Question regarding lessons in standard music staff notation.

[Stephen T]

Hi Brian,

I am a new member here and greatly appreciate that you provide the tablature for each lesson.

I see that you are also providing the lesson content in the video breakdown in regular music staff notation with the tablature below.

However, I don’t see where that is available for download.

As a long time piano player prior to starting to learn the guitar, I find the combined view of music staff notation on top with tablature below super helpful.

Is there any way that we can obtain that for each lesson as a printable download?

Stephen

[Bob S]

Stephen,
On the bottom right of the Soundslice view there is an icon that looks like a gear. If you click on that, there is an option to print the Soundslice view which includes the standard notation.
Bob

[Stephen T]

Thanks very much, Bob.

It hadn’t occurred to me to press that button looking to print.

Works perfectly!

Stephen

[Marty V]

I’m kind of tempted to suggest you break away from musical notation for learning the guitar (unless you’re going to play classical guitar). Tab takes into account the specificity of guitar-playing that notation. A big part of what Brian teaches is how to see the inherent patterns that are available on the fretboard.

Anyway, just food for thought.

[charjo]

Marty, I agree that tab is very useful and specific to guitar and, also, agree that it reinforces fretboard patterns. The limitation is that it discourages having to learn note names and identifying them on the fretboard. I think most guitar players are guilty of not knowing all the note names on the fretboard. Music notation reinforces note names. I am finding that knowing note names, and manipulating intervals in my mind,is becoming helpful in thinking in keys, chord progressions, chord structure, locating triads and inversions, shell voicings, finding chord tones, extending and switching scales across the fretboard. I think notation is a great combination with tab. It all helps reinforce the big picture.
John

[sunburst]

I like a bit of everything,,like an oraganized toolbox, the right tool for the right job.. of coarse the ultimate all in one tool is playing off the cuff// having everything memorized..patterns chords notes..and a feel for many different techniques and genres.. so no doubt it is better to rely on any tool that is available especially for beginners, (most of are beginners) my gosh, last night before I fell asleep was watching the late Danny Gaton teach,, he simple was a natural! but i’m not going to paste all the videos here,, the more I watched what a homeboy he really was,into his cars and old country home,, he was just incredibly gifted.Like so many famous players back than who had no youtube free tabs instructionals etc.. It is a gift to learn and what you put into learning is a gift too.. Got so many great lessons to practice,, each stacks on top of the next one and visa verse,, the next lesson stacks on top the last one.. I just know eventually I’ll have that multitool for when and if I ever feel like jamming out with a live band. Right now I feel very comfortable and relaxed just practicing and it is fun! If it weren’t fun, I would be fishing or hiking more and playing less! lol cheers! now back to a few am hours practice before a hike!

[Marty V]

charjo wrote:

Marty, I agree that tab is very useful and specific to guitar and, also, agree that it reinforces fretboard patterns. The limitation is that it discourages having to learn note names and identifying them on the fretboard. I think most guitar players are guilty of not knowing all the note names on the fretboard. Music notation reinforces note names. I am finding that knowing note names, and manipulating intervals in my mind,is becoming helpful in thinking in keys, chord progressions, chord structure, locating triads and inversions, shell voicings, finding chord tones, extending and switching scales across the fretboard. I think notation is a great combination with tab. It all helps reinforce the big picture.
John

Heh, actually you make a pretty good case!

I kind of wish I was more methodical about this, but it just doesn’t suit me (maybe that’s why I don’t make much progress? 😉

I will say though that, because guitars can be tuned differently, the note names are not as important. If you get deeper into the CAGED system, you learn where some or all the note numbers — R/I ii iii IV V vi VII — are within the scale patterns. It’s more efficient than learning the names of all the individual notes up and down the fretboard.

So I do believe that yes, if you’re able to do it, combining both worlds is probably the best way to go. Since Stephen T is coming from the piano world, he might be interested in seeing guitar from this different perspective.

[sunburst]

I win when I practice what is here every time I log in to the site, regardless who monitors or forum thoughts/intuitions/etc. Any multi tool as I explained if much of help..Brian’s site as with other paid sites are very good for practice and without question the premium memberships for each site.. currently,I’m on two premium membership sites and making decent progress along with the freebies I have been privileged to use without a fee,, yes plenty of free sites with awesome tutorials! The time to practice is what makes progress .especially with the multi tool theory I explained.A premium membership doesn’t do no good unless one understands why it is a premium service and what it takes to utilize premium services. Many talk the walk on the forums,but unless they walk the talk ,,who can tell if it’s this way or that in theory? I heard too many like this,, saying ,it is same thing or better try this way that way i done try my way etc,,.. fact of the matter and especially the blues(it;s from the soul)! ALBEIT, when watching Brian’s INSIDE premium membership..I GET more what he offers within the premium membership for the modest donation /plus a free tee shirt lol..time to get practicing.cheers!

[sunburst]

charjo wrote:

Marty, I agree that tab is very useful and specific to guitar and, also, agree that it reinforces fretboard patterns. The limitation is that it discourages having to learn note names and identifying them on the fretboard. I think most guitar players are guilty of not knowing all the note names on the fretboard. Music notation reinforces note names. I am finding that knowing note names, and manipulating intervals in my mind,is becoming helpful in thinking in keys, chord progressions, chord structure, locating triads and inversions, shell voicings, finding chord tones, extending and switching scales across the fretboard. I think notation is a great combination with tab. It all helps reinforce the big picture.
John

Wonder how Jimmy Hendrix would responded to this forum? And so many self taught..things I’ve witnessed here are not theoretical as they are to commitment.. Never before has the internet machine provided less the shortest rt. for guitarists at any skill level. And it will get easier for any guitar enthusiast going forward. I feel pretty I’m making good with my latest practice sessions! Just have to put the practice time and more importantly enjoy the practice time.. it certainly is no race or sport..it is a passion and desire that makes progress.

[charjo]

Hey John,
I can’t imagine anyone on this site is more committed to learning guitar or gets more joy out of practice than you, and your progress has been remarkable. All I’m saying is that different people have different learning styles. I’m a details guy, I like to know what’s behind what I’m doing. I think any way I can relate to the fretboard is an asset and makes learning easier for me in the long run. Why drag Jimi into this? He was a once in a lifetime genius. I understand he always regretted not being able to read music. If he survived I bet he would have been studying jazz theory with Miles Davis.
John

[sunburst]

John, the point I thought mentioning Hendrix was just that, he was genius and never read music or tab,,as did so many remarkable artists. It is the passion for the music,, but agree it is best to study and acknowledge what we play especially knowing it is readily available online,, I recently starting looking at the staff notes in relation to the timing as I also use the tab primarily, so I can get use to both and watching and listening to Brian’s tips.. I also try to learn theory anytime I see something to digest.. studying Jazz is great but I only learn what I enjoy practicing.. Some times I try too advanced for my skill level and back off knowing it is too difficult right now,, but as I advance,I go back and try it again if It is something I want to learn. I think too much is too little,, too difficult or advanced isn’t fun.. for example I can’t enjoy or see it fun trying heavy metal shredding..I know I ‘ll never want to play it cause it don’t do it for me..I do like some fast progressive rock tunes I use to listen to in my younger days,, I enjoy fast country even though i don’t listen to country yet I learning some fast chicken picking ,,bluegrass delta ..a bit of slide bit of jazz rock blues,,….just so much to learn ..so think learning how to read both tab and staff and practicing a bit of each genre like what Brian is doing here on his site is a good thing! John there is absolutely nothing wrong with being detailed, I think we all strive for the same goals, But my point is that we do it for fun,,if practicing something becomes frustrating,I stop and start practicing something I enjoy and is pleasing to listen to.. the only time I do shredding is for exercise otherwise but much prefer a melodic rhythm ballards delta blues..pretty much everything going on here at AM. Enjoy!

[Bob S]

I was going to chime in on this one earlier, but didn’t get around to it. Lot’s of valid points.

I wanted to respond because I saw Marty’s response and I had just finished working on a Charlie Christian solo in standard notation (no tab).

I mostly learned to read notation about five years ago when I took up piano, so it kind of fit the original post. The piano opened up a lot of theory to me because of its lay out.

So to Marty’s original post about tab and shapes. I played guitar for many years using only tab and the pentatonic boxes. But as the music got more complex, I realized that I was playing notes without understanding why I was playing them. If your are just trying to play a written piece it doesn’t matter. But if you are trying to understand and improvise it does matter. It seemed a bit like learning to paint with paint by numbers. So in following on John’s (Charjo) post, to me the standard notation, coupled with some theory, connects the lines with the underlying harmony and makes some sense of the whole thing. But I don’t want to get rid of tab!

But I will say I have more theory in my head than I can put to use. Following on John’s (Sunburst) post, it all comes down to practice. We have to find ways to put what ever system we choose into use. We all learn in different manners, and there is no right way to get there. As Sunburst alluded to, it all comes out in the playing.

Bob

[Marty V]

I wish I had more theory in my head! I mean, I do have quite a lot, but I find it very difficult to make it come out through my fingers. Fortunately for me, I’m not playing jazz — because yes, I think even more than classical, jazz requires a much more thorough knowledge of what you’re playing. Perhaps that’s why certain people are drawn to this type of music?

I wonder if players like Hendrix (since he’s been dragged into this) didn’t have an innate ability to understand a lot of these concepts? But it should also be pointed out that Hendrix put in his time as a guitar player — he didn’t come from nowhere, but already had a pretty long career in the r&b world before breaking out at Monterrey.

[sunburst]

I think Hendrix as with hundreds of the most famed guitarists of our time just had a passion to play. And by his example not being able to site read staff or tab notations and yet play so amazing as if he did know all the notes is pretty incredible. As for learning jazz, I enjoyed just learning basic 7th chords inversions 6ths 9ths 11th 13th octaves altered chords etc, so much we can share but can’t think i’d like to dig deep into those difficult advanced jazz lessons at my skill level.. I do enjoy basic and easy ,,what is categorized here for jazz,, I can relate and know the basic simple jazz chords. Charjo, I highly recommend basic jazz ebook I purchased a few seasons ago..but plenty of free stuff on youtube too. I need to practice more jazz basics too.When you get into jazz you end up moving into another time consuming genre.. as with the spanish flamenco guitar style with all those incredibly techniques.. and other fingerstyle genres.. only possible way to get some is in small doses.. by being too detailed you may commit all you life long for just one particular genre. Okay today no work so will cook lasagna practice some Miles Davis Pat Martino lol.. just kidding! Although I am trying that George Benson tab I saved from youtube..”breezin” really is a lot of notes,, and the octave section is new and fun to try getting smooth.. it ain’t no easy breezin if it isn’t fun practice..so I put it down after a bit of practice save the rest for another time.. eventually I get the tune and develop from the experience. I pretty sure this is what it is all about! cheers!

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