For those of us who grew up with a traditional notation education (school band, private violin or piano lessons) the notion of TAB was a bit foreign. If you did this in the 60s and 70s, 'TAB' was a diet soft drink, not a method of translating and expressing music through bars and dots of ink.

Without a doubt, if you're goal is to unearth the last four centuries of Western music, a working knowledge of standard notation is critical. If basic rock, folk, and blues is your cup of tea, you could probably survive reading Tablature, but it's inarguably limiting in expressing the nuances of time and rhythm. There's also the case that most of the rest of the music world uses standard notation; across the globe the system of lines, notes, and key signatures crosses language barriers never crossed by words.

If you are just now aspiring to break away from the limitations of TAB, we'd suggest Debra Chen's "Standard Notation for the Tab-Addicted Mandolinist," published by String Thing Music. Adults tackling this skill for the first time will appreciate her strategies in deciphering the landmarks and uncovering the vast treasures in traditional literature.

Read review: Standard Notation for the Tab-Addicted Mandolinist

Posted by Ted at July 28, 2008 5:54 AM