any of numerous modes. It must have been sold to a commercial concern which has none of the free helpful stuff of before.
Have great holidays!
Thank you for the info on the TABS. I am still learning the basics. Through the last two years I have looked at at least ten on line sites and have found yous to be the most informative. I have not purchased any DVD’s from you as yet, but my order will be there soon. As I have other gifts to buy before I indulge in myself.
Thank again, and a very Merry Christmas to you and your family this Holiday season
Dave Abell
Griff, thanks do much for taking the time to put together this video. It is so very helpful. Merry Christmas to you and you family.
I’ve used PowerTab for several years now and you certainly can play the scores, albeit in a nasty, tinny Midi format. There’s a basic metronome/ clicktrack included too.
But thanks for the heads-up on Songsterr; I’ll check it out.
Have a great Christmas, Griff.
Great info Griff, thanks. I actually have been going to ultimate-guitar, so it’s good to know about which are the good ones, etc. Happy Holidays!
I remember the Beatles tab books and how they had to change the key to publish them, so you had to transpose to play with the record. I believe it was a legal thing thats why the wrote songs in wrong key… I through me off a bit having to transpose each note to play along with the album… I bet they still do some of that stuff today.
I enjoyed your web tour and how well you explained it to each type of tab, the new electronic musicians know that new tab type from the midi player software they use… Sure has changed in the last 40 or so years, when I started to play.
Great stuff, Griff!! Your tips and lessons have taught me a lot of things that has helped my guitar playing. I’ve only been playing 18 months, but I enjoy receiving your emails. Thanks and Merry Christmas!
You are so right, Griff! I’ve been playing for 37 years now and I’ve used internet tabs for over 13 of those years. I was surprised at the variety of websites back in the day. But over time, they slowly disappeared. Usually with a pop up stating copyright infringement, blah, blah, blah. At least Ultimate Guitar Tab is still available!
Most (if not all) of the tabs are wrong to some degree. A few years back I wanted to learn “Go all the way” by the Raspberries. The tab I found (actually all of them) had this weird finger stretch at the beginning riff. I thought there’s no way Wally Bryson pulled that stretch easily. I went to trusty youtube and pulled the video with them playing live. It was totally different than any tab. It was easy to do. Tell your students to study the actual band (if they can find a video of them playing live). The pros play with economy in mind not with strange four fret stretches!
Hi Griff – Thanks for this and all of the other stuff posted. Have a great holiday!
Thanks for the tips Griff. Viewers might also like to know about TuxGuitar. It is open source (freely available) and it can read Powertab and guitarpro tabs as well.
http://tuxguitar.herac.com.ar/ check out the features and downloaded it.
Hi Griff,
Great lesson, I didn’t know about Songster. I do have the latest version of the Guitar Pro software, I absolutley love it. They have made some major improvements in the latest version. The sound controls are easier and made to look like your actual equiptment, so it helps you set up your amps and pedals and stuff. I highly recommend this program for anyone trying to learn songs from tab. It will allow you to loop play any part or all of the song, at whatever speed you want, and you can even set it to get faster with each repeat. It will even open Power Tab tabs if you can’t find the song you want in GP format.
Speaking of tabs, I found a website that has a collection of like 55,000 tabs that you can download for free. Well it’s free as a bonus after spending $15 on thier fretboard memory system, which is quite ingenius and is worth the asking price. I have been able to find many songs in this collection that I wanted to learn. Like any collection of tabs though, not all of them are complete or accurate, but all in all I have been very satisfied with what I recieved for the money. The website is http://www.tabguitarlessons.com/
I hope this helps.
Jeffrey
Great info Griff. Merry Christmas!
I have to agree. Most of the stuff out there is inaccurate at best. Some do give you a basic overview, but you have to tweak them to correct them. They do allow you to post corrections, but does anyone really ever do that? The same goes for GuitarPro and the music or riffs they post. In addition, the music doesn’t sound very natural. It too is good only for getting a basic idea of the song and it’s up to you to fill in the blanks or make the corrections. Some of the sites do provide a table that you can use to decipher the shorthand included in the tabs.
Nice vid! I’m a fairly new guitarist but I grew up playing piano and have a good ear. Tabs were a huge frustration for me for the first year and that’s when I stumbled across Songsterr (last year). Killer site! It took me a while to get used to the dorky midi sound, but it makes more sense since you can hear it as it is in a tonal sense.
Thanks for the upload 2 days before Christmas. We all love your dedication!
Cheers,
Paul
Hi Griff,
Hope that throat gets better quickly. Not fun playing with the kids when its difficult to speak.
Thank you for the video. It was very helpful. We have the same problems this side of the pond!
Andrew
Great video Griff!
I’ve searched for tabs quite a lot online, and always end up at the same places as you point out, I just didn’t know why – now I do. I’ve also been fortunate to end up at Songsterr a couple of times and found it to be a great help and as you stated, much more accurate. I’m still working through your DVD’s and a couple of Marty’s as well, the bends are getting better, but dang if it’s not the equivalent of an ‘expert art’ to set the string height properly and do them without getting sounds from unwanted strings. Not to mention palm muting is a must! Anyway, I’m getting off track….lol. Thanks again for being such a great teacher and I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas!
Mike in Memphis (a.k.a. blues52).
http://www.berkleepress.com/catalog/product?product_id=19701898&category_id=4