Learn to Read Sheet Music and Forget the TAB - Advice for Guitarists

Reading sheet music can be very intimidating forYou are given many more tools to work with and
a beginning guitarist. It is, after all, a brand newapply to your music composition and you gain a
language composed of a lot of symbols that arebroader, and more colorful, understanding of
new and alien. But Reading sheet music is a mustmusic.
for anyone who wants to be a serious guitaristSight Reading - - As you develop your skill in
and it will take your guitar playing well beyondreading sheet music you will gain the ability to pick
anything that TAB will show you. Tablature is aup a piece of music that you have never seen
crutch. It will only teach you how to play songsbefore and play it from sight. This ability makes
and compositions by rote. It is true that with Tabyou a competent musician and accelerates your
you will learn how to play a piece of music but inability to add pieces to your repertoire.
the process you are missing some of the realBreadth of Repertoire -- Does your taste in guitar
things that music, and being a musician are allmusic deviate from the mainstream? It can be
about.very difficult to find tablature for pieces that are
What is the goal of a guitarist?not mainstream. But you can always find the
Playing pieces of music is not the only goal of asheet music. It is the language of music.
guitarist. Growth in both technical ability andCross-pollination with other instruments - - If you
creativity are just as important. When you learn ahave heard a piece of music written for another
piece of music by TAB you experience a certaininstrument; like the piano, bass guitar, cello, or
amount of growth but as you master the pieceanything else where would you find guitar tab for
your growth quickly levels off. You have learnedit? If you are able to read sheet music you can
the piece and you practice it only to keep it sharp.get a copy of the music, understand it, and
When you learn a piece of music with traditionaltranscribe it for your guitar. This holds true for
sheet music you are not just learning the notessub-genres of guitar. There is an enormous
you are also learning another language. Thisamount of music available to guitarists that are
exercising of your mind makes you more flexible,not written in tab. Music like classical guitar,
more capable, and more creative. With time andflamenco, Spanish and progressive/experimental.
practice you recognize keys, chords, progressionsReading sheet music gives you instant access to
and whole host of things you would never seeall these flavors of guitar.
with TAB.The Ultimate Reward -
Advantages of Reading Sheet musicAs a guitar player, or aspiring guitar player, you
Hearing the music -As your skill develops and yourknow that it is not something that you study for
ears sharpen you will be able to pick up a piece ofa few weeks and are done. Playing guitar is a life
written sheet music and actually hear the noteslong pursuit and learning tablature is just a short
without playing the guitar. It is a language that youcut that enables you to play some songs. But
have learned. For some this ability comes quicklylearning to read sheet music is a skill that will have
and for others it takes years of practice.a more profound impact on your experience with
Creativity - Learning a language exercises a newthe guitar and with the music. It will make you a
part of your brain. Everyday, as you applybetter, more creative, and more capable player. It
yourself to learning this new language you willwill enrich your experience with the guitar and
grow. And this growth promotes your creativity.with the music in ways that tab never can.