accurate tabs
I've been a subscriber for a few years now. In general, I love the site, love Neil, love the lessons, etc. I have had a recurrent frustration with many lessons when the tabs don't reflect what Neil is doing on the video. The videos can at times be hard to see or hear exactly what he is doing - and it frustrates me to no end when the tab only partially mirrors what Neil is doing. As case in point is the Landslide lesson. The chord solo tab does not show what Neil is doing - so I have spent the better part of a day trying to create my own tab to what he is playing. I have done this too many times over the years and I fail to see why an excellent teacher like Neil, on an excellent site like this, puts out a half-assed tab that reflects, at best, 90% of what Neil is doing. For the Landslide lesson, it would not take that much more effort to put out a tab that shows a basic fingerpicking pattern - accurately - and then the more complicated pattern that Neil uses. I feel like I am paying for a premium site - and in my mind, that should include accurate tabs. I am sure there is value to me listening to what is being played and trying to come up with the tab myself - but I can do that on free or cheap sites if I want to do that. I joined TG for the quality of the lessons - and accurate tabs - and a big reason I would quit the site would be the inaccurate tabs.
By acccurate, I mean what Neil is playing on his instructional video - he is playing and teaching one structured version of a song -he doesn't generally do an extended jam. When I am trying to learn to play guitar by emulating what he is doing, I'd like a "roadmap" that accurately reflects what he is doing. When his video lesson and his tab are are divergent as they are in Landslide - when he plays notes that are not included in his tab -, it makes it hard for me to follow what he is doing. Having an accurate tab is what would work best for me. When I hopefully am a better player, I may not need as much detail and guidance - but I do now.
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neverfoundthetime
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That would be 90%-assesd tab, then, strictly speaking.....puts out a half-assed tab that reflects, at best, 90% of what Neil is doing.
I haven't tried Landslide so I can't exactly feel your pain here, villageac. Agreed, it is sometimes hard to see exactly what's going on but I have always been able to work out with Neil's showing and talking in combination with the tab, what's going on.
I think you do have a point when you say you'd like to have the tab reflect exactly what's going on and Neil has his reasons for doing what he does... I'll let him answer for his misdemeanours
. You may find the odd gem of a song taught perfectly out on the web but the goldmine is definitely here at TG.I agree,,but,,i think the tabs are a sort of basic line we should begin with to learn after that when you(we) can dream it we can take other roads,,
They told me Pros never play it the same way,,its more the mood of the day how they play it at a time,
Willem
They told me Pros never play it the same way,,its more the mood of the day how they play it at a time,
Willem
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neverfoundthetime
- Posts: 48
- Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2009 2:14 pm
- Status: Offline
Ha, I know that stretch of grass Waters is referring to in Cambridge!
villageac
When I learned Landslide it was the first chord solo fingerpicking song I'd ever learnt, by that I mean I had nothing to compare it to, and that I was not a talented fingerpicker.
I realised that the play-through was one version and the tab reflects very closely the one way Neil played it that one morning. I can't share your frustration with the tab. Maybe it is a lesson you'd be better putting to one side and coming back to when you have more tunes under your belt.
Are you using guitar pro?
I can see that there would be frustration in trying to play what Neil's playing where there are notes not in the tab or vice versa. With guitar pro you can just refer to the general hand positions on the play-through but not need it for more than that and just play with guitar pro.
I have tried to learn from just PDF on another site, on that site the song i was learning had whole sections which aren't tabbed out, or they're played in another order and it's painful to try to join the dots yourself.
I've never had an experience even close to 'frustrating' when it comes to tabs here.
I know that's not what you want to hear but that's my honest experience.
Dean
When I learned Landslide it was the first chord solo fingerpicking song I'd ever learnt, by that I mean I had nothing to compare it to, and that I was not a talented fingerpicker.
I realised that the play-through was one version and the tab reflects very closely the one way Neil played it that one morning. I can't share your frustration with the tab. Maybe it is a lesson you'd be better putting to one side and coming back to when you have more tunes under your belt.
Are you using guitar pro?
I can see that there would be frustration in trying to play what Neil's playing where there are notes not in the tab or vice versa. With guitar pro you can just refer to the general hand positions on the play-through but not need it for more than that and just play with guitar pro.
I have tried to learn from just PDF on another site, on that site the song i was learning had whole sections which aren't tabbed out, or they're played in another order and it's painful to try to join the dots yourself.
I've never had an experience even close to 'frustrating' when it comes to tabs here.
I know that's not what you want to hear but that's my honest experience.
Dean
I think a point made many times by Neil is that this is an educational site not a TAB site and you need to take into account Neils entire package. I believe Neil is teaching us to be more individual and not clones of the many artists represented on this site. It has often been said in lessons try to make the tune your own.
Chasplaya wrote:
Now you have done it, villageac!! You have woke up the old man of TG. It's okay, Chas, take a sip of wine and go back to sleep.
Actually, Neil's tabs are very accurate. They do reflect the actual lesson. I have never had a problem with any of them. Neil's preview is one of the lesson segments that I enjoy most. It sometimes is different from the lesson and the tab, but to me it shows the "possibilities' of the song. Watch the lesson completely, then play it again with the tab in hand and follow along. I think you will be impressed, villageac.
Bill
I think a point made many times by Neil is that this is an educational site not a TAB site and you need to take into account Neils entire package. I believe Neil is teaching us to be more individual and not clones of the many artists represented on this site. It has often been said in lessons try to make the tune your own.
Now you have done it, villageac!! You have woke up the old man of TG. It's okay, Chas, take a sip of wine and go back to sleep.
Actually, Neil's tabs are very accurate. They do reflect the actual lesson. I have never had a problem with any of them. Neil's preview is one of the lesson segments that I enjoy most. It sometimes is different from the lesson and the tab, but to me it shows the "possibilities' of the song. Watch the lesson completely, then play it again with the tab in hand and follow along. I think you will be impressed, villageac.
Bill