I Stopped Using Guitar Tabs 10 Years Ago (Should You Stop, Too?)

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

How do you go about playing along to songs? Do you feel completely dependent on tabs? Leave a comment and let me know! P.S. If you want to learn to play guitar by ear the way I do, check out my course Listen & Play: andrewclarkeguitar.com/p/listen-play

[@Alex_U]

Hi, Andrew! Is there a way to buy your course if I’m from Russia?

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

@@Alex_U I use Teachable to host my course. I believe it will all work no problem in Russia. Did you try using the checkout here? sso.teachable.com/secure/1956366/checkout/5362254/listen-play

[@mathiasohlson6265]

Play by ear to see if I can do it. Then check tabs to see if I was right, or some part I couldn't figure out 😊

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

@@mathiasohlson6265 That's an awesome strategy!!

[@eeturastas2318]

​@@andrewclarkeguitarHello. I'm new to you on your channel . I watch to you the videos because I want to learn theory , because I want to be master and I want to learn playing the guitar heavy metal and thrash metal . 😅😅 I'm played the guitar 5 years😅

[@keys3807]

I already can play by ear but would love to learn more, I'm happy to see you starting to make courses, will be getting it and hopefully see more courses in the future. Cheering for you!

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Thanks! I'm working on another one that should come out later this year. Appreciate the kind words ☺🙏

[@jtwashere59]

When I started playing, I didn't know tabs existed & I'm SO glad I didn't! Learn the songs by ear... it will accelerate your progress ways tabs can't. Also, the "tier" way of learning a song by ear that Andrew describes is great. But if the song is at all complex (or you're new at this), I find going from macro-to-micro in the following way (roughly) works really well: (mostly) away from the instrument…. Listen once thru & "feel" it (like a regular person) Listen again for key, structure & chord progression. OR If you want to add ear training to the process (a superpower), try to ID the chords in your head first, using a number system (ie: 1-6m-4-5 Write out a chord chart (with or without the lyrics) Check it against an existing chord chart (ie ultimate guitar or e-chord) & adjust accordingly Pick up your instrument & note the details. Learn it, practice it, rehearse it, have FUN with it!

[@TouchscreamPresents]

Would you have any advice on better identifying when a song is being played in a different tuning?

[@trinerd]

Man, you make it look so easy.

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Thanks! It always depends how complex the song is. But most of the time the process looks almost exactly like this.

[@tw0pointoh654]

I only use tab when I find a weird song where the tonic isn't the I chord. Which happens sometimes. I was just trying to figure out the harmony of Anti-Hero by TayTay (which is all synth, no guitar) but the progression is A,E,B,C#m so IV, I, V, vi. And it's not like little pickup IV either. It's a tonic IV. If you decide the A is the tonic, you might eff around for 45 minutes like I did trying to find that B until you look up a chart. 😂

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Ahaha, yes. Songs based on the modes become more challenging for sure. Which is why I don't like to use the "listen for the tonic" method for finding the key.

[@cleangoblin2021]

Im still getting back to playing at 32. I noticed that there can be lots of mistakes using tabs but nothing cant be fixed by listening in slowmo. Ill learn by ear maybe before 35 haha. Right now, i prioritize enjoyment and singing

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Nothing wrong with that. Take your time :)

[@Matt_Barkley]

(Tabs are accurate) Man that definitely wasn't true back in the early internet days, even official tab books pre-internet weren't very good.

[@DavidOakesMusic]

Worse than TAB was PVG. Which was ultra basic versions notated for Piano Vocal and Guitar. I saw a version of Wonderwall that was F#m A. E ( not even sus4 ) and Bm.

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Hahaha, I didn't have to deal with the pre-internet era, thankfully. But back in the early '00s it was SO bad 😂

[@slayter0]

@@andrewclarkeguitarPre-internet I subscribed to guitar mags (which did well with tabs) but you never knew what you were going to get. So, learning by ear was pretty standard for most of us. Guess that’s one of the downsides of technology-the decline of relying upon one’s self to learn or solve problems. But there’s sooooo many upsides as well 😂😂😂

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

@@slayter0 Ah, I remember the old magazines with the tabs. I had a Guitar World subscription back in the day. But yeah, upsides and downsides to both 😂

[@srujayt]

Hey Andrew, I've been practicing scales(I'm comfortable in playing notes from natural minor, major and mapping them across the fretboard) but what I'm struggling is making the solo sound melodic or 'apt' to the song or make fillers that fit the song. I've looked up videos where they say to target the root, 3rd or 5th notes of that chord progression but I'm struggling with that. I've seen almost every video from your all lessons in order playlist (honestly thank you so much for that, those videos helped me out a lot in understanding a lot of things) Can you suggest how I can improve on this issue? Cheers

[@srujayt]

Another thing is can you suggest what all scale shapes are like the minimum requirement that i need to know and then what shapes I can learn later? Or is the minor pentatonic(which is included in the natural scale that I'm can play well up and down the scale) all I need? Sometimes I feel that I should probably learn more scales and sometimes I just feel like I'm not bringing out all the potential in this scale (since i suck at making phrases? if that's the correct word)

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Hey! Basically, all the scales you'll ever use stem from the major scale, meaning that they follow the EXACT same pattern, just starting from different points. Becoming more medolic comes mostly from feeling comfortable moving around the scale, and being able to connect all those scales around the fretboard. I think I need to make a separate lesson on this topic. Most of the time, I'm not thinking too hard about chord tones and really just flowing between all the major scale shapes and listening to how they interact with the chords I'm playing over.

[@kez375]

my problem is that even when i know what the chords are and i understand the tabs i still take months and months to try to learn a song and then still can't play it.....

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

If this is the case, it sounds like you might be trying to learn songs that are a little too far beyond your current skillset. I'd suggest spending more time working on songs that are a little easier, just so you can get your reps in. You can keep chipping away at the more complex stuff at the same time, but if you're taking that long to learn something, it's probably slowing down your overall progress.

[@kez375]

@@andrewclarkeguitar Thanks for the advise.

[@jtwashere59]

Stay away from tabs. They can stop you from internalize the song.

[@larryhagman3543]

I think that this mode of “learn by ear” is achievable by most people because it relies a great deal on a solid understanding of how music in your chosen genre is constructed. It’s like cooking. Once you have enough experience and knowledge you can replicate many different dishes and make up meals from what’s left in the fridge. TAB is like having the recipe on hand. For those few truly gifted people who were born with perfect pitch the road is easier but most of us can put an edible meal on the table given a strong will to learn and sufficient time to practice (read experiment). So the skills come with plenty of experimentation and a healthy dose of music theory will definitely speed up the process. And remember to get to good you have to pass through mediocre. This involves a lot of sounding terrible. It will take many months and years to get good. Then the TAB only comes in with the fiddly bits.

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Totally agree with all of this. Great analogy.

[@larryhagman3543]

@@andrewclarkeguitar Thanks Andrew. Forgot to add. Great work on your channel. Thanks for all your hard work. Feel free to use the cooking analogy. I actually came up with it while writing the comment and the more I think about it the more apt it is. 🤟

[@riklionheart23]

Accurate chord sheets for a song/piece of music are the goto for me. From that starting point I can quickly improvise a guitar part using triads, chord inversions and the relevant scales. I do attempt to work it out by ear, but though it has improved over the years, my pitch accuracy has been my achilles heel. I’ve tried some ear training courses but get frustrated with them - something to persevere with. Often at jam sessions, I will ask the person who starts a song if they know the key, just before they start. That gives me the key to the jam door. Some musicians are happy to tell you, if they know but unfortunately there are the snobby types who feel like you should be able to work it out yourself. Never liked playing with that type of musician.

[@ared18t]

What song is that?

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Seasons Change by Zorro

[@SimonGTO1992]

Hey Andrew, speaking of tabs, I'm learning this song by Cannons - bad dream. I can figure out the ending part it's like a small scale that repeats. I'm trying not to rely on tabs. I'm pretty sure it's in the key of D, but I tried multiple ways and can't figure the ending. If you could help me out. Thank you

[@mabblers]

Nice!

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Thanks for watching! :)

[@subwayscientist4739]

I use AI apps to isolate guitar tracks so it's easier to figure out without all the noise.

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

That's a great way to do things! Which Apps do you use?

[@patrickganess8557]

Thank you yours ears is very well trained.whats the secret?

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Lots of practice mostly. And then just as long as you follow the correct methods, it's very doable for just about anyone. I teach the concepts in a few videos on my channel and the full method in my course Listen & Play.

[@patrickganess8557]

@@andrewclarkeguitar thank you for your response

[@DavidOakesMusic]

Yes... If I can't work something out by ear - I'd rather watch a video of someone playing it so i can copy them. TAB would be the LAST resort for me.

[@Matt_Barkley]

I like the videos where people put the tabs on the screen while playing. I would have killed to have that option back when I first started.

[@crouchjump5787]

@@Matt_Barkley To me, Visual repetition of notes without knowing their functions can be problematic - because if you stop playing the song for a while , or want to alter it - you’ll have it forgotten before you actually internalise it.

[@Matt_Barkley]

@@crouchjump5787 It works for me, other people can do what works for them. It's kind of a compromise between watching someone play something and a straight up lesson on the song.

[@khudson4901]

Get a music teacher. Learn music theory, forms, patterns, scales, chords, etc. Then learn songs. A lot, all kinds. It really doesn't matter what instrument you play. Someone is going to ask you to play a song through completion. If you want to play with a touring artist, you most through know their work, as well how to read music. Standard stuff for musicians. To get gigs, no wants to hear scales all night. You must know the popular songs to get the gig, and keep the audience engaged. Tab may be useful when learning difficult licks, but you still have to play it correctly, otherwise you sound fake.

[@andrewclarkeguitar]

Good suggestions!

[@Name-bo4ox]

Should i get music teacher?