For those who don’t know, tablature is a method of music scoring where the notes are shown as frets on specific strings across a guitar fretboard.

It is often maligned as somehow lesser than standard notation, but that only applies to poorly written tablature. In fact, proper tablature can show details that traditional notation cannot even account for. Furthermore, it is a False Dichotomy, as most modern tablature is written in tandem with traditional scoring

Shown here is tablature where each line has standard notation on top and tablature on the bottom. One thing to notice immediately is the precision involved in the tablature. The E note shown on the 12th fret could, if read only with standard notation, be played in three different places on a regular electric guitar. With tablature, you know which one it really is.

One complaint about so many tablature transcriptions (tabs for short) is that they don’t show you note length or rhythm. This is not an inherent problem of tabs themselves but of the individual transcriber.

Above is an example of tab only, without the standard notation attached, where the rhythm is still clearly and precisely marked.

But wait there’s more! Notice on the bottom, you can see which fingers the transcriber recommends to use for each note. Look on the top and you see indications of when to palm mute and even which direction to pick.

Don’t fear tabs, just make sure you are looking at good ones! Chances are if they are written in Guitar Pro or Powertab format, they will be quite educational

For many instruments, the dreaded metronome is something you absolutely MUST make friends with. Finding one that handles all your needs can be tricky, especially for free.

NCH TempoPerfect Metronome is available for Windows, iOS and Android

Here is their homepage and the download for Windows

Here is the iOs version from iTunes

and Here is the Android version from Google Play

As you can see, it allows you to set tempo freely, but more importantly allows you to chose subdivisions, making hearing 8th notes and 16th notes or even triplets a breeze.

I strongly, and can’t stress strongly enough, encourage my students to make frequent and intimate use of metronomes. Usually starting at a very slow speed and then going up two Beats Per Minute once they can play a part right twice in a row. If it starts getting ugly, go down 1 BPM at a time until it is comfortable again.

Learn it slow and perfect, and just go up slowly, 2 BPM at a time, and before you know it, you are FLYING. I like to say “you just put in the time, the metronome will do all the work”. Speed is almost always easily reduced to spending time with the metronome, so have at it, this one is great! I’m still looking for a decent one for OSX

If you play any sort of steel stringed instrument in Hawaii, changing strings is a constant nightmare. I’ve lucked out with Elixirs, but getting them locally can be tricky. I went out looking at tests of brands we can find at most shops here and came across this video by Ryan Bruce

FYI Coconut Grove music store in Kailua carries the cleartones last I checked – (808) 262-9977