A Different Kind of Truth Tab Book

[Matt White]

So....I'm out and aboot today....pop into the local Guitar store....

Ramble by the tab book display.....HOLY SHIT!!!

ADKOT TAB BOOK!!!

I noticed the LARGE CLASSIC VAN HALEN symbol from a ways off.....

I instantly head to the check out counter....the long haired older rocker dude takes one look at me....."Yeah....I grabbed that as soon as I saw it too!"

Me : "It's the 1st VAN HALEN tab book I've bought.......(Dramatic pause).....SINCE 1984!"

Him: "Hell yeah man!"

BRILLIANT!!!

[jhale667]

Wants!!!

[sadaist]

Aw fuck. I don't want to even think about As Is or Honeybabysweetiedoll. Gonna be way too many numbers on those pages for my hack fingers to keep up pace.

[chefcraig]

Damn, it's already sold out at Amazon!

[jhale667]

Aw fuck. I don't want to even think about As Is or Honeybabysweetiedoll. Gonna be way too many numbers on those pages for my hack fingers to keep up pace.

You kidding? "As Is" is the FIRST tune I wanna check out! I noticed in the NAMM video someone posted of him playing the riff from a few years back the other day he's definitely playing it differently than I thought just trying to pick it up by ear...I've gotten the main riff pretty close notation-wise, but the way he's playing it in the video it's easier to make the notes pop out distinctly...

[Mr Walker]

Damn, it's already sold out at Amazon!

I wonder if I'm beat on the preorder I did last week.

[ThrillsNSpills]

The As Is riff he always played in the key of A but on the album version it's clearly in the key of B.

Capo the 2nd fret and hammer away on the A string.

[ThrillsNSpills]

http://www.download32.com/guitar-and-drum-trainer-2-i1682.html

Here is a shareware program that you can load a track in and slow down to figure it out.
It's effective to get the nuances of the performance that is impossible to get from tabs or sheet music alone.

[Seshmeister]

My Boss eBand thing can slow down the track keeping the pitch the same, lets you strip out most of the guitar, play along with the mp3 with effects and record it.



Unfortunately I just never seem to have enough time these days to properly work stuff out.

[ashstralia]

excellent!!

now the advice i give all my students, and they all play really really technical metal, is learn the notes thoroughly first and practise S L O W L Y...

this way takes patience, but anyone can do it if you put in the time. (lookin at you, sada)

when you can get it happening at maybe half speed, then set about speeding it up. fast+sloppy= no good.

[Terry]

I'm kind of wary about purchasing this because it came out almost TOO fast...I wonder about the accuracy of the tabs.

[ashstralia]

the thought crossed my mind terry, but a quick look over it should reveal all...

[Seshmeister]

Yeah the quality of tabs varies hugely.

I have to say I bought tab for VH1 and VHII a few years back and didn't find it hugely helpful because I found that Eddie has such a unique style it's difficult to translate in particular his rhythm playing from tab.

I think maybe it's better(and quicker) to try and do it by ear initially at least and then use the tab to check what you are playing to see if say you are missing a note on a chord or whatever.

For other people, like say Steve Vai, tab works better because they are more mechanistic.

There is also a strange optimism that goes with guitar tab that for some crazy fucking reason when you buy it you think that you will then automatically be able to play it. By that reckoning you should be able to buy the music to a Bach concerto and wander down the local church and play it on their organ.

[Matt White]

I trust Tabs now WAY more than "back in the day"..............

I remember seeing "Little Guitars" tabed for the 1st time......Not even close!

This book is weird though......."Recording sounds a 1/2 step flat"......than TAB IT THAT WAY! And BIG RIVER sounds in standard tuning to my ears.......

I remember seeing HELLS BELLS tabed in 1st position for decades....then seeing AC/DC on SNL......& ANGUS playing it in the 7th position.......laughed my ASS OFF!!!

[ashstralia]

yes matt!

the open strings always are a dead giveaway too. i guess that's the beauty of guitar though, you can play the same notes/chords in so many different ways.

works for me.