Guitar Music Notation

Is learning how to read music notation rather than just sticking with guitar tablature really necessary?

Lately I haven’t really been doing much actual playing on my guitar, but instead I’ve started trying to learn how to read music notation rather than just tabs. My boyfriend tells me that it’s just a waste of time, but I’m really not sure of what to think. I’m kinda in the middle at the moment. Any advice?

I agree with Gene. First off, the more ways you learn to think about music, the better a musician you’ll be. Second, professional gigs NEVER hand you a tab sheet, only standard notation. If you read only tab you are considered an amateur. Third, standard notation actually gives you more info than tab, in a more readable and compact way. It’s a bit harder to than tab when you first start out, but once you can read standard notation you’ll never want to go back to tab.

That said, what really counts is your overall musicianship. I’ve met plenty of people who can read anything and are helpless without sheet music. That’s just as bad as only being able to read tab. And I’ve known great players who don’t get called for reading gigs.

The “ultimate” guitarist has great technique, a great ear, lots of tunes under his or her belt, and the ability to read standard notation OR tab OR play without ANY music.

1 FUNDAMENTAL GUITAR SKILLS: Learn Standard Music Notation

Guitar Reading Workbook $12.34 Learn to read standard music notation on the guitar with this easy step-by-step book! Great for beginners or more-experienced “by ear” players who want to start reading, it explains notation reading in detail, relating notes on the staff to guitar fingerboard diagrams and tablature. Practice routines and over 100 written exercises (with a complete answer key included) help you steadily and pain…

Best Of John Prine For Guitar includes Super Tab Notation Book $9.95 (Guitar Recorded Versions). Easy guitar tablature songbook, 48 pages. Titles: Angels from Montgomery * Six O’Clock News * Spanish Pipedream * Hello in There * Illegal Smile * Pretty Good * Far from Me * Quiet Man….

50 Classical Guitar Pieces – In Tablature and Standard Notation $7.85 (Creative Concepts Publishing). 50 pieces from the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical and Romantic eras arranged, edited and fingered by Joseph Harris. Includes notes about the composers and each period, and performance suggestions. All pieces are in standard notation and tablature….

…

…

Finale SongWriter $40.41 Finale SongWriter, designed specifically for songwriters, is the fast, easy way to create and print professional-quality sheet music. Import and export MIDI files, enter music with your mouse, computer keyboard or MIDI device to create music with up to 8 staves. Breathe life into sheet music with professional instrument sounds, realistic playback, and creative inspiration. Hear your notes as you e…

…

…